Travel vlogging has gone fully mainstream. In the U.S., 85% of adults use YouTube, making it the country’s most-used online platform.
And half of consumers say they’ve wanted to book a trip they saw on their social feeds—a clear sign that short videos and creator content now sit right on the path to purchase.
Key Stats: Travel Vlogging
- The market value for travel blogging/vlogging is around USD 4.5B in 2025, and is expected to double by ~2032 with ~12% annual growth.
- YouTube travel content exploded by about 118% year-over-year, showing rising demand.
- TikTok travel videos have surged ~410% in viewership since 2021, underlining how short-form and social video are growing fast.
- YouTube’s total ad revenue of USD 36.1B in 2024 reflects strong monetization possibilities for travel creators.
- Almost all travel video views on YouTube come via mobile devices (~97%), highlighting mobile as the main platform for consumption.
- Vlogs with strong storytelling (personal narrative, immersive visuals, etc.) are not just more engaging—they actively shape how viewers see a place and whether they want to go there.
How big is the travel-vlogging audience today?
Start with reach: 85% of U.S. adults say they use YouTube (including 86% of adults 50–64 and 65% of those 65+).
Among teens, 90% use YouTube and 73% are on it daily. This means travel vlogs don’t just reach Gen Z; they reach families, boomers, and multigenerational trip planners.
YouTube is also migrating to the biggest screen in the house.
In July 2025, YouTube captured 13.4% of all TV watch-time in the U.S., extending its lead over other media distributors. Streaming overall accounted for nearly half of TV viewing by mid-2025.
Table 1 — Platform reach & viewing context (United States, 2024–2025)
| Metric | Latest figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Adults who “ever use” YouTube | 85% | Broadest possible audience for travel videos. |
| Teens (13–17) who use YouTube | 90% (73% daily) | Gen Z discovery engine for destinations. |
| Share of all TV watch-time (July 2025) | YouTube 13.4% | Travel vlogs increasingly watched on TVs. |
| Streaming share of total TV (May–July 2025) | ~45–47% | Streaming is now the default TV behavior. |
Where do travelers actually get inspired—are vlogs and social video moving the needle?
Yes. Globally, 41% of travelers cite social media as inspiration for trips (vs. word-of-mouth at 49%), and among Gen Z in the U.S., 65% say social media is their top source of travel inspiration.
In the U.S., 51% of travelers report being influenced by creators when making travel decisions.
Expedia’s 25-country study adds a conversion hint: half of consumers say they’ve wanted to book a trip they saw on their social feeds, but friction (time, complexity) stops some from finishing.
That’s why creator-curated Travel Shops now connect influencer picks directly to bookable inventory.
Table 2 — Social influence on trip planning (2024–2025)
| Signal | Figure |
|---|---|
| Global travelers inspired by social media | 41% |
| U.S. Gen Z inspired by social media | 65% |
| U.S. travelers influenced by creators | 51% |
| Consumers who’ve wanted to book a social-fed trip | 50% |
Which formats win for travel creators—shorts, long-form, or live?
The answer is “all of the above,” but short-form is the spark. YouTube Shorts averages ~70B daily views, giving creators bite-size discovery to funnel audiences into long vlogs, playlists, and live streams (walk-throughs, train journeys, food tours).
Meanwhile, total YouTube viewing now exceeds 1B hours daily, so there’s ample room for cinematic long-form—especially on connected TVs.
How are people watching travel vlogs—phone in hand or feet up on the couch?
Both—yet the living-room shift is notable. Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge shows YouTube hitting record shares of total TV usage in 2025 (11–13% monthly), while overall streaming crossed a historic threshold by exceeding broadcast + cable combined for the first time in May 2025.
Translation: your Marrakech riad tour or Glacier NP road-trip vlog is as likely to be watched on a 65-inch TV as on a phone.
What does this mean for destinations and travel brands?
Creators are now a core part of how people choose where to go. 51% of U.S. travelers say influencers affect their decisions, and Expedia found half of consumers feel a direct urge to book from social content.
Destination marketers are responding with creator partnerships and shoppable formats that minimize friction from “wow, I want to go” to “booked.”
Is travel vlogging financially meaningful—or just a passion project?
It’s meaningful. YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed $55B to U.S. GDP in 2024 and paid out $100B+ to creators, artists, and media companies over the last four years, with multiple monetization streams (ads, subscriptions, fan funding, shopping, sponsorships).
Travel sits inside this broader creator economy—and benefits from tourism boards’ and brands’ increasing creator budgets.
Benchmarks & quick facts for travel-vlog strategy
- Audience breadth: 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube; 90% of teens do, with 73% daily—ideal for multigenerational reach.
- CTV momentum: YouTube leads U.S. TV distributors with 13.4% share (July 2025); streaming ≈ half of all TV usage.
- Inspiration to action: Social inspiration is mainstream (41% global; 65% Gen Z U.S.), and half of consumers want to book trips they see on feeds.
- Format mix: Shorts (≈70B daily views) drives discovery; long-form vlogs build depth; lives offer immediacy.
FAQ
What’s the single best platform for travel vlogs right now?
YouTube remains the most-used platform among U.S. adults and dominates TV-screen viewing, making it the strongest home base for travel creators—supplemented by Instagram/TikTok for short-form discovery.
Do short videos really help sell trips?
They spark intent. Expedia’s global research shows 50% of consumers have wanted to book trips they saw on social feeds. Pairing short-form with easy, shoppable paths (e.g., Travel Shops) closes the gap.
Is the audience only Gen Z?
No. Usage is broad: 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube, including 86% of ages 50–64 and 65% of 65+. That’s prime for family travel, cruises, escorted tours, and destination storytelling beyond youth travel.
Can creators realistically earn from travel vlogs?
Yes—via ads, brand deals, affiliate and shoppable formats, memberships, and fan funding. YouTube cites $100B+ in payouts to creators over four years and $55B in U.S. GDP impact in 2024 alone.
Conclusion
If you’re planning or promoting travel in 2025, think “YouTube-first, multi-format, shoppable.” The numbers show a simple arc: mass reach → short-form discovery → long-form depth → TV-screen comfort → easier booking. Travel vlogging now lives across that entire arc—and that’s why it works.
If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific audience (e.g., U.S. national parks, Europe rail trips, family travel) and add a creator brief or KPI template.
Sources
- Pew Research Center — 5 facts about Americans and YouTube (2025)
- Nielsen — YouTube captured 13.4% of TV watch-time (July 2025)
- Nielsen — Streaming eclipses broadcast + cable for the first time (May 2025)
- Expedia Group — Unpack ’25 Trend Report (PDF)
- Skyscanner — US Travel Trends 2025 (global OnePoll study) and Gen Z Travel Statistics (2025)
- YouTube (Press & Reports) — YouTube Press (Shorts ~70B daily views); Culture & Trends 20th Birthday Report (PDF)
- YouTube — 2024 U.S. YouTube Impact Report (GDP & jobs) and Made On YouTube updates (>$100B paid in 4 years)
- MMGY Travel Intelligence — Portrait of American Travelers — Winter 2024 (influence of creators)
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