Is Instagram Dead for Travel Marketing?

Where Travel Brands are Going Online to Build Engagement and Leads

For many years now, Instagram has been a go-to visual playground for the travel industry (and travel agents in particular, trying to build credibility and drum up leads). Instagram was a scroll-stopping showroom for exotic destinations, luxury getaways and influencer-fueled wanderlust.

But things have changed quite a bit at Instagram over the past couple of years and there’s one question that everyone is asking: Is Instagram dead for travel marketing?

The answer is, sort of, yes. In fairness, Instagram is still a good place to look at pretty travel pictures and reels, but for travel brands trying to generate real business and meaningful engagement, the platform has become a much tougher sell.

In this post, I’ll share why Instagram may be losing its shine, where innovative travel marketers are going instead, and how you can future-proof your travel brand’s social media strategy.

Instagram: The Golden Era is Over (But it’s Not Entirely Gone)

You may have felt it intuitively and wondered if it were just you. It wasn’t. Instagram has lost its lead-gen shine. It still has a place in a travel marketer’s toolbox — but it’s no longer the hero channel it once was.

Three Reasons Why Instagram isn’t the Travel Marketer’s Goldmine it Once Was:

1. The Algorithm isn’t on Your Side Anymore

Whether or not the Instagram algorithm favors reels, carousels, viral trends and engagement tricks over carefully crafted travel content is a topic of constant debate. But one thing is undeniable: organic reach on Instagram has plummeted, especially for static photos (which were once the bread and butter of travel storytelling). Even brands with loyal followings now see posts getting buried or having much lower engagement than they used to, unless they're backed by ad spend or viral traction.

2. A Sea of Sameness

At the same time, Instagram travel content has reached a saturation point. Between influencers tirelessly doing the same old poses in Santorini or Walt Disney World, and brands recycling UGC, originality has become a rare and hard-to-come-by commodity. Many users scroll past travel content without stopping because it all blends together. The magic is now much harder to create and quite frankly, it doesn’t appear that much effort is going into being unique or different.

3. Pay-to-Play Fatigue

To get any sort of reach, you now need to boost almost every post to see meaningful results. What was once a “free” platform for building a brand is now basically a pay-to-play social media site. For small to mid-sized travel agencies and content creators, the ROI just isn’t there.

Is it Time to Move Beyond Instagram?

It’s not time to sign off of Instagram, but it is time to rethink your approach and priorities.

Instagram can still serve as a brand credibility tool, a visual portfolio, and a way to connect with loyal clients through messaging and community. After all, you are expected to be present and active. But as a primary lead-generation or discovery engine? The returns are way down.

Instead, innovative travel brands are slowly shifting focus to niche and emerging platforms. These are the digital spaces where engagement is deeper, conversations are more authentic, organic reach is still a thing, and leads are more qualified.

Where Travel Marketers are Going in 2025

Here are a few online places where smart travel brands are finding their edge — and their next wave of customers.

1. Reddit: The Underrated Goldmine

Why it works: Reddit's travel communities (like r/travel, r/solotravel, and r/TravelHacks, for example) are packed with highly-engaged users actively planning trips, asking for recommendations and sharing honest reviews. It can be a bit of an aggressive or wild west place, but it is powerful nonetheless

What to do: Engage authentically. This is critical to the integrity of your brand. Do not, I repeat, do not “market.” Be a thought leader and contribute meaningfully to any conversations where you can add true value. Answer questions, share stories and build your profile authority. Redditors value transparency, not sales pitches.

Tip: Set up alerts for keywords related to your destination or niche. Jump into relevant threads and be helpful. This is how you will earn trust and, in time, leads and new business.

2. TikTok: The New Visual Powerhouse

Why it works: TikTok's discovery engine favors quality and creativity over follower count. For travel brands that can tell a compelling story in 15–60 seconds, the organic reach potential is still pretty massive (compared to Instagram).

What to do: Showcase unique angles of popular places, bust travel myths, or share insider tips. Personality-driven content performs well. Think “local guide meets entertainment.”

Insight: Travel-related hashtags on TikTok have over 50 billion views — and it’s not all influencers. Agencies and tour operators as well are making real sales through clever, consistent content.

3. Pinterest: The Intent-Driven Platform

Why it works: Users come here to plan, not just scroll. Pinterest drives traffic to websites, blogs and booking pages better than almost any other platform. Pinterest is a bit of a surprise sleeper in this regard. Don’t miss out.

What to do: Create vertical pins for destination guides, itineraries and travel tips. Link everything back to your site or booking page. Get to know the ins and outs of the platform to make the most of your business presence.

Note: Pinterest content has a much longer shelf life than Instagram or TikTok. A pin can drive traffic for months (if not years) after posting.

4. Niche Travel Forums & Platforms

• Travellerspoint, The Dots and even curated Slack communities for remote workers and digital nomads are attracting high-intent travelers.

• Facebook Groups (still surprisingly effective) where specific interests — like "Women Who Travel Solo" or "Luxury Safari Addicts" bring like-minded people together.

What this Means for Travel Agent Marketers

The days of relying on one channel (like Instagram) to drive all your leads are gone. Travel marketing in 2025 requires a multi-platform approach rooted in value, authenticity and strategic intent.

Here’s how to rethink your plan:

Diversify Your Travel Marketing Outreach Channels

Obviously, you don’t need to abandon Instagram altogether, but don’t put all your energy there either. Build a presence where your ideal clients actually hang out and look for advice. That might be Reddit threads, TikTok hashtags, or Facebook Groups.

Match Platform to Funnel Stage

• Use TikTok and Pinterest for top-of-funnel discovery.

• Leverage Reddit and Facebook Groups for mid-funnel trust building.

• Maintain your Instagram activity as a bottom-funnel credibility touchpoint.

Lead with Strategy, Not Trends

Trendy content comes and goes. It’s best to put some thoughtful intent behind building a social media strategy that aligns with your business goals, brand voice and niche. Focus on providing real value: solve problems, inspire journeys and answer unasked questions.

The Bottom Line on Instagram and Travel Marketing

Instagram isn’t dead — but its one-time golden era position as the go-to travel lead generator is gone. Today’s most successful travel marketers are those who adapt early, pivot strategically and embrace platforms that prioritize substance over spectacle.

As a travel marketer with extensive hands-on experience, I help brands navigate this shifting landscape — with clarity, creativity and a forward-thinking strategy that actually drives results.

Feel free to reach out to discuss how your agency or personal travel brand can future-proof your travel marketing.

by Mike Belobradic
Helping Travel Brands Lead with Strategy in an Ever-Changing Digital World