TIKTOK
TRAVEL REPORT
Those of us with serious wanderlust will have had a stronger desire than ever before to get our escapist fix while sitting at home over the last year and a half; luckily, with over 49 billion views on travel videos alone, TikTok has become a constant source of travel inspiration that we can all access from the smartphones sitting in our pockets. The video-sharing app rose to popularity in 2019 and now has over a billion monthly users, making it one of the fastest growing platforms ever. With users sharing content from all corners of the globe, the app has become an absolute go-to for content of all kinds, but in particular, travel videos full of inspiration, advice, hacks and tips - perfect when planning your next adventure!
But which countries, cities and attractions do we actually love to watch the most? We wanted to find out definitively which places we’ve all been yearning for, so we compiled a list of the top countries, cities and tourist attractions from all over the world and turned to TikTok to analyze their hashtags and find out which ones we love to feast our eyes on.
THE 25 MOST WATCHED COUNTRIES ON TIKTOK
Asia takes the global crown, with nine different countries featuring within the top 25; unsurprising considering it features the likes of Japan with its photogenic cherry blossom, India and the iconic Taj Mahal and the world-class white, sandy beaches of the Philippines and Thailand. Europe wasn’t far behind, with seven countries featuring in the top 25 - the intricate and colorful architecture of Russia, Scotland’s stunning and rugged coastline and Italy’s famed historical buildings all pulling in hundreds of millions of views. North and South America, Oceania and Africa all also appear within the top 25 most-watched countries globally; Bolivia’s distinctive salt flats, Australia’s world-famous beaches and the USA’s aesthetic national parks aiding in their high respective rankings.
Asia
Japan
With nearly double the total number of views than Russia in second place, Japan ranks first worldwide as the most-watched destination on TikTok. No surprise, with Tokyo being the destination for the 2020 Olympics, cherry blossom season bringing in troops of tourists each year to see the pretty pink blooms and the notoriously shy but beautiful Mt Fuji pulling rank as the most visited national park in the world. Visiting Japan any time of year will be a mind-blowing adventure like no other, but the seasons can change drastically! If you prefer fall over spring, head over in September to enjoy the maple leaf season or fly in a little later to see some of the world’s best powder during ski season. If you’re visiting from September onwards, we suggest picking up a bomber jacket to keep warm as the temperature drops, and if you’re heading off for the ski season then a down jacket will help keep you toasty in between hot bowls of ramen!
Europe
Russia
The largest country in the world, Russia, clocks in at an impressive almost 250 million views in total. With grandiose palaces that would be at home on a movie set, the unique and boldly colored swirling architecture of St Basil’s Cathedral and the jaw dropping Trans-Siberian railway taking avid explorers from Russia through to China, it’s not hard to see how the country has become one of the most watched destinations on TikTok. While in the summer months you won’t need more than a gilet or lightweight jacket, we wouldn’t consider visiting in winter without a parka coat layered into your outfit to block those bitter.
North America
Mexico
Mexico boasts a rich history, with dense jungles, Mayan ruins and awe-inspiring cenotes all causing serious delight to tourists who visit. It also boasts an impressive 215.3 million views on the video sharing platform TikTok. The delectable cuisine, sacred site of Chichen Itza and its 1,500-year history and magical natural swimming holes all providing endless inspiration to those of us scrolling on our phones and searching for the next item to tick off our bucket lists.
THE 25 MOST WATCHED CITIES ON TIKTOK
The USA triumphs in the city rankings, with the big apple, New York City, not only placing first but five different American cities featuring within the global top 25. From the windy city of Chicago to Oregon’s Portland, tropical Miami, Nashville in the heart of Tennessee and Canada’s Toronto - North America itself features six times overall, no mean feat considering some of its competitors!
The likes of Paris, with the world-famous Louvre and glistening Eiffel Tower, the colorful streets and colonial architecture of Bogota and Amsterdam’s intricate network of canals all pull in millions of views to place them firmly in the top rankings.
United States of America
New York
The bright lights of New York City, with its bustling streets and diverse culture have racked up an impressive 114 million views on TikTok. Some of the most film-worthy sites being Times Square and Central Park, with 525 and 248 million views respectively. New York is a year-round destination, whether you want to shop on a snow-capped Fifth Avenue or watch the sunrise from the Empire State Building - you’ll need to be properly decked out. Make sure you’ve got a warm puffer jacket for winter or a leather jacket to keep warm during fall or spring.
South Korea
Seoul
South Korea’s capital city, Seoul is a mind-boggling adventure. One minute you’re listening to K-pop and staring up at lofty skyscrapers, the next you’re taking in an ancient, traditional Buddhist temple. This vivacious city is only a day-trip away from almost anywhere else in the rest of the country, making it a hub for any and all trips you could want to pursue on your holiday. With an admirable 106.5 million views on TikTok; Seoul is showcased perfectly through the many videos users have filmed at the likes of the N Seoul Tower, South Korea’s answer to Paris’ Pont Neuf, where couples from all over have visited to leave “love locks”, and Bukchon Hanok - an enchanting traditional Korean village over 600 years old.
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
Dubai itself fared extremely well in the rankings, starring both in the top three most watched cities and twice in the top five most watched attractions. The Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s stunning skyscraper and the world’s tallest tower is the most viewed attraction, with a staggering 1.5 billion views alone! Just next door, the Dubai Mall pulls in 574.8 million views and numerous visitors to its 1,200 stores, aquarium and stunning indoor fountain, while the Global Village also makes the top 10 - its 25 pavilions that represent 78 nations around the world draw in millions of tourists each year and 390 million views on TikTok. While the heat in Dubai can get intense during the day, the air-conditioning in public spaces and cool temperatures at night mean you’ll benefit from bringing a lightweight jacket with you.
United States of America
New York
The bright lights of New York City, with its bustling streets and diverse culture have racked up an impressive 114 million views on TikTok. Some of the most film-worthy sites being Times Square and Central Park, with 525 and 248 million views respectively. New York is a year-round destination, whether you want to shop on a snow-capped Fifth Avenue or watch the sunrise from the Empire State Building - you’ll need to be properly decked out. Make sure you’ve got a warm puffer jacket for winter or a leather jacket to keep warm during autumn or spring.
South Korea
Seoul
South Korea’s capital city, Seoul is a mind-boggling adventure. One minute you’re listening to K-pop and staring up at lofty skyscrapers, the next you’re taking in an ancient, traditional Buddhist temple. This vivacious city is only a day-trip away from almost anywhere else in the rest of the country, making it a hub for any and all trips you could want to pursue on your holiday. With an admirable 106.5 million views on TikTok; Seoul is showcased perfectly through the many videos users have filmed at the likes of the N Seoul Tower, South Korea’s answer to Paris’ Pont Neuf, where couples from all over have visited to leave “love locks”, and Bukchon Hanok - an enchanting traditional Korean village over 600 years old.
United Arab Emirates
Dubai
Dubai itself fared extremely well in the rankings, starring both in the top three most watched cities and twice in the top five most watched attractions. The Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s stunning skyscraper and the world’s tallest tower is the most viewed attraction, with a staggering 1.5 billion views alone! Just next door, the Dubai Mall pulls in 574.8 million views and numerous visitors to its 1,200 stores, aquarium and stunning indoor fountain, while the Global Village also makes the top 10 - its 25 pavilions that represent 78 nations around the world draw in millions of tourists each year and 390 million views on TikTok. While the heat in Dubai can get intense during the day, the air-conditioning in public spaces and cool temperatures at night mean you’ll benefit from bringing a lightweight jacket with you.
THE 50 MOST WATCHED
ATTRACTIONS
ON TIKTOK
The top 50 most watched attractions on TikTok are peppered with some of the world’s most incredible bucket list locations; Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort sits in second place among Dubai’s previously mentioned Burj Khalifa and the enchanting Disneyland Paris, while the rest of the top 10 includes spots from The Netherlands, Canada and India.
The USA once again starred more than any other country, with almost half (22) of the top 50 attractions located in the states; including sites like the renowned Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the extraordinary Zion National Park in Utah and Appalachian Trail in the east of the country.
Whether it’s a staycation, an epic road trip or a tropical adventure, we hope this list has given you everything you need in travel inspiration for when you get out there again. Make sure you’re equipped with the right clothing - take a look at our jackets to keep yourself warm and dry, no matter where your escapades take you.
METHODOLOGY
We compiled a list of 193 countries, 292 cities and 1,095 attractions from around the world and searched their respective hashtags on TikTok to analyze which ones had the most views. For cities and countries, a combination of the hashtags #travel[country/city] and #[country/city]travel was used to eliminate any videos that were unrelated to traveling.
Videos around certain attractions which were predominately non-travel related were removed from the research.
Note that although Russia is considered to fall under both the European and Asian continents, for the purposes of this research we counted it as being a part of Europe.
All data correct as of September 2021.