The TikTok effect on destination development: Famous overnight, now what?

A research article co-authored by CTR Visiting Fellows, Dr. Yana Wengel (Hainan University£©and Dr. Michal Apollo (Pedagogical University of Cracow) was published in Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.

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Title

The TikTok effect on destination development: Famous overnight, now what?

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Authors

Yana Wengel, Hainan University ¨C Arizona State University International Joint Tourism College (HAITC), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China / Center for Tourism Research, Wakayama University, Wakayama City, Japan / Department of Tourism and Regional Studies, Institute of Geography, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Cracow, Poland

Ling Ma, Hainan University ¨C Arizona State University International Joint Tourism College (HAITC), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China

Yixiao Ma, Hainan University ¨C Arizona State University International Joint Tourism College (HAITC), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China

Michal Apollo, Hainan University ¨C Arizona State University International Joint Tourism College (HAITC), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China / Center for Tourism Research, Wakayama University, Wakayama City, Japan / Department of Tourism and Regional Studies, Institute of Geography, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Cracow, Poland / Global Justice Program, Yale University, New Haven, USA

Kamil Maciuk, Hainan University ¨C Arizona State University International Joint Tourism College (HAITC), Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China / Department of Integrated Geodesy and Cartography, AGH University of Science and Technology of Krakow, Krakow, Poland

Ann Suwaree Ashton, Graduate School of Tourism Management, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand

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Source

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 37, March 2022

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2021.100458

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*Scopus Indexed Journal

https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21100255547

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Abstract

Contemporary tourists increasingly rely on social media platforms to inform their consumption choices. Increasingly more travellers rely on social media to make their travel choices; however, scant research explored the impacts of sudden destination popularity through social media. The current study reveals how TikTok made two off-the-beaten-track destinations in Hainan (China) famous overnight. Using participant observation and interviews, this paper explores how a destination suddenly had to cope not only with overtourism but also with all the issues it generates. The findings revealed that the local community struggles to seize the opportunities offered by tourism while forced to manage the tourist¡¯s flow. We propose a management framework for destinations in protected areas that suddenly became ¡®hot¡¯ on social media and Web 2.0. Finally, we discuss the implications for tourism policies and management and highlight the importance of links between user-generated content and the promotion as crucial for future tourism planning in protected areas.
Management implications: The study results highlight how (off-the-beaten track) destination was impacted by unintentional promotion through TikTok. The findings revealed management gaps related to accessibility and amenities that resulted in negative environmental impacts when suddenly tourism numbers increased in a short time. These findings provide important implications for tourism policies, management, and marketing of destinations when their popularity depends on being ¡®hot¡¯ on social media and Web 2.0. The authors propose a Rapid Response Plan framework for handling future cases of sudden destination popularity.

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Keywords

TikTok, Social media 2.0, Tourism marketing, Destination management organization, Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park