Whilst Tik Tok may not always be a totally accurate source of information, it is excellent as a platform for ideas and inspiration, particularly when it comes to finding new recommendations of restaurants or things to do in different cities.
Now, instead of googling âTop Restaurants inâŠâ when I am visiting a new place or city, I find myself turning to Tik Tok. With these short videos you can get a good sense of a restaurant, as you are able to see the interiors and food items, whereas google may give you a much more limited review of places. On a recent girlâs trip to Copenhagen, we found about 80% of our food venues through Tik Tok videos and they did not disappoint. This phenomenon is more than doing a google search, it is a phenomenon which facilitates feeling relevant, up to date with the social milieu, and connected to the pulse of contemporary culture.
Having said this, the one restaurant that we chose because we stumbled past it on the street ended up being our favourite, which begs the question of whether these oversaturated videos of aesthetic restaurants means that people are less likely to want to go out and properly explore what cities have to offer. This can have huge knock-on effects on the culture of cities as it means people are more likely to flock to these âTik Tok famousâ locations, leaving many other, equally as worthy, venues struggling to attract customers.Â
This is happening more frequently than ever with digital platforms such as tiktok increasing their membership exponentially. Often in big cities like London, âinstagrammableâ venues like Circolo Popolare are booked up for weeks before a person wants to visit, making it incredibly difficult to actually try out these places or have an off the cuff night out.
When in Copenhagen, we wanted to try out a Jazz bar that had been marked on Tik Tok as a âhidden gemâ but as it turns out everyone else had had the same idea – it not so hidden after all! Once we arrived we were told the queue would be over an hour long as evidently everyone else had seen the same video.
Whilst I do believe popular things are often popular for a reason, it does not mean they should be treated as the only option available. And yet, the issue extends beyond restaurants because it has a cultural impact regarding different activities to do, places to visit and how cities are consumed or explored by tourists. Gone are the days when people would turn up with a Lonely Planet guide and map out the day. Â
Sightseeing has been changed hugely through social media, as people now want to visit many locations primarily to get their famous Instagram photos (I am guilty of this myself, I must admit!) People go to Venice and want the iconic shot of them on a Gondola, or Bali for a snap of staring out wistfully at Kelingking beach. This can have adverse effects on many places, for instance at Kelingking beach there is currently a project to build an elevator into the natural cliffs so that tourists can go down more easily, physically eroding the landscape. Similarly, at Maya Bay in Thailand no one is allowed in the water as years of over-tourism left the surrounding coral reefs severely damaged. It is sad to see how the longevity and very existence of certain destinations is shortened by the impact of social media oversaturation and over-tourism – and yet, no one is about to stop any time soon!
Whilst I do believe Tik Tok is an excellent source of inspiration, and it can be hugely beneficial in helping shape our experience of cities, it is important to remain aware there is more to do than follow a ‘trend – and if this is what we are doing, then maybe we should reflect on why we are going in the first place. It is so important to continue to support the entire cultural makeup of cities, funding authentic, independent, and real experiences, locations and eateries as opposed to what has just ‘blown up’ on on Tik Tok.Â