The shifting sands of social: From inspiration to action, from influence to selling

At Phocuswright WiT Middle East 2025, a panel of marketers, creators and platform leaders gathered to explore how social media is no longer just about inspiration, it’s driving direct action, bookings, and reshaping the traditional travel marketing funnel.

The panellists included:
Alessio Zogheib, Partnerships Manager, Tourism & Events, TikTok 
Roxana Nicolescu, Vice President, Brand Marketing & Social Media, Wego
Natalie Cooke Tombs, Managing Director, M&C Saatchi
Ali Almeshaal, Digital Creator/Co-founder & CEO, Sukun Travels

And if there was one clear message? The lines in the sand are all blurring. Inspiration-platforms such as TikTok are moving into transactions, transaction-led OTAs are moving into inspiration, advertising agencies are advocating for “no ads, but authentic influence” and influencers are becoming travel agents.

Travellers first, marketers second

Before getting into the serious business of social commerce, I warmed up the panel by asking the speakers about their most memorable travel experiences.

From a “Mario Kart” race through Tokyo streets to exploring Romania’s mythical landscapes, each shared personal stories that reminded everyone in the room: at the end of the day, we’re all travellers first.

“Every time I go to Japan, I discover something new,” said Natalie, who recounted driving mini Mario karts around Tokyo in full costume. “It’s about finding that spark of joy, the same spark we try to bring into marketing.”

Social media in action: From influencer to travel agent

Ali, a Saudi content creator who first rose to fame on YouTube in 2010, influencing Saudi youths to study in the university he was in, talked about how he’s watched the social landscape shift, from YouTube to Snapchat, and now to TikTok and Instagram.

“Social media keeps changing fast,” said Ali. “You can’t just stick to one platform. In 2010, YouTube was everything. Then Snapchat exploded. Now brands ask about TikTok and Instagram first.”

“We empower travellers by giving them choice, not shouting at them. We inspire through curated content, and we support it with a strong product experience,” says Roxana Nicolescu, Vice President, Brand Marketing & Social Media, Wego

Today, Ali, whose primary audience is families, isn’t just creating content – he started a travel agency, Sukun Travels to serve his customers who wanted instant, seamless booking options after seeing his posts.

“We noticed families in Saudi would see our trips and immediately ask, ‘How can I book exactly that?’” Ali shared. “So we started offering full travel packages they could book with us.”

Social inspiration was no longer enough. Consumers wanted immediate, actionable commerce.

The rise of “authentic influence” over ads

Natalie, who previously worked in Singapore on the Marina Bay Sands account before moving to Dubai, highlighted the shift away from traditional ads.

“No ads. Just authentic influence,” she declared.

Citing Reddit threads where travellers lamented that “social media ruined destinations”, Cooke suggested it wasn’t authentic content being criticized – it was overly commercial, scripted advertising.

“Thirty percent of our region’s population are Gen Z. They crave connection, not polish. They want real stories, real people, real experiences,” she emphasized.

She pointed to a trend where more than half of UAE consumers now involve friends and family before making purchase decisions — signalling a social, shared approach to shopping and travel planning.

“The planning part of travel is now entirely social,” she said. “People are booking full trips based on what they see on social platforms, from flights to car rentals to activities.”

TikTok: From discovery to direct booking

Alessio from TikTok confirmed the platform’s growing role in the full booking funnel, not just inspiration.

“Around 64% of TikTok users get inspired by travel content. But over 74% take action after watching,” he revealed.

“Around 64% of TikTok users get inspired by travel content. But over 74% take action after watching,” highlights Alessio Zogheib, Partnerships Manager, Tourism & Events, TikTok

In the past, TikTok was seen as a top-of-funnel brand tool. Now, it’s directly driving transactions – linking users straight to booking platforms or tourism board campaigns.

“Brands have shifted their strategies,” Alessio explained. “They’re no longer just creating for awareness. They’re creating for conversion.”

No one likes ads. Everyone likes storytelling

Across the panel, there was consensus that branded content needs to feel natural and genuine.

“No one likes branded content,” said Ali bluntly. “The moment people feel like they’re being sold something, they swipe away. The best way to sell travel is to let the traveller want the experience, not push it on them.”

Roxanna, who has been with travel marketplace Wego for eight years, added that successful campaigns today must blend content, experience, and transaction seamlessly.

“You can’t just stick to one platform. In 2010, YouTube was everything. Then Snapchat exploded. Now brands ask about TikTok and Instagram first,” says Ali Almeshaal, Digital Creator/Co-founder & CEO, Sukun Travels

“We empower travellers by giving them choice, not shouting at them. We inspire through curated content, and we support it with a strong product experience,” she said.

Wego now earns about 15% of its media revenue through partnerships with tourism boards, helping destinations tell their stories, with a call-to-action attached.

“Nobody can tell a story better than a destination itself,” Roxanna noted. “Our job is to connect that emotion with a seamless booking experience.”

Enter AI: Friend, not (yet) foe

The conversation then turned to artificial intelligence and how it’s reshaping travel content and search behavior.

Natalie shared a personal story of using AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to plan a last-minute Tokyo trip, finding them helpful, but still “not as useful” as real, user-generated content.

“I still ended up going on Instagram to check visuals before I decided,” she laughed.

TikTok’s Alessio pointed out that AI is already making an impact behind the scenes, helping creators and advertisers generate travel content at scale, suggest trending sounds, and even create AI avatars for low-budget campaigns.

“Thirty percent of our region’s population are Gen Z. They crave connection, not polish. They want real stories, real people, real experiences,” emphasized Natalie Cooke Tombs, Managing Director, M&C Saatchi

But while AI is speeding up content production, human emotion remains irreplaceable, for now.

“I don’t think AI will replace real influencers anytime soon,” said Ali. “Travel is about emotions. You want to see it, feel it, and imagine yourself there.”

The new language of travel

The takeaway was clear: social media will continue to drive the next generation of travel but only the authentic, emotional, community-driven content will cut through the noise.

Or, as Natalie put it: “Marketing with heart wins. Marketing with ads? Good luck.”