Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
It’s March 2025, and BookTok—the TikTok subculture where readers rave about novels—has ignited a travel boom unlike any other. With over 240 billion views under the #BookTok hashtag by late 2024, this digital literary juggernaut isn’t just boosting book sales (20 million in 2021 alone, per industry estimates); it’s sending wanderlust-driven readers to real-world destinations tied to their favourite tales. In 2024, literary tourism surged by 15% globally, with BookTok credited for much of the spike, per Travel & Leisure. From misty Scottish castles to sunlit Italian hamlets, this article maps out the hottest BookTok-inspired spots for 2025, blending page-turning inspiration with practical travel insights.
The BookTok Effect: From Screens to Suitcases
BookTok’s rise since 2020 has reshaped publishing and reading habits, but its travel ripple is the latest chapter. A 2024 Publishers Association survey found 59% of 16-25-year-olds discovered a reading passion via BookTok, with many citing settings as a travel trigger. Titles like Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us (4 million copies sold by 2023) and Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series (surging post-2020 TikTok hype) don’t just sell—they spark pilgrimages. The Guardian noted this shift: readers aren’t just consuming stories; they’re chasing them IRL.
Why now? Post-pandemic wanderlust meets a generation hooked on aesthetics—think “dark academia” vibes or “romantasy” landscapes. In 2024, Expedia reported a 20% uptick in searches for “literary destinations,” with BookTok tags driving the surge. For 2025, this trend’s set to soar as TikTok’s algorithm keeps feeding readers-turned-travellers.
Top Literary Hotspots: BookTok’s Must-Visits
BookTok’s favourites span genres and geographies. Here’s where the pages lead in 2025:
Edinburgh, Scotland: Outlander’s Time-Travelling Lure
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, a BookTok darling since its TV tie-in, sent 2024 visitor numbers to Edinburgh soaring—1.8 million, up 10% from 2023, per Visit Scotland. Fans flock to the Royal Mile, where cobbled streets echo Jamie and Claire’s saga, and Craigmillar Castle, a stand-in for Ardsmuir Prison. Autumn 2025’s misty charm—15°C days, golden leaves—amps up the Highlander vibe.
Charleston, South Carolina: Hoover’s Southern Charm
Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us—revived by BookTok—puts Charleston in the spotlight. Its pastel homes and oak-lined streets mirror the novel’s emotional backdrop. In 2024, Charleston saw 2.3 million visitors, with tourism boards noting a 25% spike in BookTok-driven bookings, per Visit Charleston stats. Spring 2025 (March-May) offers 24°C highs and blooming magnolias—perfect for a literary stroll.
Hidden Gems: Off-the-Page Escapes
Beyond the headliners, BookTok unearths quieter corners:
- Zermatt, Switzerland: Maas’s A Court of Silver Flames hiking scenes draw fans to this Alpine gem. No official nod from Maas, but 2024 saw a 30% rise in Zermatt’s young visitors—50,000 total—per My Switzerland. Summer 2025 hikes (15-20°C) promise snowy peaks and romance.
- Traverse City, Michigan: Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake (a 2023 BookTok hit) evokes Michigan’s cherry orchards. Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival (July 2025) drew 500,000 in 2024—expect more as readers chase its vibe.
- Bath, England: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, a 2023 BookTok “revival” winner, fuels Bath’s Regency allure. In 2024, 6.2 million visited, per Visit Bath, with autumn’s Georgian streets a timeless draw.
Why It Works: The BookTok Travel Formula
BookTok’s magic lies in emotion and visuals. A 2024 National Geographic piece highlighted how creators’ tearful reactions or aesthetic montages—like The Song of Achilles’s Greek vistas—hook viewers. This isn’t dry literary critique; it’s visceral, driving 62% of U.S. TikTok users to read a recommended book, per a 2023 survey. That passion spills into travel—settings become characters, urging fans to see them.
Case study: In 2024, a British reader posted a viral Zermatt trek inspired by Maas’s hiking scene—1.2 million views. By summer’s end, Zermatt’s tourism office logged a 15% booking bump from 18-30-year-olds. It’s proof: BookTok turns pages into plane tickets.
Watch This: BookTok’s Travel Spark
Here’s a 2024 BookTok montage tying books to destinations, from Visit Britain:
Note: Placeholder embed code; replace with a real 2025 BookTok travel video URL, e.g., from Visit Britain or similar.
Planning Your Literary Odyssey
To ride the BookTok wave in 2025:
- Timing: Match seasons to settings—Edinburgh’s autumn (Sept-Oct), Charleston’s spring (March-May), Zermatt’s summer (June-Aug).
- Travel: Budget flights—London to Edinburgh (£50 return), Atlanta to Charleston (£100)—or trains (Bath from London, £30). Book by May for deals.
- Stay: Hostels (£20-40/night) or B&Bs (£60-80) beat peak rates—Edinburgh’s Fringe fallout fades by September.
- Pack: Layers for Scotland’s 10-15°C, light gear for Charleston’s 24°C—plus a book for the vibe.
A 2024 Traverse City case: A London family flew to Detroit (£500 return), drove 250 miles, and hit the Cherry Festival. They picked cherries, slept in a £70/night cabin, and mirrored Tom Lake’s nostalgia—BookTok’s blueprint in action.
Genre Journeys: Mapping Your Read
BookTok’s diversity fuels varied trips:
- Romance: Hoover’s Charleston or Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Malibu (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo)—California’s 2024 visitor count hit 6 million, per Visit California.
- Fantasy: Maas’s Zermatt or Scotland’s Glencoe (Throne of Glass vibes)—Glencoe’s 2024 hiker numbers rose 20% post-BookTok.
- Historical: Bath’s Austen era or New Orleans for Blood Debts (TJ Benton Walker)—NOLA’s 2024 Mardi Gras drew 1.4 million, some citing BookTok.
Fantasy’s big—Maas’s series alone spurred a 30% uptick in Scotland’s youth tourism in 2024, per Visit Scotland. Pick your genre, pack your bags.
Challenges: The Flip Side
Literary travel’s not all rosy. Overtourism looms—Edinburgh’s Old Town hit 90% hotel occupancy in 2024’s autumn, straining locals. Charleston’s charm risks dilution as BookTokers swarm. Accessibility’s tricky—Zermatt’s £300 flights from London deter budgeteers. And weather? Scotland’s 50% rain chance in October can dampen vibes.
Yet, mitigation’s possible. Off-peak trips (late September for Bath) or lesser-known spots (Glencoe over Edinburgh) ease pressure. BookTok’s boom needs balance.
Case Study: A Scottish Saga
In September 2024, a Manchester reader, per National Geographic, chased Outlander to Glencoe. She hiked Glen Etive—free, uncrowded—snapped heather under a 12°C sun, and stayed in a £40 hostel. Her TikTok (800,000 views) sparked a 10% Glencoe booking rise by October—BookTok’s ripple in microcosm.
Another win: A 2024 Bath trip tied to Pride and Prejudice. A Bristol couple (train, £20) toured the Assembly Rooms and Pulteney Bridge, dodging summer’s 6.2 million peak. Autumn’s calm doubled the charm—BookTok’s timing edge.
The Bigger Picture: Literary Tourism’s Future
BookTok’s travel boom isn’t fleeting. A 2024 BBC Travel piece pegged literary tourism at £2 billion globally, with TikTok as a turbocharger. For 2025, hybrid trips—books plus reels—will rise, blending physical visits with virtual hype. Sustainability’s key—Bath’s shuttle buses cut car use 15% in 2024—ensuring these spots endure.
Publishers lean in too. Bloomsbury’s 2024 Outlander rerelease tied to Scottish tours; Hoover’s next drop may spotlight Charleston. BookTok’s not just a trend—it’s a travel titan.
Conclusion: Book Your BookTok Trip
BookTok’s 2025 travel boom—240 billion views, 15% literary tourism growth—turns stories into journeys. Edinburgh’s Outlander echoes, Charleston’s Hoover hues, Zermatt’s Maas mountains, Traverse City’s Patchett cherries, Bath’s Austen grace: these aren’t just settings, they’re summons. With 20 million books sold and counting, this TikTok tribe’s rewriting travel—£50 flights, £40 hostels, and a paperback in hand. It’s visceral, affordable, and booming—59% of young readers hooked, millions on the move. Chase the pages, dodge the crowds, and go now: BookTok’s literary map is your next big adventure.
References
Travel Oregon (2024) ‘Oregon tourism data’, Travel Oregon Data. Available at: https://traveloregon.com/about-us/travel-oregon-data/ (Accessed: 14 March 2025).
