1 of 20

It’s a Social Thing

TikTok: the What & the Why

Heath Michael Heise

Co-founder & Brand Llama; Llama

2 of 20

Heath Michael Heise

25 years in brand marketing
Ex British Airways/Qantas, American Express, Amex Travel, STA Travel
Visited 90+ countries, lived in 9
Co-leads a travel brand marketing consultancy for small and mid-sized businesses:

3 of 20

Introduction & Agenda

Why TikTok

Key Strengths of TikTok

Specific Strengths for Agents

Quick Preview of TikTok Ads

Sneak Peek: 45-Minute Workshop

4 of 20

TikTok Context

5 of 20

Travel itineraries are now built on TikTok

TikTok has 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide and 25 million UK users aged 18+

60%

of TikTok users agree that they visit new destinations because they discovered them through TikTok.

TikTok Travel Facts

6 of 20

Demystifying TikTok

What is TikTok, Really?

Short-form, engaging video content.
Focus on authenticity and creativity.
Not just for “kids” – diverse audience.
Authentic storytelling, visual creativity, and values-based messaging to connect with Gen Z & Millennials.

📱 TikTok Audience Snapshot – Global & UK (2025)
🎯 Demographics Age (Global): 18–24: 33% 25–34: 36% 35–44: 15% 45+: 16%	👥 Gender (Global) 55% Male 45% Female	💡 Psychographics Creatively driven, values-led users Engaged with entertainment, trends & authenticity High receptivity to emotionally resonant, purpose-aligned content

Who is the global TikTok audience?

7 of 20

Why TikTok for UK Travel Agents?

📱 TikTok Audience Snapshot – UK (2025)
UK Audience: ~25M users aged 18+ 40% 18–24 20% 25-34 40% 35+ Avg. daily use 18–24: 64 mins; all adults: 13 min	🔍 Discovery & Inspiration 82% consider new destinations due to TikTok content. 69% discover new travel brands. 37% actively save travel content, organising it for future trips.	📊 Engagement & Planning 87.5% take extra time to plan for unique trip experiences. 78% avoid experiences harmful to place/ environment; indicating a sustainability preference.	📈 Booking Influence Over 70% of European TikTok users are likely to book holidays based on platform recommendations

TikTok: Your Untapped Marketing Goldmine

Reach a wider audience

Build trust & connection

Time-saving: Quick, easy content creation

Cost-effective marketing solution

Who is the TikTok audience?

8 of 20

Why TikTok for UK Travel Agents

(Organic)

9 of 20

TikTok loves good content & watch time most.
A killer video can go viral easily.
Focus on quality videos, not just followers.
One great video can skyrocket your reach.

Example: This creator has 881 followers, but this post had over 430K views.

High Organic Reach

You don’t need a big following to go viral….

10 of 20

Power of Inspiration

TikTok: Travel's emotional video brochure….

TikTok videos showcase travel destinations & experiences vividly.
Short format makes capturing sunsets, hotel pools, and local food easy.
Think of TikTok as your free emotional video brochure.

Example: Trending music & quick cuts show “a day in Rome on a budget” enticing viewers with the vibe rather than a hard-sell.

11 of 20

Search Engine Capabilities

Search TikTok, like Google, especially Gen Z….

TikTok now a search engine for travel inspiration.
Answer customer questions with relevant video content.
Match user keywords like "Portugal itinerary" or "travel tips".
Title videos with search intent: "Affordable family holiday spots".
Use on-screen text and hashtags for search visibility.

Example: Title it “Affordable family holiday spots in Europe 🇪🇺under €100/night”; add on-screen text & hashtags to match search intent.

12 of 20

TikTok native features help guide users to take action.
Use link in bio for direct website access.
Pinned comments can lead to key information.
Reply-with-video engages users and starts conversations.
Always have a clear call to action in videos.

Example: End your video with “Save this for later and DM us ‘Paris’ for the full itinerary!” — then pin a comment with your link or next steps.

Direct Call to Action Opportunities

Drive action, it’s easy to turn interest into inquiries….

13 of 20

Riding TikTok trends boosts algorithm visibility.
Adapt trends to your travel niche effectively.
Trend-led content increases "For You Page" views.
Stay current with trends for better discovery.

Example: Overlay a trending sound with “5 things I’d never do in [destination] as a travel agent” mixing entertainment & authority.

14 of 20

Best Practices for TikTok Content

15 of 20

Best Social Channels for Travel across the Marketing Funnel

Action / Booking

Loyalty

Consideration

Awareness

🔥 Organic 🔥 Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid	🔥 Organic ✅ Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid
✅ Organic ✅ Paid	🔥 Organic ✅ Paid	✅ Organic 🔥 Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid	🔥 Organic ✅ Paid
⚠️ Organic ✅ Paid	⚠️ Organic ✅ Paid	✅ Organic 🔥 Paid	⚠️ Organic ✅ Paid	⚠️ Organic ✅ Paid
⚠️ Organic ⚠️ Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid	🔥 Organic 🔥 Paid	✅ Organic ✅ Paid	✅ Organic ⚠️ Paid

16 of 20

Travel Stats Across the Funnel

17 of 20

Creator itineraries & highlights

18 of 20

🧳 TikTok Ads: A Smart Move for UK Travel Agents 📣 What Are TikTok Ads? Paid placements appear in “For You” feeds, Stories, or Search: In-Feed Ads Spark Ads TopView/Branded Hashtag/Effect Ads	💰 Costs & Getting Started Low minimum daily spend: ~£20/day Test budget: Start with 2-week campaign as little as £300 Low cost per click: cheaper than Facebook/Insta Best for awareness, inspiration, and remarketing to warm leads ✅ Tip: Start with Spark Ad – use an organic video that’s already performing well, and add budget behind it
🌍 Why Travel Agents Should Use TikTok Ads Highly Engaged Audience Visual Discovery Engine Cost-Effective Storytelling Local & Niche Targeting

TikTok Ads: A quick Overview (Paid)

19 of 20

Join our TikTok workshops tomorrow

Get Hands-On: “Get TikTok Ready” Workshop

20 of 20

Thank you!

heath@wearellama.co.uk

marta@wereallama.co.uk

heath@wearellama.co.uk

marta@wereallama.co.uk