The rise of AI is reshaping how travelers discover, evaluate, and book hotels. Tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and AI-powered personal assistants are no longer just sources of information; they have the ability to recommend, plan, and book travel on behalf of guests. So how can hotels get ahead of this emerging shift for commercial growth.
A new distribution channel?
Lately, the question our hotel partners keep asking is: How will AI decide to pick my hotel?
Reviewing current AI-generated search results, branded hotels dominate visibly, leaving independent hotels at a disadvantage. AI agents rely on structured data, real-time availability, rich natural-language content, guest preferences, and historical performance. Optimising for these new signals will prepare for AI-driven booking flows.
GEO vs SEO
Historically, hotels have focused on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to rank highly on Google and attract organic traffic. But AI search introduces a new discipline: GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation).
SEO: Optimising for keyword-based search rankings.
GEO: Structuring data, content, and context so generative AI models can easily access, understand, and serve your hotel as a relevant option.
For example, ChatGPT doesn't crawl websites like Google. Instead, it pulls from structured data, verified sources, API integrations, and aggregated information across multiple platforms. Hotels need to ensure their content is machine-readable, their booking engines are API-accessible, and their brand data is consistent across channels.
GEO optimisation means:
Implementing rich metadata (Schema.org, OpenGraph tags, structured content feeds)
Feeding real-time availability and pricing into AI marketplaces
Creating content that AI models can reference and trust
The Risk: AI accelerating the platformisation of travel
Major platforms like Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, Google, and Meta are already integrating AI into every stage of the traveler journey. Their algorithms personalise search results, dynamically price inventory, and tightly control guest data. As AI becomes more powerful, these platforms risk further cementing their dominance, capturing both guest relationships and transaction margins.
For hotels, platformisation means:
Less control over guest acquisition
Higher dependency on intermediaries
Loss of valuable first-party guest data
Commoditisation of brand differentiation
How hotels can win at AI search
By partnering with experts like Journey, hotels can strengthen their direct online business and stay competitive as AI search evolves. Our recommendations include:
1. Content is really king
Quality images, video and detailed written information about your hotel are yours to own and distribute - they are an ownable asset to leverage.
Work with a booking engine like Journey’s Ecommerce platform to expose media-rich property profiles via APIs
Create snackable media assets EG Short video clips for guest experiences, 360-degree tours, drone flyovers and key property highlights in 10-30 second formats.
Build an AI friendly FAQ section including check-in times, address details, reception contact information etc.
AI agents will reward hotels that deliver rich, structured, verified, high-quality content that machines can trust and serve confidently.
2. Offer "direct-only" benefits
Create compelling incentives that reward guests for booking direct:
Exclusive pricing
Loyalty perks and instant rewards
Flexible cancellation policies
Value-added packages (spa credits, dining, parking)
The more tangible the benefit, the stronger the direct booking appeal.
3. Personalise the direct experience
Today guests seek more than just a room - they want to customise their whole on-property experience to suit themselves. Transform your website and booking engine into more than a transactional tool:
The goal: Make your direct experience feel uniquely attentive compared to the generic OTA journey.
4. Structure data to serve AI models
There’s growing buzz in the industry around Model Context Protocol (MCP) - a new technology designed to sit between large language model (LLM) AI tools (like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others) and existing hotel APIs, such as booking engines, CRSs, and PMSs. Think of MCP as a translator: it helps AI tools pull the right information from hotel systems quickly and accurately. While MCP is still in its early days and its real-world adoption remains uncertain, it signals a potential direction for the future of travel tech.
As technology evolves we recommend preparing your content and systems for AI integration:
Use structured data formats to make your content machine-readable
Partner with AI-powered metasearch platforms that serve agentic assistants
Keep your inventory, pricing, and availability updated via robust APIs
5. Capture Intent Early
AI search often engages travelers at the earliest stages of trip planning. To intercept this intent:
Publish rich destination content that answers early planning questions
Optimise for AI-powered voice and chat search
Build brand visibility across emerging AI travel marketplaces
By meeting guests before they land on a third party website, you maximise your direct acquisition potential.
A data driven strategy for the win
As of now, Google handles approximately 14 billion searches per day, 117 times more than ChatGPT’s 109 million. While Google still dominates, its market share is projected to decline from 90% to between 65–85% over the next five years.
In an AI-driven world where the search landscape is changing rapidly, one thing is clear: a hotel’s first-party data is a powerful competitive advantage.
Hotels today have the ability to proactively adapt their digital presence and data structures to win in this new era.
Journey has specialists in Analytics, Commercial Strategy, Digital Marketing and Ecommerce. Talk to us today and see how we can help you prepare.
