The Power of TikTok in Business and Hotel Tourism in Peru’s Central Jungle: An Expanded Qualitative Multiple-Case Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26490/uncp.alboradaciencia.2025.5.2632Keywords:
TikTok, digital marketing, hotel tourism, Central Jungle, social media, micro-destinationsAbstract
The rapid growth of TikTok has transformed digital communication strategies across economic sectors, including tourism. This study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of TikTok as a digital marketing tool used by small lodging businesses in Peru’s Central Jungle, focusing on narrative strategies, content types, visible interaction levels, and challenges for sustainable tourism marketing. A qualitative approach was adopted, using a descriptive multiple-case study design. The unit of analysis consisted of five lodging establishments selected through intentional sampling. The corpus included ten TikTok videos published between December 2024 and July 2025. Audiovisual content analysis was conducted using a category matrix with open and axial coding. The findings show that experiential storytelling, authenticity of the natural environment, and strategic use of audiovisual trends generate higher levels of visible interaction (likes and comments). Limitations related to lack of planning, limited metric monitoring, and algorithm dependency were also identified. It is concluded that TikTok represents a low-cost strategic tool for promoting hotel tourism in micro-destinations when aligned with clear objectives and sustainability principles.
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