TikTok Travel Ads Powered by Smart+: What DMOs Need to Know
TikTok has become the world’s digital departure lounge a place where curiosity turns into booked trips. Now, the platform is making it even easier for travel brands and DMOs to reach high-intent travelers through its newest innovation: Travel Ads powered by Smart+.
The new solution launched at the end of September lets advertisers automatically promote destinations, hotels, and experiences at scale, using AI-driven personalization and catalog-based creatives. For DMOs competing for attention in an oversaturated marketplace, it’s a chance to connect inspiration directly to conversion.
Why It Matters for DMOs
TikTok is one of the most influential travel planning tools on the planet, in fact it is the platform where culture starts and moves to other platforms like Instagram. Sixty-six percent of users say it’s their most helpful travel information source, and they’re 2.6 times more likely to book after searching on the platform.
For DMOs, that means TikTok isn’t just about awareness; it’s a full-funnel opportunity. The new Smart+ system leverages TikTok’s travel-intent model identifying users actively researching trips and pairs that data with your catalog to serve relevant ads right when travelers are ready to take action.
How “Travel Ads Powered by Smart+” Works
TikTok’s Smart+ suite uses AI to simplify and optimize every phase of campaign creation:
– Automated Setup: Streamlines the ad-building process for faster launches.
– Dynamic Creative Generation: Uses your catalog data (like destination imagery or hotel listings) to build personalized ad variations at scale.
– Delivery Optimization: Continuously refines audience targeting to maximize conversions and minimize wasted impressions.
DMOs can choose from three dynamic formats:
1. Single Video Ads – Hero videos that become shoppable with personalized travel cards showing key destination or price info.
2. Catalog Video Ads – Automatically generated from your content library, pairing visuals with calls-to-action like “Plan Your Trip.”
3. Catalog Carousel Ads – Scrollable, interactive carousels that spotlight attractions or hotels with instant engagement potential.
Turning Inspiration into Bookings
For a DMO, TikTok’s real power lies in how it merges discovery with intent. Smart+ identifies when a user moves from inspiration (“I’d love to visit Maine in the fall”) to action (“Book weekend trips near Vegas”).
By integrating local attractions, events, and lodging partners into your ad catalog, your destination can stay visible from that very first spark of wanderlust all the way through to itinerary planning.
Best Practices for DMOs Using TikTok Smart+
1. Feed TikTok the Right Data: Keep your visual catalog current and rich with authentic storytelling—short videos showcasing experiences work best.
2. Leverage AI Without Losing Personality: Automation should amplify your local flavor, not erase it.
3. Test Ad Formats: A hero video may inspire, while a carousel showcasing events or hotels drives clicks.
4. Track Intent Beyond Views: Use TikTok Pixel and CRM tie-ins to connect engagement to website traffic and booking referrals.
5. Collaborate with Local Partners: Integrate attractions, restaurants, and hotels into a shared catalog to maximize exposure.
Pro Tip: Not sure how to structure your TikTok ad catalog or creative strategy? We help DMOs build scalable campaigns that showcase destinations beautifully while driving measurable ROI. Talk to our digital strategy team
Why TikTok Smart+ Could Be a Game-Changer
Smart+ is a shift in how destinations are discovered. By combining TikTok’s entertainment engine with precise intent data, DMOs can finally bridge the gap between awareness and action.
For tourism marketers, the takeaway is clear: the “discovery phase” is no longer separate from the “booking phase.” They coexist, and Smart+ gives you the tools to manage both.
TikTok Travel Ads powered by Smart+ turns every video into a potential booking and every scroll into a moment of influence. For DMOs, that’s not just innovation it’s evolution.
Our team at Advance Travel & Tourism helps DMOs design, launch, and optimize Smart+ campaigns that connect curiosity to conversion. Let’s start the conversation ›
Learn more about how we can help you adapt to the evolving marketing landscape and ramp up your efforts.
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