Adventure tourism is on a meteoric rise, with the global market set to grow from $406.12 billion in 2024 to a staggering $1 trillion by 2030. But here’s the thing: the way people choose their adventures has radically changed.
Gone are the days of dusty brochures and glossy ads—today, 71% of European travelers are booking their next getaway based on inspiration from TikTok. Yes, TikTok. The platform isn't just for viral dances—it's now a travel agent.
What’s fueling this shift? It’s simple: authenticity. Audiences are tired of polished, cookie-cutter ads. They crave the raw, relatable experiences that come with real people sharing their stories. Add in the magic of influencer partnerships and interactive features like TikTok's Countdown Stickers and Instagram Q&A, and you’ve got the recipe for a winning campaign.
Hideout Festival nailed this with their TikTok strategy, achieving 13 million views, 62% of ticket sales, and a 33% lower CPA than other platforms. Intrigued?
Keep reading to discover the secrets behind this campaign and how you can leverage TikTok and Instagram for your own adventure tourism brand!
- 1. Harnessing FOMO and TikTok’s Power to Drive Event Ticket Sales
- 2. Targeting Custom Audiences with Fun, Shareable Content to Drive Engagement
- 3. Use Influencer Partnerships to Showcase Real Adventure Experiences
- 4. Promoting Ecotourism Through Influencer-Led Campaigns Focused on Slow Travel
- 5. Building Global Brand Awareness for Wellness Retreats with Targeted Social Media Campaigns
- Elevate Your Adventure & Experience Tourism Marketing Strategy
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Harnessing FOMO and TikTok’s Power to Drive Event Ticket Sales
When it comes to adventure tourism and festivals, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is your best friend. You don’t just want people to attend your event—you want them to feel like they can’t live without it. And there’s no better platform for creating FOMO than TikTok. The platform is built for viral content, engagement, and real-time buzz, making it the perfect space to showcase your event in a way that grabs attention and encourages action.
The key to success lies in the way you create and share content. Forget overly polished, corporate videos. TikTok thrives on authentic content that feels real, relatable, and native to the platform.
Your audience wants to feel like they’re getting an insider look—the raw excitement, the buzz of the crowd, the behind-the-scenes moments they can’t get anywhere else. Use this to your advantage by capturing the authentic atmosphere of your event and showcasing it in a way that makes your followers long for the experience.
Another key aspect? Creator partnerships. Partnering with the right influencers, especially those who are known for their adventure-filled lifestyles, can help amplify your reach and increase trust in your brand. Influencers aren’t just promoting your event—they’re living it. They’re the ones who make their audience feel like they’re part of the action, not just spectators.
Take Hideout Festival as an example. They took TikTok by storm with their FOMO-driven content for their marketing campaign. Partnering with Mustard Media, they shifted from traditional marketing strategies and fully embraced TikTok’s short-form video format to show the excitement and energy of the festival. Their approach wasn’t about selling tickets directly; it was about showing the experience—the fun, the music, the vibrant festival life.
By using Spark Ads to boost content, Hideout Festival strategically tapped into TikTok’s viral trends and used them to showcase the festival from the moment you convince your mates to go all the way to the build-up to the big event. The use of Countdown Stickers, Lead Generation Forms, and creator partnerships created a sense of urgency and excitement. FOMO was in full swing, and it was impossible to resist.
@hideoutfestivalHideout 2025 Boat parties are out! Link in bio ⚓️♬ original sound - Hideout Festival
Results & Analysis
The results? 13 million views, 120,000 clicks, and an impressive 33% lower CPA than other platforms. TikTok was not just another channel for them; it was where they achieved 62% of their ticket sales.
Key Takeaway
Want to sell more tickets for your event? Leverage TikTok’s power of FOMO by sharing authentic, behind-the-scenes content. Use creator partnerships and engagement tools like Countdown Stickers to amplify your reach and encourage immediate action. When your audience feels like they’re missing out on something incredible, they’ll be lining up to buy tickets.
2. Targeting Custom Audiences with Fun, Shareable Content to Drive Engagement
In adventure tourism, reaching the right audience is everything. Sure, you can create great content, but it’s useless if it doesn’t reach the people who are actually interested in your experiences. That’s where Spark Ads on TikTok come into play. This tool allows you to amplify native content and target specific audiences in ways that feel natural and engaging, rather than forced or promotional.
The goal isn’t just visibility; it’s about creating connections that inspire action.
Here’s the strategy: start with fun, trendy videos that your audience wants to engage with. The best way to do this? Focus on shareable content that showcases the adventure experience in a way that gets people excited and makes them want to be part of it. Show them immersive experiences—the type of content that gives them a taste of what it’s like to live out their own adventure.
Once you have your engaging, fun content, use Spark Ads to increase your reach and target the right audience. Custom audience targeting allows you to zero in on people who are most likely to convert, making every dollar you spend on ads count.
Vee Sightseeing did exactly this to promote their app and drive conversions for adventure seekers in Spain. By using Spark Ads to amplify their authentic, in-house created content, Vee Sightseeing captured the attention of young adventurers looking for something fun and new to do.
Their content featured people enjoying experiences, from cultural activities to adrenaline-pumping sports, all set to trendy music and showcasing how easy and exciting it was to explore the beautiful landscapes of Spain.
Results & Analysis
As their ads expanded across Catalonia and other regions in Spain, they reached over 1 million impressions. By focusing on fun, shareable videos and using targeted ads to amplify that content, they saw an incredible €0.77 CPC and €2.15 CPM, demonstrating that their content was resonating with the right audience.
Key Takeaway
To successfully engage your adventure tourism audience, create shareable, fun content that shows off your experiences, then amplify it using Spark Ads. When you target the right people with authentic content, you’ll see a higher conversion rate and better ROI on your ad spend.
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3. Use Influencer Partnerships to Showcase Real Adventure Experiences
When it comes to adventure tourism, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the key to building lasting connections with your audience. Traditional ads often feel too polished and sales-driven, but influencer partnerships?
They’re the real deal. Influencers are experts at creating relatable content that speaks directly to their audience, showing them real experiences rather than just selling a product. In the world of adventure tourism, this is crucial.
The power of an influencer lies in their ability to show your product or experience through a genuine lens. Instead of a curated, idealized version of a trip, they’re sharing honest, on-the-ground moments.
Whether they’re hiking through breathtaking landscapes, enjoying local cuisine, or relaxing in the comfort of an adventure lodge, influencers can portray your experience in a way that feels accessible and exciting. Their audience sees the adventure through their eyes, making them feel like they’re part of the journey.
Take Center Parcs as a prime example. For their #UrlaubHeißtCenterParcs campaign, they partnered with a family influencer and a lifestyle influencer to showcase the holiday park experience. But it wasn’t just about highlighting their accommodations or activities—it was about portraying the real moments people experience during their stay.
These influencers didn’t just post about their trip—they documented it. They took their followers through their experience with ongoing stories, showing everything from settling into the park to trying out fun adventure activities like zip-lining, swimming, and exploring nature. The influencers shared personal stories, offered tips, and highlighted how the park was perfect for both families and couples looking to escape for the weekend.
Rather than a high-budget ad, this felt like a trusted friend’s recommendation. By showcasing the authentic moments from their stay, the influencers made the Center Parcs experience feel real and relatable.
Results & Analysis
The campaign generated over 2,000 views per story and resulted in 500 interactions. The story-based content resonated with their audience, encouraging them to explore Center Parcs for their next family getaway or romantic retreat. It wasn’t about forcing a sale—it was about providing an authentic story that people could connect with.
And when your audience sees real people enjoying your experiences, they’re far more likely to book.
Key Takeaway
In adventure tourism, authenticity is everything. Influencer partnerships allow you to show your experience through the lens of someone who already has the trust and attention of your ideal audience.
Focus on influencers who can share genuine experiences, and you’ll create lasting connections that drive engagement and bookings. Show your audience the real adventure, not just the sales pitch.
4. Promoting Ecotourism Through Influencer-Led Campaigns Focused on Slow Travel
In today’s world, where sustainability is not just a trend but a necessity, promoting ecotourism is both a responsibility and an opportunity. Enter the power of influencer-led campaigns. The secret to success here is to showcase the journey, not just the destination. By partnering with influencers who embrace sustainable travel and exploration, you invite your audience to experience the journey in a deeper, more meaningful way.
The concept of slow travel is a novelty here. This form of travel is all about taking the time to immerse yourself in the local culture, environment, and way of life. It’s about opting for eco-friendly transport (think trains, cycling, and hiking) and staying in unusual accommodations that reflect the authenticity of the place. And, of course, it’s about connecting with nature and people in a way that fast, transactional travel simply can’t match.
By using TikTok, Instagram, and blogs, brands can highlight these aspects of travel, ensuring that the experience is shared in a way that feels both real and inspiring.
ATOUT FRANCE and France Montagnes partnered with Clark Influence to promote the beauty and accessibility of ecotourism in the French mountains. Their goal was to showcase the natural treasures of the mountain massifs in summer, emphasizing sustainable travel options.
To do this, they turned to a select group of influencers who embodied the slow travel ethos. @bestjobers and @withaxie were chosen for their passion for adventure and authenticity, and together, they traversed the mountains, sharing their experiences with their followers.
The influencers didn’t just take pretty pictures—they documented every aspect of their journey: from traveling by train and bike to experiencing local gastronomy and connecting with the regional culture.
This wasn’t just about promoting mountain vacations—it was about promoting a lifestyle that encourages sustainable, thoughtful exploration of the natural world. The influencers' travel diaries provided their audience with a glimpse into slow travel, all while encouraging them to explore the stunning French mountain ranges in a way that didn’t harm the environment.
Results & Analysis
The results were impressive, with 1.5 million impressions and 9% engagement on TikTok and Instagram alone. The 7.5k clicks on stories and the 178 pieces of content generated demonstrate the deep connection these influencers were able to forge with their audience.
The campaign’s success wasn’t just about reaching people—it was about inspiring a shift in how people think about their travel choices. By aligning with influencers who are genuinely passionate about slow travel, Clark Influence successfully promoted sustainable tourism to a new generation of travelers.
Key Takeaway
To promote ecotourism, embrace the power of influencer partnerships that focus on authenticity and sustainability. By highlighting slow travel and the joys of immersive experiences, you can inspire your audience to travel responsibly and deepen their connection to the places they visit. Focus on genuine storytelling and eco-friendly travel, and watch your campaign engage and inspire like never before.
5. Building Global Brand Awareness for Wellness Retreats with Targeted Social Media Campaigns
When expanding a luxury fitness retreat brand from a successful local market to an international stage, you face a unique set of challenges. How do you maintain your brand identity while reaching a broader, more diverse audience? How do you ensure consistency across different markets, while still speaking to the local preferences and interests of your new customers?
The answer lies in strategic, targeted marketing through social media—but not just any marketing: it’s about using data-driven insights, tailored content, and targeted outreach to create a compelling narrative that resonates with the global community.
This approach focuses on building anticipation and excitement around your retreat, ensuring that your content isn’t just seen—it’s felt. Combining organic and paid posts, you can tap into the creator economy and leverage social proof to inspire confidence in potential guests.
BXR Retreats, a high-end fitness retreat brand, faced the challenge of extending their brand from their successful London-based locations to international markets, including Turkey and Crete. Their goal was to build a global community of wellness enthusiasts who would resonate with their unique blend of luxury fitness and five-star hospitality.
To achieve this, CEEK was brought in to help with social media marketing, ensuring that the BXR brand was effectively introduced to a wider audience. The key to success was targeting the right audience segments through organic content, paid ads, and influencer collaborations.
This content was designed to highlight the unique benefits of BXR Retreats—high-performance training in luxurious settings—while emphasizing the exclusivity of the experience.
By leveraging Instagram and paid media, the team successfully raised awareness and excitement, driving traffic to the BXR website. Through carefully crafted targeted campaigns and a mix of organic and paid media, the brand was able to ensure that their message reached the right people at the right time.
Results & Analysis
The results? A fully booked retreat program each year since the launch. By employing a combination of organic social content, paid media, and SEO best practices, BXR Retreats successfully built a global brand presence that resonates with high-end wellness seekers worldwide.
Key Takeaway
For luxury wellness retreats, expanding to international markets requires a strategic, data-driven approach. By using social media to tell your brand story and targeting the right audience, you can ensure that your global expansion is not only seamless but highly successful. Tailor your approach to each market, and watch your retreat bookings soar across borders.
Elevate Your Adventure & Experience Tourism Marketing Strategy
The key to success in adventure and experience tourism marketing lies in authenticity, targeted content, and engagement. By embracing TikTok trends, creator collaborations, and personalized content, brands can connect with travelers in new and exciting ways.
The rise of slow travel, eco-tourism, and fitness retreats showcases a growing demand for genuine experiences. Use platform-specific strategies and influencer partnerships to showcase your brand’s authentic adventure. Experiment with these trends to stay ahead in the fast-paced tourism industry!
Frequently Asked Questions
How can TikTok boost bookings for adventure tours?
TikTok's short-form videos can showcase thrilling experiences, behind-the-scenes moments, and customer testimonials, effectively capturing attention and inspiring action.
What type of content works best on Instagram for adventure tourism?
Instagram Reels and Stories are ideal for sharing scenic views, local culture, and unique experiences, helping to build a community of engaged travelers.
How can I use TikTok trends to promote my tours?
Participate in popular challenges or create your own branded hashtag to encourage user-generated content, increasing visibility and engagement
Should I use paid ads on TikTok and Instagram?
Yes, both platforms offer targeted advertising options that can reach specific demographics, enhancing brand awareness and driving conversions.
How do I measure the success of my campaigns?
Track metrics like engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to assess the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Is influencer marketing effective for adventure tourism?
Collaborating with travel influencers can amplify your reach and credibility, as their followers often trust their recommendations.
How can I create authentic content that resonates?
Focus on storytelling, share real experiences, and highlight unique aspects of your tours to connect emotionally with your audience.
What role do user-generated content and reviews play?
Sharing content created by satisfied customers can build trust and inspire others to book similar experiences.
