For years, hotels and travel marketers have battled for one thing: visibility on Google. But in 2026, the game has changed. Search is no longer just about search engines. It’s about generative engines – AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Google SGE, and Microsoft Copilot that are rapidly becoming trusted travel advisors.
NB: This is an article from Travelboom
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
And that means we’ve entered the era of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). The rise of generative search engines means hotel marketers must adapt by creating high-quality content to satisfy emerging AI channels and modern travelers.
The AI Shift in Travel Planning
According to the 2026 TravelBoom Leisure Travel Study:
- 83% of travelers have used or are interested in using AI tools to help plan their trips
- 67% say they trust AI-generated recommendations
This isn’t fringe behavior. It’s becoming mainstream, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z. These generations are using AI not only to plan where they go, but also where they stay, what they eat, and how they build their entire travel experience. And if your hotel isn’t showing up in AI-generated recommendations, you may be invisible to them.
What is GEO?
GEO is the process of structuring your online presence so that AI tools can find, understand, and recommend your brand in their responses.
Unlike traditional SEO, GEO isn’t just about ranking. It’s about:
- Contextual relevance
- Answering traveler questions directly
- Building structured authority
AI engines don’t just scan web pages. They synthesize content, reviews, and third-party signals to form opinions. That means your digital footprint must be cohesive, credible, and content-rich.
What GEO Requires of Hotel Marketers
To optimize for generative AI engines, hotels should focus on:
- Structured, high-quality content: Think educational blog posts, robust FAQs, destination guides, and value-packed landing pages.
- Frequently updated web pages: AI tools prioritize freshness. Keep core content, hotel rates, and amenities current.
- Clear brand signals across the web: Consistency across platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and social media builds trust with AI engines.
- Schema markup and structured data: Use structured metadata to help machines understand your content more deeply.
