Travel Advisors Brace for Impact as U.S. TikTok Ban Nears

TikTok has brought in big business for travel advisors like Jennifer Byrne, CEO of The Tropical Travelers in Pennsylvania, who generates a daily average of 50 leads from her engagement on the social media platform. 

And when a video goes viral, Byrne’s account, @thetropicaltravelers, generates more than 200 leads in just one day, she told TMR. Her TikTok success has translated to a 300% increase in revenue over the past five years. But all of that could change in a few days.

A ban on TikTok in the United States seems imminent if the app’s owner doesn’t act quickly to find a buyer – leaving many travel advisors who use the platform for lead generation lamenting the potential loss. 

“As a travel agent who has built a vibrant community and successful business through TikTok, I’m deeply upset and saddened by the potential ban. I understand the concerns behind it, but for small business owners like me, TikTok has been a game-changer,” Byrne said. “It’s allowed me to connect with clients in creative, personal ways—sharing travel tips, destination highlights, and exclusive deals that inspire people to explore the world.” 

ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, has until Jan. 19 to sell the app before it goes “poof” from the Apple App Store and Google Play. After that date, users who already have the app on their devices could either get an error message or otherwise see the quality of the app decline because there will be no way to download new updates.  

The ban wouldn’t penalize individuals from using TikTok if they find another way to access it through jailbreaking their phone or using a VPN, but these actions come with risks and require some technical savvy. 

It’s also possible that a sale could happen in the next few days, or that the incoming Trump Administration could reverse or tweak some of the laws that are causing the ban to take effect, according to NPR. 

U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) has called on the Biden administration to postpone the Jan. 19 deadline. While he acknowledged the app’s flaws, he said a ban “would impose serious consequences on millions of Americans who depend on the app for social connections and their economic livelihood. We cannot allow that to happen.” 

TMR heard from travel advisors who are hoping the platform will not be shut down in the U.S., after all, because they rely on it for part of their business. They also said they will be focusing more on Instagram, though the algorithm there does not give them nearly as many views as TikTok does. 

Andy Knowles, a Fora travel agent based in North Carolina, began posting as a travel advisor on TikTok about two years ago under his handle @travelagentandy. When he first started his business, he gained most clients from TikTok, especially Gen Z and Millennials who otherwise would not have known to use a travel advisor. 

“I’m quite devastated over it being banned, considering it is where I found 80% of my business during my first year as a travel advisor,” Knowles told TMR. “I’ve thankfully built a solid business of referrals and repeat clients, but I’d still estimate 30% of my new business coming directly from my posts on TikTok, so it’s going to be a huge hit for me and the travel community.” 

He added that many of his videos highlight cruises and hotels, suppliers that will now also not be receiving the same visibility that TikTok gave them. 

Sonia Bhagwan, owner of Dreaming of Sun in Portland, Oregon, said she currently generates 60% of her business from TikTok account, @dreamwithsonia, and is crossing her fingers that this will all just be a close call. Either way, she said she “can no longer put most of my eggs into the TikTok basket.” 

“The TikTok ban would impact me significantly. In light of the recent TikTok ban talks (beginning approximately 9 months ago), I started focusing attention on Instagram,” Bhagwan told TMR. “I have a steady stream of business from there, but nothing quite as profound as the impact I’ve seen from TikTok.” 

Byrne has also been preparing for the ban by transferring all her videos to YouTube and opening an account on Lemon8, another Bytedance-owned app that TikTok has been pushing users to download ahead of the ban, according to NBC. 

“I’m closely following where creators and businesses are shifting so I can adapt quickly and continue growing my brand,” Byrne said. “While the transition is challenging, I’m committed to finding new platforms to inspire and connect with future travelers.” 

The looming ban is not as much of a worry for Marissa Waiters, owner of Spread Your Wings Travel Agency in Dallas, TX (@spreadyourwingstravel), who said most of her business comes from Instagram. Still, she would be sad to see TikTok go. 

“A lot of my inquiries for travel bookings have been from TikTok. It would greatly affect my business, but Instagram has always been my #1 source for gaining clients,” she told TMR. “Not only that, people view my TikTok for travel agent tips and tricks and they really enjoy it. I hope it doesn’t get banned, but if it does, I still have Instagram to fall back on.” 

And it’s not just advisors – the travel industry at large has been taking advantage of the TikTok boom of the last few years. Perillo Tours, the third-generation, family-run tour operator, recently began using TikTok to reach new clientele. When asked about the ban, Devin Perillo Buonanno, the company’s director of new business development, told TMR that “TikTok is just one of the many tools in our marketing toolbox.” 

“As a company, Perillo is fairly new to TikTok, though we have enjoyed some early success in using the platform to reach a mass audience,” he added. “While we will continue to monitor the situation closely and adapt accordingly, our focus remains on providing compelling content across a variety of channels to inspire and connect with travelers.”