‘Hotels need to become more visible in the AI era’

More direct bookings thanks to Generative Engine Optimisation

The emergence of ChatGPT, Google Gemini and other AI search engines is rapidly changing the online behaviour of travellers. They no longer type in keywords, but ask questions. And as a hotel, you want to be the answer.

“Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is essentially the evolution of SEO,” says Thomas Dieben, founder of Becurious. “Whereas we used to optimise for keywords, now it's all about context and conversation. People don't ask ChatGPT for ‘hotel Amsterdam’, but rather: ‘Which boutique hotel near Vondelpark has family rooms and good reviews?’ That's a fundamentally different way of searching.”

What SEO was for Google, GEO will be for the new generation of AI search engines.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the logical successor to SEO: optimisation focused on AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE). These systems no longer display search results, but engage in conversations with users – and refer to relevant sources within that conversation.

It is crucial that this source is the hotel's own website, not an OTA,” emphasises Dieben. “Otherwise, the click will go through Booking.com again and you will lose the direct booking.” 

AI is changing the playing field

According to Dieben, large booking platforms are even lagging behind somewhat. “Booking and Expedia naturally have enormous databases, but they are slow. We see opportunities for independent hotels. They can respond more quickly to this new search reality by structuring their own websites effectively.”

Dieben has noticed that ChatGPT is becoming a visible source of traffic. “Our statistics show that month after month, more visitors are coming to hotel websites via ChatGPT. Google is still dominant, but the shift is undeniable. That's why it's wise to ensure that AI models understand and cite your site now.”

From enquiry to booking

With Generative Engine Optimisation, Becurious assists hotels in rewriting their content around guest questions; in a natural tone, with clear answers and structured data that is recognised by AI systems.

“FAQs are worth their weight in gold,” says Dieben. “Start with basic questions such as ‘Is there parking available?’ or ‘How far is it to the city centre?’, but also consider target group-oriented content: ‘Romantic weekend getaway in the Veluwe’ or ‘Hotel with fast Wi-Fi for business travellers’. Anything that ties in with real questions from guests increases your chance of being listed as a relevant answer by AI.”

In addition, Becurious advises hotels to make their prices visible in the AI results. “Connections with meta platforms such as Google Hotel Ads, Bing Lodging Campaigns or Tripadvisor will soon offer the possibility to display your current rates directly and get referrals to your own booking engine. This inspires confidence and increases the chance that the guest will book directly with you.”

Not a ‘set and forget’ approach’

GEO is not a one-off intervention, Dieben emphasises. “You have to keep monitoring it. Check regularly whether your hotel is mentioned in AI results, keep the content up to date and respond to local events. During Amsterdam Dance Event, you naturally want your hotel to be mentioned as the ideal place to stay. That requires maintenance, just like good SEO used to.”

That is why Becurious offers tools and reports that enable hotels to monitor their AI visibility. “We conduct baseline measurements based on the unique characteristics of the hotel, provide monthly reports, and advise on areas for improvement. Ultimately, it all revolves around that one goal: more direct bookings via the hotel's own website.”

The mission remains the same

Although technology is changing, Becurious“ mission remains unchanged. ”We want to help hotels strengthen their direct relationship with their guests,“ says Dieben. ”That has always been the core. The website is the heart of that relationship; visible, reliable and bookable. AI is changing the route to get there, but the goal remains the same. Those who focus on GEO now are laying the foundation for sustainable visibility in the AI era."  

5 tips: how to make your hotel ‘AI-proof’

Think in terms of questions, not keywords. Write content that answers what your guests really want to know.

Utilise structured data. Configure FAQs and room information with Schema.org so that AI understands them.

Keep your content up to date. Adapt texts to seasons, events and local trends.

Make your rates visible. Connect your booking system to Google Hotel Ads or similar platforms for direct bookings.

Test yourself regularly. Ask ChatGPT or Google AI about your hotel and see if you appear in the answers.