How to research travel spots - is social media the place?

According to ResearchGate, 81% of avid Gen Z travellers use smartphones to research and plan their trips. This is hardly surprising with the rise of ‘Instagrammable’ and trendy spots, where more and more tourists are relying on social media to shape their travels.

Platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube can be invaluable for many in generating ideas for a dream itinerary, especially when finding themselves wanting to visit the most photogenic of locations and popular hotspots.

Furthermore, when seeking tips on how to travel on a budget, where to stay, or even advice on breaking down complicated travelling logistics, such as working holiday visas and travel insurance, social media can sometimes be the most accessible place to search.

However, social media can often be a catfish. It is easy to overlook how authentically (or not!) a travel spot can be portrayed online. As some destinations see a surge in popularity, they can quickly become well-known for the wrong reasons. Perhaps a location has piqued your interest because of its aesthetic backdrops? Or maybe a brand-new food spot has gone viral and everyone is trying it out? But what about a city's authenticity, its history and culture? Are we starting to lose this in the novel era of travel influencing?

An alternative way to research your next trip is using guidebooks, such as Lonely Planet, written by travel experts. These guides often provide reliable and well-tailored recommendations to sculpt the perfect travel plan, while also offering essential information about language, culture, and history - details that are often overlooked on social media posts.

However, while guidebooks can act as a reliable resource and help avoid the ‘Expectation vs. Reality’ paradox that may arise from social media research, many believe they are becoming outdated and gradually turning into a thing of the past.

So is social media the best way to research travel spots?

Many recommendations promoted by travel influencers on popular platforms often fail to truly represent a destination authentically. With the growing population of social media and the rise of travel influencers, it is unsurprising that many once ‘underrated’ locations are quickly becoming ‘overrated’ ones, as followers are flocking to these places for potentially superficial reasons. Social media can furthermore contribute to the creation of tourist traps, however it still offers easily-accessible and often informative content about destinations, and can make planning a trip that one bit more exciting.