That headline is unlikely to make me popular with my travel advisor friends. Think of it as a combo of click bait and trending truth.
But it’s undeniable that AI is changing the way we research AND book travel.
I wrote a couple weeks ago about how ChatGPT recently partnered with Expedia and Booking.com to allow direct purchase through the platform. In a separate post, “How AI is shaping your brand perception” I dove into details about how AI search works, and tips for effectively positioning your brand.
And just this week, my daughter proudly showed me a new APP called “Polarsteps” which she is using to help plan the itinerary for her trip to Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand with girlfriends. The APP helps plan routes, suggests sites to see, gives transportation options, and is linked to Booking.com and Hostel World for accommodations.
Google’s new AI-powered search
Google just rolled out new AI-powered features in search that can plan a trip, find deals, and turn your ideas into bookings. All from a single prompt.
This week I tried it out. I asked Google’s AI mode this prompt:
“Suggest highly rated accommodation for a thrifty couple planning a trip to Tamarindo, Costa Rica this winter”
Below is a list of accommodations it delivered, complete with photos, reviews, estimated prices and booking links. Results were classified in two categories: Affordable hotels and bungalows, and Top-rated hostels with private rooms.
The summary preamble read: “For a highly-rated, affordable trip to Tamarindo, a thrifty couple can choose between small, boutique hotels and private rooms in well-regarded hostels. Winter is the high season in Costa Rica, so booking well in advance is recommended to secure the best rates.”
Affordable hotels and bungalows
- Ten North Tamarindo Beach Hotel
- Zulu Surf Hotel
- Hotel Laguna del Cocodrilo
- Tamarindo Sunshine
- Mai Ke Kai Surf House
Top-rated hostels with private rooms
- La Botella de Leche Hostel
- Casa Pura Surf Hostel
- TamaHostel & Glamping
Three to five names in each category. That’s there was suggested. And many of them are not the giant global brands you’d expect to dominate AI search after spending millions on SEO every year. That’s the interesting part. (In case you’re wondering I also did this search removing the word “thrifty” and the list was still decidedly missing major brands and highly promoted properties)
Where the recommended properties came from
Google’s AI mode assembled this list from sources it both trusts and can easily access. It wasn’t just random, made up, or paid placement. Because publishers have very different strategies around AI, the AI systems lean heavily on what’s open and available on the web. In practice, that often means user-generated content, rating sites, OTAs (online travel agent dashboards like Expedia), and niche publishers and blogs have greater clout than just the usual big names.
For my query, most of the citations came from places like Tripadvisor, Expedia, Hotels.com Facebook, Agoda and Reddit. Layered on top of that were small family travel blogs and niche sites such as VacationsCostaRica.com, MyTanFeet.com and Carryonqueen.com (thank you very much!)
So the shortlist of hotels is effectively being shaped by a mosaic of reviews, listicles, community threads and very human blog posts – many of them written by people who’ve actually traveled to Costa Rica
The language
The language in those sources looks a lot like the language in my prompt. Titles and headings leaned heavily on phrases such as “Tamarindo accommodation”, “planning a trip to Costa Rica”, and “thrifty couple”. That wording helps AI understand who a property is good for (thrifty couples), when (this winter) and why (location, activities).
Your visibility in AI search is now being shaped as much by HOW YOU ARE TALKED ABOUT IN THESE ECOSYSTEMS as by what’s on your own website.
What this means if you’re a hotel or travel brand
This example has a lot of practical applications, and should cause you to rethink your SEO strategy, your approach to PR and publicity, and the value of the entire ecosystem which produces content about your brand.
The new SEO just became multi-layered
Optimizing for AI search is no longer optional. But it doesn’t mean just stuffing your copy with SEO keywords you can rank for anymore. SEO keywords should still be part of your strategy, but even more important is now spelling things out clearly enough that an AI system can place you in the right use cases. If you’re perfect for “a couples winter wonderland digital detox”, say so. Make the couples angle or digital detox, explicit in your copy and FAQs.
Communities as AI signal hubs
Tripadvisor is no longer just a rating metric; it’s feeding into how AI assistants justify their recommendations. Facebook groups, OTAs, and niche blogs all help AI understand when you’re a relevant choice. The question shifts from “Do we have good reviews?” to “Are we even present, and clearly positioned, in the places AI is learning from?”
The PR mind shift
For years PR reps have been conditioned to chase coverage in big name, large distribution publications like Travel and Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller or AFAR. While these publication still offer immense value for positioning, they are not the be all end all. The value of media coverage through less known but authentic personable travel voices and sites is now your secret weapon. And I’m not just saying that because I own one of those sites! Think of Condé Nast as your front entrance which can’t be ignored, and the smaller blog or Trip Advisor thread as the back alley entrance, where real people actually learn about you authentically. AI demands that you have both, in order to show up.
Google’s new AI mode isn’t just helping people plan trips, it’s quietly deciding which names get mentioned again and again in search, when someone asks a question that sounds a lot like your ideas customer.
It’s certainly worth asking, “If someone like my ideal guest asked an AI assistant for an accommodation like mind – would it actually find me?” That is the next frontier of SEO and search visibility.
The role of real life travel advisors
Let’s circle back for a moment to the travel advisors that my attention grabbing headline took a swat at. In many ways this is no different than competing with OTAs like Expedia and Booking.com when they first arrived on the scene. There will always be a market of DIY travel planners, especially for uncomplicated travel to safe locations with a shared language. But add complexity to any of those factors, and the value of real life personal advice, someone to “save you from what you don’t know”, or bail you out when plans go sideways abroad, cannot be understated. I actually think that as AI enables more and more customer service automation, this real life human touch will be more appreciated and sought out. Call me an optimist, but we will crave the human touch more, not less, once AI seeps into every crack.
PS: Curious where that ranked Botella de leche hostel recommendation came from? Scroll to the bottom of this post “Things to do in Costa Rica Guanacaste region” on my site. AI knows how to source good content! This is actually a great example of how and where you want to show up – authentically.
