Geline Salac

Are you watching Instagram and TikTok about where to travel next?

Article (news)

Aneth Ng-Lim

Do you still remember the time when planning a holiday meant going to a travel agency, and picking out a package that already includes flights, hotels and tours? On our first trip to Japan about a decade ago, one travel agency handled everything – from processing visas to insurance to airport transfers.  When we go again next month, this time every travel decision is being made online, mostly from suggestions offered via Instagram or TikTok.  Turns out we’re just like the majority of travelers in Southeast Asia (SEA).  According to Milieu Insight&#x27;s SEA Travel 2026 Study, today&#x27;s most influential travel agent doesn&#x27;t have an office.  Instead, it has an algorithm.The Singapore-based consumer research and data analytics firm surveyed 3,000 travelers across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines in February 2026.  Their results revealed a clear shift in how people now discover, plan, and choose their next vacation. “Social media, led by Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, has become the dominant force shaping where Southeast Asians go, what they do when they get there, and increasingly, why they go at all,” the study learned.  “For the travel industry, tourism boards, and destinations competing for attention in 2026, understanding this shift is no longer optional – it is the new baseline.”<div>Social Media as #1 Travel Inspiration Source</div>“Across the six markets surveyed, social media ranks as the single most-used source of travel information and inspiration, cited by 56 percent of respondents overall,” reported Milieu. Thailand ranked highest in the region with nearly 7 out of 10 travelers (69 percent) turning to social media first when researching where to go. Vietnam was a close second at 67 percent, followed by Malaysia at 61 percent, Indonesia at 55 percent, the Philippines at 53 percent, and Singapore at 49 percent.  “Even in Singapore, where travellers tend to be more research-driven and rely heavily on online reviews, nearly half still begin their journey on a social feed,” the study showed.<div>Social Media Outranked Trusted Online Platforms‍</div>What’s more, social media outranked online review platforms like TripAdvisor and Google Reviews, recommendations from friends and family, YouTube travel content, and travel blogs. “Traditional pillars of travel research have not disappeared but they have been decisively outpaced,” explained Milieu Insight.There are two outliers though:  in Thailand for example, 57 percent of travellers use YouTube travel videos as a primary inspiration source, followed by the Philippines at 41 percent. In these two countries, long-form content which offer detailed destination walkthroughs, accommodation reviews, and day-in-the-life vlogs continues to shape travel decisions.<div>Social Media Can Make (or break) a Destination</div>“What makes social media uniquely powerful is that it doesn&#x27;t just influence where people go but it actively creates the destinations worth going to,” the research revealed.   Who hasn’t been drawn to visit a beach featured in a viral TikTok?  Your favorite neighborhood café when put on TikTok spotlight can become a talked-about site and suddenly the queue is a mile long.“This dynamic is especially visible in Vietnam, where 16 percent of travellers cite social media influence and &quot;Instagrammable&quot; spots as a key attraction factor, second only to Indonesia at 19 percent.”The study proved that for the respondents, social media has successfully replicated personal trust like that offered by a family or friend.  They see a travel creator with a loyal following as a trusted friend whose tastes are familiar, whose recommendations feel tested, and whose experiences they also want to have. <div>Browse then Verify</div>A word of caution: I admit falling for the promises in social media posts but lived to regret some of them.  One expensive mistake comes to mind: the viral 15-step hair spa treatment in Seoul.  There are many spas that offer the similar service and the price points stay within a reasonable range.  I chose one based on an Instagram post and the reality was quite far from what the social media content offered.  I made sure to leave a Google Review and also commented on that social media post.  It’s probably a drop in an ocean of likes, but I wanted to at least save one poor soul from shelling out hundreds of thousands of Korean won as I painfully did.We can expect social media&#x27;s influence on travel to intensify as digital-native travelers come of age. As they travel more, spend more, and share more, the feedback loop between content and behaviour will accelerate.  No harm in listening to the noise, but as always, spend your hard-earned money wisely.

Do you still remember the time when planning a holiday meant going to a travel agency, and picking out a package that already includes flights, hotels and tours?

Do you still remember the time when planning a holiday meant going to a travel agency, and picking out a package that already includes flights, hotels and tours?