Is social media the new Google for travel? According to Statista, more than 36 percent of people use social media for travel inspiration and ideas, while 60 percent share photos on social media while travelling.
Moreover, a recent 2022 study by travel company Arrivia, found that nearly 1 in 3 travellers turn to social media for holiday inspirations. Thus proving the huge part social media plays in influencing our travel decisions.
Camping Holidays and Social Media
So does travel inspiration via social media extend to the outdoor accommodation space? The short answer is yes. On TikTok alone, the hashtag ‘Camping’ boasts over 10.7 billion views and counting, meaning you won’t be short on ideas from the app for a great outdoor experience.
Using TikTok hashtag data, specifically looking at camping-related hashtags per location, we’ve compiled a list of this year’s most popular camping destinations on the platform, both in the UK and globally.
Top 20 Global Camping and Glamping Destinations on TikTok
Offering a combination of nature and adventure, the most popular country on TikTok for camping is Colombia, seeing over 50 million views. Both camping and glamping videos generate the most views for the country.
The country’s diverse natural landscapes and slew of National Parks gives adventurists the opportunity to go camping in exotic locations such as in the desert, surrounded by mountains or by the ocean, as well as overlooking stunning lakes and even rainforest. This unique scenery may be just one of the reasons why videos of camping and campsites in Colombia have the most views on the platform.
Taking the second spot is the UK, with 38 million views for camping/glamping hashtags. From steep mountains and wild moorland to rolling green hills and soft meadows, there is a huge variety of scenic landscapes to explore if you’re thinking about camping in the UK.
Australia comes in third place with over 11 million views for camping hashtags on the platform. Its amazing beaches, coastal views, National Parks, and guaranteed sunshine for many months in the year, make it a great choice for exploring the open lands and camping in Australia.
Top 20 UK Counties for Camping and Glamping on TikTok
A closer look to home reveals the most popular UK camping destinations on TikTok. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cornwall, known for its stunning beaches and scenic countryside, comes in at the top spot, with 1,074,896 views for camping-related hashtags.
A look at the hashtags used for this south west county, reveals a mixture of different camping experiences, including #camping, #glamping and #wildcamping, highlighting that camping in Cornwall is popular across all categories.
The popularity of Cornwall camping on TikTok also coincides with Google search growth, with ‘camping in Cornwall’ seeing a 12% increase between 2019 and 2022. This growth is, however, much smaller than other trending locations, such as Gwynedd (up 50%), Cumbria (up 34%) and Pembrokeshire (up 31%).
In second place was another south west county - Devon. Seeing a total of 500,000 views for camping-related hashtags, this county is renowned for its spectacular coastlines, beautiful beaches and let’s not forget Devonshire cream tea, making Devon camping a great choice for an outdoor adventure.
Google UK online searches for Devon have also seen a 22% increase in the last three years.
Rounding up the big top three on the platform is Cumbria, with the north west county seeing 156,834 views. Noticeably hashtags for camping in The Lake District, the popular national park located within Cumbria, generated the most views, with a total of 156,058 views alone!
Cornwall, despite getting the overall top spot for hashtag views, interestingly only ranked second for glamping-specific hashtags with 4,932 views.
It’s Somerset, another county in the south west of England, which sees the most hashtag views for glamping holidays in the UK on the app.
This famous county offers a wealth of pretty villages, open countryside, and sandy beaches, making glamping in Somerset picture-perfect for those looking for a more luxurious camping experience.
Yet another south west county, Dorset, takes the third spot for the most popular UK glamping locations on the TikTok platform, with 2,646 views for glamping hashtags.
Like its south west counterparts, the area is famed for its beautiful beaches, castles and charming landscapes. Dorset also benefits from historical landmarks in the form of the Jurassic Coast, a long strip of coastal land known for fossils.
London’s Calling: The Top Trending Towns/Cities for Camping on TikTok
Delving into the most popular UK towns/cities for camping on the TikTok platform, surprisingly London ranks number #1 with 90,573 views for camping-related hashtags.
When you think of the tranquillity that is often associated with camping in the UK, the capital city doesn’t usually come to mind, with recent research even naming London as the fifth most stressful city in the world.
However, perhaps the increase in those looking to camp in London could be due to Londoners themselves wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of city life for a few days without having to travel for miles to do so.
A closer look at the type of camping that generated the most views for the city shows that glamping was the main driver behind the location’s popularity with videos using the #glampinginlondon hashtag seeing 90,300 views alone.
The need for a quick and accessible break in the capital is also reflected in Google searches, with ‘camping in London’ increasing by 31% in the last three years. Likewise, in 2022 bookings on the Pitchup platform for campsites in London, have seen a 157% increase, compared to the previous year!
In second position for the most popular town in the UK was Anglesey, situated on the north coast of Wales. The area is specifically renowned for its vast stretches of golden sandy beaches, clear waters, and historical landmarks, making it a perfect camping destination. It’s no wonder that camping in Anglesey has seen 18,605 views on TikTok.
Equally, Google searches for the North Wales destination show a 36% increase since 2019.
Interestingly, both Aviemore and Fort William, which rank 4th and 9th for most popular camping and glamping towns and cities on TikTok, have seen the biggest growth in online Google searches, up 88% and 55% respectively.
Most Popular National Parks for Camping/Glamping
Perhaps one of the most special things about the UK is its 15 National Parks, rich with spectacular landscapes, unspoilt coast and natural beauty, making them great for outdoor experiences.
Coming in first as the most popular National Park for camping is the Lake District. Consisting of beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage, not to mention some of the best hiking and wild swimming in the country - this National Park is a picturesque camping destination, perfect for adventure-enthusiasts.
Interestingly, the hashtag #wildcampinglakedistrict sees 47,100 views for the area despite wild camping not being permitted anywhere in the National Park, without permission from the landowner.
It’s strongly advised therefore that if you are looking to camp in the area, to opt for one of the many campsites in Lake District. From glamping, to traditional camping, booking outdoor accommodation through permitted sites will ensure you find something that suits your needs and you won’t incur a fine for pitching up.
Snowdonia, a National Park situated in the North Wales region of Gwynedd, and known for its historic sites, excellent hiking, serene lakes, and waterfalls comes in at second place for the most popular National Park for camping in the UK. This National Park comprises nearly 8,000 views for camping in Snowdonia on the platform.
Dartmoor - located in the county of Devon, comes third, with 6,035 TikTok views for camping in Dartmoor hashtags. This National Park is famous for its wild, open moorlands and deep river valleys. Wild camping seems to be the most popular type of camping for this National Park, with wild camping hashtags; #dartmoorwildcamping and #wildcampingdartmoor making up all of the views on the platform.
As it is both legal and free to wild camp on Dartmoor, the popularity of this type of camping in this National Park on the app isn’t surprising.
Coming in last with zero hashtag views was The Cairngorms - the UK’s largest National Park in the Scottish Highlands. The lack of hashtags for this place should not deter you from visiting this spectacular natural landmark. In fact, it may be less known than some of the other National Parks, but this doesn’t make it any less special.
The Cairngorms is made up over 4,500 sq km of unspoilt countryside, has some of the UK’s highest mountains, and is home to rare wildlife often not seen anywhere else.
This coupled with majestic rivers and vast acres of natural forest means camping in the Cairngorms should be experienced at least once in your life (plus you’ll likely be able to avoid the crowds here as it hasn’t gained popularity on social media yet!).
TikTok and Camping
TikTok is now the most downloaded app in the world. A look at Google trends shows a steady growth for the search term ‘camping TikTok’ over the last 12 months.
Using the platform to help inform your travel decisions can be handy to get a glimpse into which destination best appeals to you. The app can allow a quick glimpse into what to expect, however, it’s also advisable to research destinations from other reputable sources to ensure your camping experience is everything you hope it will be.
In search of camping inspiration via TikTok? Follow Pitchup on the app today.
Once you’ve decided which location you’d like to go camping or glamping, search Pitchup.com for more information on specific campsites and to easily book your outdoor holiday. With over 5,344 campsites, glamping accommodations and holiday parks through the UK, Europe and the Americas, book a camping holiday at Pitchup.com today.
Methodology:
The Most Trending Camping and Glamping Destinations According to TikTok
The data was determined by calculating the total view counts of thousands of camping-related hashtags per location on the app to rank the most watched destinations around the world and in the UK.
Pitchup collated the total use of camping related hashtags containing each destination’s name, in addition to other alternative hashtags that were used where appropriate, such as #LakeDistrict and #CumbriaCamping both included in county level data.
The TikTok data used English written hashtags only.
Each of the total view counts found by Pitchup are accurate as of August 11th, 2022
User online searches were done using Google Keyword Planner, for campsites in county, city and town locations.