Not long ago, planning a hotel stay required effort. Travelers began with a search query, scanned a list of links, clicked through multiple hotel websites and OTAs, compared photos and amenities, read reviews, and gradually narrowed their options.
NB: This is an article from TCRM Services, one of our Expert Partners
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The process was time-consuming, but it felt necessary. Search engines provided options, not direction, and travelers expected to do the work themselves.
That journey has changed.
The Pre-AI Customer Journey: Exploration Through Volume
Before AI-enabled search, discovery was largely linear. Travelers relied on keyword-based searches such as “hotel near downtown” or “best hotel near campus,” then evaluated properties individually. Hotel websites were designed to support this behavior, with a focus on search engine optimization, image galleries, amenity lists, and conversion-focused layouts.
The decision path followed a familiar pattern: Search → Click → Compare → Decide → Book
Choice was abundant, but clarity was limited. Many hotels used similar language, making differentiation difficult. Adding paid search could further skew the results. Still, travelers accepted this friction (perhaps because there was no better option) as part of the planning process.
Pro Tip:
- Traditional SEO focused on being found. AI-enabled search prioritizes being understood.
- Hotels that still rely on keyword-heavy, generic copy are often invisible to AI-generated recommendations.
The AI-Enabled Journey: From Searching to Delegating
Today, travelers approach search differently. Instead of entering fragmented keywords, they ask complete questions:
- Where should we stay for a quiet weekend near the university?
- Which hotels in the northeast would be best for a romantic anniversary trip?
- Is there walkable dining, culture, and attractions near (hotel name)?
Pro Tip:
- If a traveler can ask this question out loud, your website should already answer it.
- Pages written around real trip scenarios perform better than pages written around room types alone.
AI-powered search tools synthesize information across sources and deliver recommendations rather than lists. As a result, travelers place greater trust in the response itself. When a hotel appears in an AI-generated answer, it is assumed to be relevant, vetted, and aligned with the traveler’s intent.
This fundamentally alters behavior. Rather than comparing broadly, travelers validate narrowly. Fewer properties enter the consideration set, and decisions are made more quickly.
