Imagine this scenario: A business traveler in Seoul asks their AI assistant:
Book a quiet meeting space with strong Wi-Fi and coffee near my hotel for tomorrow morning.
Thanks to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the AI responds instantly with results that are:
Location-aware — only showing cafés or co-working spots within walking distance
Business-ready — includes info on Wi-Fi speed, seating types, and noise level
Updated in real time — shows opening hours, peak hours, and whether reservations are available
Review-backed — pulls in summaries of reviews from professionals and remote workers
Actionable — offers direct booking, a route map, and the option to reserve a table
No browsing. No guessing. Just the right space, ready when needed.
Restaurants: The Industry That Trained AI to Think Locally
Before travel, before products, restaurants quietly became the frontline of conversational search.
Today, a user can simply ask an AI:
Find a cozy Italian restaurant near me that’s open now and has good vegetarian options.
And within seconds, the AI responds with:
A short list of curated spots
Photos of dishes, interior seating, and ambiance
Review highlights and top menu items
Real-time hours, table availability, and direct booking links
This isn’t just convenience, it’s contextual discovery happening through natural language, not navigation.
Platforms like Google Maps, ChatGPT, and Siri are already replacing clunky search with fluid, real-world recommendations based on user intent.
How Booking.com Is Training for the AI Travel Era
While many travel platforms still rely on filters and forms, Booking.com is already speaking the language of AI. Through quiet but powerful upgrades, it’s reengineering how travelers find and evaluate accommodations.
Here’s how:
Search with Intent
Instead of checking boxes, users type: “hotel with rooftop bar, canal view, and gym.” Booking.com’s Smart Filter understands the phrase and delivers matching properties in seconds.Instant Answers
Wondering if there’s EV charging, late check-in, or pet policies? The Property Q&A system pulls that info directly from reviews, listing content, and photos, no need to dig through the fine print.No More Review Fatigue
Rather than scanning hundreds of reviews, travelers get clean, AI-powered Review Summaries that highlight what matters most: quiet rooms, fast Wi-Fi, friendly staff, etc.
But here’s what really matters:
All of this content, structured, conversational, and searchable by natural language, isn’t just for users.
Global Signals: How Travel Is Quietly Being Rebuilt for AI
Around the world, travel brands and platforms are shifting from static experiences to real-time, AI-guided assistance. Here’s how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is quietly becoming a global standard:
Google Gemini’s Evolving Trip Planner
Google is integrating Gemini into more than just search, it’s now a context-aware travel assistant. Here’s what it can already do:
Pulls trip data from Gmail to build auto-generated itineraries
Integrates with Maps for personalized routing
Supports conversational Q&A like “What’s a good local lunch spot after this museum?”
Summarizes reviews based on user intent
Coming soon: In-SERP itinerary planning, where users can say “Plan a day of coffee shop visits in Prague” and Gemini will return a trip flow, embedded with hotel and flight options.
Why it matters:
Google isn’t just enhancing travel search. It’s redesigning how travelers discover, plan, and act — all through conversation.
HotelPlan Suisse’s Human-AI Hybrid
In late 2024, Switzerland’s HotelPlan Suisse launched a Gemini-powered travel assistant that now handles:
FAQs and basic support across multiple locations
Contextual trip planning
Transfers complex queries to human travel advisors
Executives at Marriott call this a “tandem model” where bots handle the routine, and humans guide the nuanced. This blend is becoming the new standard for efficiency and personalization in travel services.
Why it matters:
GEO isn’t just about visibility. It’s about showing up in systems where AI and human service overlap.
zIA: The Italian “Local Auntie” Chatbot
Backed by Italy’s Molise region, zIA is a generative AI chatbot designed to feel like talking to a trusted local or as they call her, a “zia” (auntie).
Offers local travel tips via chat or voice
Speaks multiple languages
Recommends hidden spots, cultural notes, and food suggestions
Integrated into the wider DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) ecosystem from Rome to small towns
Why it matters:
AI isn’t just transactional. Emotional intelligence and local authenticity are becoming part of the discovery journey. GEO-ready content needs to reflect tone, warmth, and regional depth, not just keywords.
Where AI Still Falls Short in Travel
Generative AI is impressive, but when it comes to real-world travel logistics, it’s not always the smartest traveler in the room.
Market Reality Check: Humans vs. AI vs. Google Flights
A recent MarketWatch test compared booking methods for a NYC → Charlotte round trip. Here’s what happened:
Google Flights nailed it: $178 nonstop on Delta
AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT? Returned $250+ options, often with longer layovers or odd routing
A travel agent found the same $178 fare and added upgrades and tips no bot mentioned
The result? AI is fast, but it doesn’t always mean best.
Booking.com’s CEO on AI’s Real Limits
Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel put it plainly:
AI is great for scalable, repeatable problems. But travelers still need people when things get tricky.
He points to a future where travel agents don’t disappear — they evolve:
Using AI to prep smarter responses
Letting bots handle routine questions
Focusing human attention on high-touch moments
What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the process of organizing your content and data so that it appears directly in AI-generated answers. That includes showing booking prompts, service details, and listings inside natural conversations, whether someone is using ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other AI assistant.
Here’s how to prepare your travel business for it:
1. Conversational Q&A Pages
Update your FAQs to match how people actually ask questions:
Use headers like: “Is there an EV charger on-site?”
Write answers in a simple, conversational tone, just like you’re talking to a traveler
Avoid long, paragraph-heavy explanations
Keep it natural, clear, and easy for both people and AI to understand.
2. Schema That AI Can Read
Use JSON-LD markup to wrap your key business details in a format AI models can understand.
Here’s a simplified example:
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “Hotel”,
“name”: “Your Hotel Name”,
“address”: {
“addressLocality”: “Your City”,
“addressCountry”: “Your Country”
},
“amenityFeature”: [
{ “@type”: “LocationFeatureSpecification”, “name”: “EV charging”, “value”: true },
{ “@type”: “LocationFeatureSpecification”, “name”: “Free breakfast”, “value”: true }
],
“priceRange”: “$$$”,
“aggregateRating”: {
“@type”: “AggregateRating”,
“ratingValue”: 4.5
}
}
This allows AI tools to surface your business when someone asks something like:
“Show me hotels near the city center with EV charging and breakfast.”
3. Dynamic Product and Service Feeds
If your availability or pricing changes regularly (like hotel rooms, tours, or experiences), make sure AI tools can fetch updated data in real time.
You can do this by:
Integrating your feed with platforms like Booking.com, or Google Hotels
Or exposing availability via API or JSON
So when someone says:
“Find me a 3-night stay under $150/night near the Louvre with free breakfast”
AI models can include your property in the recommendation with live prices.
Bot-Friendly Access with llms.txt
To help AI bots access the right parts of your website, add a llms.txt file to your site’s root, just like robots.txt.
This allows LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT or Gemini to crawl:
Your listing pages
FAQs
Schema-enhanced content
Make sure your most useful pages are not blocked.
Step-by-Step Guide: Making Your Travel Brand GEO-Ready
Here’s how to move from static listings to AI-friendly visibility—step by step.
Step 1: Rework Existing Content
Start by identifying common traveler questions (like “Do you offer airport pickup?”)
Break your answers into short, clear Q&A sections (40–80 words is ideal)
Use a natural, friendly tone even a bit playful to match how people ask in real life
Goal: Make it easier for AI tools to pull direct answers from your site.
Step 2: Add Structured Data That Speaks AI
Connect your FAQ content to relevant schema types
Use tags like TouristAttraction, Event, Offer, or Location
Clean up any outdated schema like broken links or old prices
Hint: The cleaner your data, the more likely you’ll show up in AI responses.
Step 3: Test with a Simple AI Setup
Create a basic test using Gemini + RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
Embed a chat experience on your website or Instagram profile
Let users ask things like: “What’s a good spa resort in Sedona with hiking trails?”
Watch how often your property or service shows up in the AI’s response
Bonus: Use these tests to uncover gaps in your content or schema.
Step 4: Watch and Improve
Ask your own questions in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity — just like a traveler would
→ Is your brand showing up in the answer?
→ Is there a link, product card, or price shown?Monitor traffic, conversions, and click behavior from AI-powered tools
Track what’s working and update content to close any gaps.
Step 5: Bring Your Team Into It
Help staff use AI for writing replies, building itineraries, or handling first-touch messages
Run internal sessions where agents experiment with prompts and build confidence
Focus on blending human knowledge with AI’s speed and reach
GEO isn’t just tech, it’s a mindset shift across your team.
Why AI Optimization Is the New Standard in Travel Marketing
Booking.com has made its listings more machine-readable through conversational Q&A, smart filtering, and summarizing thousands of customer reviews into digestible AI responses. It’s not just about UX, it’s about feeding the AI clean, structured data that makes them easier to recommend. The results? Increased booking activity in several key regions where these features were piloted.
Google, via Gemini and Maps, is going beyond suggestions. It’s connecting emails, maps, and live availability into end-to-end travel guidance. Soon, users will be able to say:
“I land in Rome at noon, where can I grab pasta nearby, then check into a quiet hotel?”
And get real results, not just links, inside the same conversation.
HotelPlan Suisse is testing a hybrid approach: generative AI for fast, repetitive questions and human agents for anything that needs a personal touch. This “tandem model” is being positioned as a realistic future for mid-sized travel operators looking to scale without losing their human edge.
zIA, the government-supported project out of Italy’s Molise region, takes a different approach. Instead of trying to sound like tech, the chatbot was designed to feel like a “local auntie” warm, personal, culturally rooted. It speaks in multiple languages, delivers local tips, and even responds via voice. This is GEO blended with regional identity and tourists love it.
What It Means for You
This shift isn’t just about plugins or AI tools, it’s about making your content visible in a world where people no longer type search terms. They speak. They ask. They expect answers.
If your travel brand hasn’t yet adapted content for conversational discovery, cleaned up its schema, or tested AI delivery points, now’s the time. GEO is becoming table stakes for modern visibility.
Why GEO Is No Longer Optional for Travel Brands
Generative Engine Optimization isn’t just about staying visible, it’s about staying relevant in how people now plan and book their trips. Here’s why it matters:
1. Appear Where Decisions Begin
Travelers are no longer typing generic keywords, they’re asking AI for specific, conversational queries like:
“gemstone safari under $2000 in Zambia”
If your content isn’t structured for AI to understand and surface it, your brand is simply invisible at the start of the journey.
2. Accelerate Conversions with Less Friction
AI assistants can guide users from query to action offering itinerary options, pricing, and even pre-filled booking forms. The brands that show up first are often the ones that get the booking.
3. Build a Competitive Edge Early
Being AI-optimized before your competitors means more visibility, more reviews, and stronger brand familiarity. It’s not just traffic, it’s long-term discovery power that snowballs over time.
4. Free Up Teams to Focus on What Matters
A blended model of AI + human agents lets staff move beyond repetitive FAQs. Your team can focus on personal touches, empathy, and high-value interactions while AI handles the rest.
Final Thoughts
Generative Engine Optimization isn’t a future trend it’s already reshaping how travelers search, plan, and book. eCommerce has proven how powerful conversational discovery can be, and travel is next in line.
You don’t need to be a tech giant to stay ahead. With the right content, structured data, and an AI-assisted support model, your brand can become the trusted answer when a traveler asks:
“Where should I stay for that surprise bachelorette weekend in Bali?”
If you’re ready to explore GEO for your travel business, Xzio can help you build a smarter, more discoverable presence in the age of AI-powered search.
Let’s put your brand in the traveler’s conversation—right when it matters most.
