TikTok now wants to be the place you book the trip you just saw on TikTok

TikTok announced on Tuesday that it’s launching TikTok GO, a way for users to discover and book hotels, attractions, and experiences directly within its app. The new offering is launching in the U.S. and is available to users 18 years and older. TikTok GO surfaces lodging and things to do through videos, search, and location pages. When users find something they’re interested in, they can view details, check availability, and complete a booking. The new feature is made possible through partnerships with Booking.com, Expedia, Viator, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Trip.com. Additionally, creators who showcase hotels, attractions, and experiences can connect their content directly to bookings, with opportunities to earn through commissions and creator campaigns. The launch of TikTok GO signals the company’s broader push to keep users inside its app, from discovery through purchase. TikTok has executed this playbook before: TikTok Shop, launched in the U.S. in 2023, brought e-commerce directly into the app, letting users buy products featured in videos without ever leaving. Image Credits: TikTok TikTok GO applies the same logic to travel. Instead of directing users to third-party websites after they come across a destination or recommendation in a video, TikTok is positioning itself as a one-stop platform where viral travel content can drive bookings and revenue. The implication for the company is significant: TikTok is systematically converting its discovery engine into a transaction layer, which both deepens user retention and opens entirely new revenue streams for its new owners . The addition of TikTok GO also puts TikTok in more direct competition with Google. TikTok has already been chipping away at Google’s core businesses, Search and Google Maps, as users increasingly turn to the app as a search engine, and this latest launch pushes TikTok further into competition with the search giant. Notably, several of TikTok GO’s launch partners — including Booking.com and Expedia — are also direct competitors in the travel discovery space. That partner-competitor dynamic will be interesting to watch. TikTok needs their inventory to make GO credible but will simultaneously be angling to own the customer relationship those same partners depend on. “Every day on TikTok, millions of people discover where to eat, where to stay, and what to do next,” said Adam Presser, CEO of TikTok USDS Joint Venture, in a blog post . “TikTok GO connects that moment of inspiration directly to the businesses behind it, and that’s good for creators, good for local businesses, and good for communities.” This isn’t the first time that TikTok has enabled in-app booking, even if it’s a far more ambitious undertaking. The company also partnered with Ticketmaster back in 2022 to allow users to discover and buy tickets for events. Topics Apps , Social , TikTok , travel When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission . This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Aisha Malik Consumer News Reporter Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. You can contact or verify outreach from Aisha by emailing aisha@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at aisha_malik.01 on Signal. View Bio October 13 – 15 San Francisco Don’t miss out . The startup community will gather to answer a pivotal question: How do you build sustainably in the AI era? REGISTER NOW Most Popular Fitbit founders launch Luffu Link, an LTE health and safety band Aisha Malik Two years after launch, Walmart’s Flipkart is closing in on India’s quick-commerce leaders Jagmeet Singh Inherent, founded by DeepMind alumni, says its AI ‘teammate’ just outperformed Anthropic and OpenAI at replicating research Anna Heim Michael Polansky is training an AI model on skin that’s still alive Connie Loizos How AI accounting startup Rillet raised $100M and became a unicorn in 48 hours Dominic-Madori Davis Tesla’s solar roof is dead — here’s what went wrong Tim De Chant Oura faces lawsuit accusing it of misleading consumers about sleep-tracking accuracy Aisha Malik