| This research provides a comparative analysis of how two dominant social media platforms, Instagram and TikTok, shape the destination image of Bali, Indonesia, for international tourists in the 2025-2026 travel cycle. As Bali maintans its position as a global tourism powerhouse (ranket #8 globally in 2026), a “digital divide” emerged between curated “aesthetic” content and raw “experiential” storytelling. Utilizing a netnographic methodology and qualitative content analysis, this study examines 80 high-engagement posts categorized into three primary themes: Aesthetic/Aspriation, Information/Practica, and Authentic/Reality. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) Model and Social Influence Theory, the research identifies that while Instagram remains the primary engine for “Top-of-Funnel” destination discovery and aspirational branding, TikTok has emerged as the critical tool for “Verification” and “Trust.” Findings indicate that TikTok short-form videos effectively manage the “expectation-reality gap” by highlighting logistical challenges, such as over-tourism and infrastructure limitation, which are traditionally omitted from Instagram’s statistic imagery. Furthermore, the study analyzes the impact of the 2024 Foreign Tourist Levy and the Nangun Sat Kerthi Loka Bali roadmap on digital discourse. The paper concludes that a sustainable destination image for Bali depends on a synergistic digital strategy that balances Instagram’s visual allure with TikTok’s perceived authenticity. Practical recommendations are provided for the Bali Tourism Board and local hospitality stakeholders to leverage these platform-specific behaviours to foster “Quality Tourism” and long-term brand resilience. |