Get Recommended by AI, Not Just Found by Google

The way travelers discover hotels is rapidly changing. While traditional SEO still holds value, AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity are starting to shape more consumer decisions. On a recent webinar, Visit Florida reported a nearly 40% drop in direct website traffic this year, as more users are turning to AI-powered discovery tools instead of traditional search.

In a recent episode of the AI Explored Podcast, Dr. Samantha North explained that being recommended by AI can be even more valuable than ranking on Google. AI suggestions often follow a longer, more personalized interaction. That means users are further along in their decision-making process and more likely to convert. Many businesses are already seeing higher engagement and conversion rates from AI-referred traffic.