Five Takeaways from Social Media Week 2025 for Destination Marketers

Adweek’s 2025 Social Media Week made one thing clear: we’re no longer marketing in a follower-based world.

We’re operating in the era of algorithms—where reach is infinite, creators are the connective tissue, and community is more than just a buzzword.

From Gen Z’s refusal to follow brands to new platforms and frontiers, traditional social media structures are ‘out’ and require bold, community-first brand-building. And perhaps the biggest takeaway? The most powerful social strategies aren’t always the most polished—they’re the ones rooted in authenticity, experimentation, and humanity.

Below are five takeaways that destinations and travel and tourism brands need to know.

1. Followers Don’t Matter

Saying followers don’t matter is a hot take, but it’s true. Gone are the days when all your followers are guaranteed to see most of your posts, and conversely, gone are the days when people who aren’t following your destination won’t see the content. While the advancement of algorithms has been trending in this direction for a while, it’s no longer hearsay. Gen Z are vocally, adamantly against following brands (even as a millennial, I find myself ‘unfollowing’ pages as frequently as I follow them). At Social Media Week, big brands admitted to stagnant growth or losing thousands of followers monthly. If your DMO’s c-suite or board are still asking you to report on this vanity metric, level-set with them that while it’s fine to track, engagement metrics are more important and indicative of intent to travel.

2. Community is Currency

If your destination isn’t conducting regular community management on social media, you’re already behind. And I’m not talking about simply replying to comments and direct messages (DMs). Go beyond your travel brand’s own notifications and listen to what your community is saying when they’re not tagging the destination. Look for opportunities to engage with partners and like-minded brands (e.g., local attractions, hotels, restaurants, and regional DMOs) by sharing or amplifying their content. Think this is a job for the summer intern? Think again. Social media community managers are brand ambassadors, crisis responders, and culture stewards—DMOs that understand this will rise above online.

3. Authenticity > Perfection

Is your destination’s social media content not cutting through the noise of other travel brands? Make sure your team is aware of their own gaps in knowledge. So often, DMOs want to make a splash but miss key cultural moments due to an antiquated approval system that lacks the trust and autonomy a social media team or agency needs. Just as your larger destination campaigns seek to reach various traveler segments, understand that all social media posts might not “make sense” to your internal team, but will resonate when reaching the right audiences.

Another common theme at Social Media Week was authenticity—I lost count of how many times this buzzword was mentioned. Authenticity goes hand in hand with trust, they’re inseparable. Across industries, real connection often outperforms polished campaigns, especially on social media. While your brand anthem video might resonate for connected TV, an auto-play website video or even paid social campaigns, it will likely flop on organic channels. Visitors want to see raw and real content, and picture themselves in a destination, not feeling out of reach.

4. Your Destination Doesn’t Need to Be on Every Social Channel

Each social media platform serves a unique purpose and audience. While Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are tried-and-true platforms for destination storytelling thanks to short-form video and stunning visuals, you might be overwhelmed with the flavor-of-the-week feeling. Consider YouTube for more than just housing old videos, but as a social-search powerhouse. Don’t count out Pinterest, as people are planning vacations here, not just meal prep. Did you delete Snapchat off your phone? Well Gen Z is still using it and increasingly starting to spend on travel. Consider LinkedIn if you’re trying to reach meeting planners—or if you have an active, media-trained CEO who can elevate your destination’s thought leadership in the travel and tourism industry. While platforms like Discord and Substack are also on the rise, a common theme as Social Media Week was that brands should not be on these platforms unless they have a direct line to a team member acting as a writer/editor or unless they hire a local creator to contribute—first-person content resonates, brand voice does not.

5. The Creator Economy is More Than a Trend

By now, most destinations know that working with creators and influencers to reach new audiences is non-negotiable. Whether working with locals or partnering with travel aficionados to experience your place, creators help travel brands be in the algorithm, not just on the platform. Just like organic social media can’t succeed without paid social, it also can’t succeed without an influencer component. And just like with brands, influence is evolving. Massive follower counts don’t always equate to impact, and destinations are working with different creators for reach and awareness vs. booking conversions or for user generated content (UGC).

Looking to level up your destination’s social media strategy? Reach out to Vice President of Social Media Hanna Gbordzoe at hanna.gbordzoe@old.aboutdci.com to learn more.