The rules of hotel marketing are being rewritten, and most properties don't even realize it's happening.
Sarah pulls out her phone while waiting for her flight to Denver. Instead of opening Google or Booking.com, she opens ChatGPT and types: "Best boutique hotels in Aspen with a spa, mountain views, and dog-friendly policies under $400/night."
Within seconds, she gets three curated recommendations with specific reasons why each hotel fits her criteria. No scrolling through dozens of listings. No comparing endless tabs. Just conversational AI delivering exactly what she asked for.
This isn't a future scenario—it's happening right now. AI-assisted trip planning grew 35% in just the last year, and the implications for hotel discovery are profound.
For the past decade, hotel discovery has been dominated by a predictable pattern: travelers either went directly to major OTAs like Booking.com or started with a Google search that usually led them there anyway. The big players controlled visibility through massive ad budgets and search algorithm optimization.
But something fundamental is changing. More travelers—especially younger demographics—are turning to AI tools for travel planning:
☀️ Over 50% of Gen Z travelers now trust AI to help plan trips
☀️ Google has integrated AI summaries directly into travel searches
☀️ Perplexity AI just launched direct hotel booking capabilities
☀️ Even Booking.com is testing AI assistants in their mobile app
The momentum is undeniable. What's less obvious is what this means for individual hotels, especially independent and boutique properties that have long struggled to compete with OTA dominance.
Here's what makes this moment unique: AI tools aren't yet dominated by the same players who control traditional search.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for hotel recommendations, these systems pull from diverse sources—travel blogs, Reddit threads, well-structured hotel websites, and authoritative travel publications. They're not defaulting to whoever paid the most for ad placement.
Recent data shows that only about 25% of AI-generated hotel information comes from hotel websites themselves. The rest is sourced from OTAs, travel guides, review sites, and other content that these models have learned to trust.
This creates a brief moment where visibility isn't purely about ad spend—it's about being present in the content ecosystem that AI models actually reference.
But here's the reality check: this window won't stay open forever.
Booking.com didn't build a $150+ billion company by ignoring disruption. They launched their AI Trip Planner in just 10 weeks. Expedia has partnerships with OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot. The major players have the resources to adapt—and they will.
The question isn't whether OTAs will figure out how to dominate AI recommendations. The question is: will your hotel be positioned to remain visible when they do?
In our work with hospitality clients, we've identified four critical gaps in how most hotels approach this shift:
Traditional hotel SEO focused on terms like "boutique hotel + city name." But AI tools respond to conversational queries: "Where should I stay in Napa for a romantic weekend with wine tastings and walkable restaurants?"
Your content needs to answer the actual questions travelers ask, not just rank for search terms they might type.
AI models excel at processing well-structured information. Hotels with clear schema markup, organized FAQ sections, and properly formatted content have a significant advantage in being cited by AI tools.
Most hotel websites were built for human visitors, not algorithmic interpretation.
Getting mentioned in a respected travel blog or quality listicle carries more weight with AI models than having a perfectly optimized meta description. Yet most hotels focus entirely on their own website optimization while ignoring earned media opportunities.
Quick test: Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity for hotel recommendations in your destination with your specific amenities. Are you mentioned? If so, what's the source? Most hotel owners have never run this simple audit.
Smart hotel marketers aren't waiting for definitive best practices. They're experimenting now while the landscape is still fluid:
Content Strategy Shifts: Writing detailed content that answers specific traveler questions rather than just promoting amenities. One boutique property we work with created a comprehensive guide to "Planning the Perfect Wine Country Proposal"—and now gets cited by AI tools for romantic getaway recommendations.
Technical Optimization: Implementing structured data markup that makes their unique offerings easily interpretable by AI systems. This isn't just about basic schema—it's about strategically organizing information for algorithmic consumption.
Earned Media Focus: Actively pursuing mentions in travel publications and quality blogs that AI models reference. This means pitching stories, participating in travel roundups, and building relationships with content creators whose work gets cited.
AI Visibility Auditing: Regularly testing how they appear in AI-generated travel recommendations and adjusting strategy based on actual results rather than assumptions.
Here's where many hotels make a critical mistake: they assume this is just another marketing channel they can tackle with existing resources.
The technical requirements for AI optimization are fundamentally different from traditional SEO. It involves:
☀️ Semantic content structuring that helps AI models understand context and relationships
☀️ Schema markup implementation that goes far beyond basic local business markup
☀️ Content ecosystem mapping to identify which sources AI tools actually cite in your market
☀️ Continuous testing and iteration as AI models evolve their recommendation algorithms
Most marketing teams lack the technical depth to implement these changes effectively. It's not just about writing better content—it's about understanding how machine learning models interpret and weight information.
The hotels that will thrive in an AI-driven discovery landscape are those that start adapting now, while the rules are still being written.
This isn't about replacing your current marketing efforts—it's about adding a new layer that positions you for how travelers will increasingly discover and evaluate properties.
The opportunity exists because we're in a brief window where content quality and strategic positioning matter more than advertising budgets. But that window is closing as major players develop their AI strategies.
☀️ How does your hotel currently appear in AI-generated travel recommendations?
☀️ Is your website structured in a way that AI models can easily interpret and cite?
☀️ Are you present in the travel content that these tools actually reference?
☀️ What specific questions do your ideal guests ask that your content should answer?
☀️ How will you maintain visibility as AI recommendation algorithms evolve?
AI is reshaping hotel discovery whether you're prepared for it or not. The hotels that recognize this shift and adapt their digital strategy accordingly will have a significant advantage over those that wait for clearer signals.
This isn't about abandoning traditional marketing channels—it's about evolving your approach to remain discoverable as traveler behavior changes.
The transformation is happening quietly but steadily. The question is: will your hotel be ready when AI-driven discovery becomes the norm rather than the exception?
We help boutique and independent hotels navigate this shift with strategic positioning and technical optimization that gets results. Schedule a free consultation to discuss how these changes apply to your market and property.