What is Generative Engine Optimization for Hotels?
TLDR: Just 2–3 years ago turning up at the top of Google’s search results was the ultimate triumph of marketing optimization. It yielded more clicks, more traffic, and more business. Now, users are skipping the search altogether, turning to AI tools and answers to explore travel destinations and choose accommodations. Hotel marketers are adapting, looking for ways to build authority with these models, gaining them influential space among their recommended spots. It takes work, but the results don’t just make the robots happy — real people find them helpful too.
What is Generative Engine Optimization?
For years, hotels have competed for visibility in Google’s blue links and local picks. But now, travelers are asking conversational questions to AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity, not to mention a new batch of AI travel planning aids. Instead of a list of links, these tools generate direct answers, often citing only a handful of sources.
This shift has sparked a new discipline: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). If SEO is about ranking in search results, GEO is about earning visibility inside AI-generated answers. For hoteliers, it means making sure your brand shows up when a guest asks, “What are the best kid-friendly boutique hotels in Boston with an indoor pool?”
How do generative AI engines find information?
Generative engines don’t crawl the web the way Google Search traditionally has. They scan, structure and synthesize content to answer questions quickly and clearly. Here’s how they evaluate what to include:
AI Models Love Structured, Easy-to-Read Content
Think organized, itemized clarity. Pages that use headings, FAQ blocks, bulleted lists, and tables are easier to parse. Structured data like schema for hotels, amenities, and reviews helps engines understand the facts and improves your chance of being cited.
Information with Authority
AI tools blend multiple sources into a single response. They favor sites that present information in ways that can be verified elsewhere. The more your property details align across your site, your Google Business Profile, and third-party sites, the more likely AI will trust and cite you.
Entity and Local Signals
Google’s AI Overviews often cite official business listings. That means your Google Business Profile and online reviews play a major role in whether your hotel gets mentioned in AI-generated answers.
Technical Performance
Speed, crawlability, and clean site structure still matter. AI systems won’t prioritize slow, confusing, or inaccessible pages, even if the information is good. Strong Core Web Vitals and server-side rendering of key content keep your site eligible for inclusion.
Fast load times. Easy-to-browse sites. Information that’s verified across multiple sources. These characteristics of AI-friendly content sound a lot like the ways humans judge the trustworthiness of information!
The importance of ranking in generative AI engines
Traditional SEO taught us that ranking in the top three positions on Google drives most clicks. In GEO, the concept of “ranking” changes. AI-generated results look more like an explanation. Think, one or two paragraphs of text, plus a handful of citations.
Why this matters for hotels:
- AI visibility can protect direct bookings. Many AI results pull from OTAs by default. If your website clearly answers guest questions about amenities, policies, and unique experiences, you stand a better chance of being cited, diverting bookings away from intermediaries and toward you.
- Early adopters get an edge. Hotels that act now can capture share while nearby competitors lag. As AI search expands, being one of the first cited properties in your market can generate outsized visibility.
Ranking is important because it’s business-critical. Build authority today, claim the space, and earn revenue.
Practical tips to get your hotel started with GEO
Much of GEO builds on strong SEO practices you may already know. The difference is in how you structure, present, and distribute content so AI engines can extract it.
Make your site “answer-ready.”
Add clear FAQ sections addressing common pre-booking questions:
- Parking, pet policies, and resort fees
- Check-in/check-out times
- Amenities like pools, spas, and dining options
- Accessibility features
Write in natural language, using the same phrasing guests use when they ask questions. Add schema markup for FAQs and hotel attributes to reinforce clarity. If you’re not familiar with schema, that’s okay. Your agency can help.
Strengthen local and entity signals.
Your Google Business Profile is more critical than ever. Keep your NAP (name, address, phone number) consistent across listings. Upload high-quality photos, update seasonal hours, and encourage reviews. Remember: AI engines pull from these sources heavily.
Build corroboration across the web.
Generative engines cross-check information. Encourage guests to leave detailed reviews. Secure mentions on local tourism websites, event guides, and media outlets. The more your hotel is referenced in credible sources, the more likely AI is to trust you.
Maintain fast, crawlable pages.
Ensure that key content (like amenities and room details) is visible to crawlers and not hidden behind JavaScript or PDFs. Keep your site quick and mobile-friendly.
Think in “angles.”
Travelers turn to AI for specific information. They’re not hunting based on location and price alone, they ask questions like:
- “Hotels in Maine with nearby hiking and great dining options”
- “Pet-friendly hotels near Fenway Park”
- “I’m looking for a Utah ski getaway for a big group. Some of us don’t ski.”
If your website only speaks in broad strokes, you’re missing opportunities. Create content that addresses different guest personas—families, couples, business travelers, wedding groups. AI engines reward hotels that anticipate and answer these niche queries. Read our Guide to AI eBook for ideas.
What does this mean for hotel marketers?
It’s time to roll up your sleeves. There’s work ahead, but it’s the fun kind.
Source stories. Interview local guides. Put a human spin on essential site details. Dedicate time to creating useful, interesting, accurate website content, and AI recognition will follow.
NOTE: We didn’t talk measurement much in this article, but that’s a key aspect of GEO as well. Agencies like ours can guide your GEO strategy, and then measure its impact in terms of site traffic and revenue using website tag managers and other advanced tools. If you’re ready to jump-start this process, and make sure it’s working, reach us today.