Mass Conformity and the Rise of Viral Tourism

A growing consensus suggests that social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are ruining travel for the rest of us. The trend of viral tourism has led to a surge in travelers flocking to popular destinations, resulting in mass conformity. According to a 2019 survey, 86 percent of people chose their travel destinations based on social media content posted by friends, family members, or peers.

Source: cdn2.psychologytoday.com

This phenomenon has been so common that it has given rise to an industry of parody, with accounts like @Influencersinthewild capturing the cringe-worthy moments of influencers trying to take selfies in the most absurd ways.

Travel Choices Reflect Social Environments

Long before we board a flight, our travel choices serve as powerful signals of status, values, and the subtle identities we hope to project to the world. Our destinations can reflect our peer groups’ fads and fashions, whether we’re emulating our friends or our favorite social media celebrities.

Clifford Lewis and colleagues interviewed young Australians about their travel choices and found that destinations can serve as ‘symbolic brands’ that satisfy needs for self-expression and prestige.

For example, one interviewee said, ‘You don’t find many people who are our age who haven’t gone to Europe or aren’t planning to go to Europe. If they say they don’t want to do it, you’re like, why?’ Another noted, ‘It’s an achievement like you put it up on Facebook and then everyone can see it.’

The Desire for Authenticity and Off-the-Beaten-Path Experiences

Many people prefer to see themselves as travelers rather than tourists, as it’s a higher status identity. Travelers seek off-the-beaten-path experiences that foster psychological richness, which is essential for a good life. These experiences are not necessarily comfortable or pleasant, but they can expand our sense of who we are or who we could be.

Travel bloggers have noted that travelers go to bed exhausted, while tourists have every comfort perfectly planned. Another blogger wrote, ‘I want to see it all. And, hopefully, survive.’

The Psychology of Travel

Travel is not just about exploring new places; it’s also about projecting certain kinds of identities. When we travel, we work to connect with deeper aspects of our ethnic, cultural, or religious identities. We might visit an ancestral homeland or undertake a pilgrimage to a hallowed religious site, steeped in ancient meaning.

Travel can also be a rite of passage, a transition between life stages. Graduates backpack around Asia, tour European cities, or drive across America to mark the transformation from carefree student life to the more serious identities of adulthood and career.