AI search is becoming the new travel agent

No sector is immune to the effects of AI-powered discovery, but travel has emerged as a category most naturally suited to it. It makes sense since researching and booking holidays involves countless decisions, from choosing a destination and comparing price to planning itineraries and weighing up reviews.

Our State of AI Search Report revealed the new travel agent in town. AI-powered travel searches have nearly tripled in a year, with engaged sessions across travel brands rising by 168% between July 2025 and July 2026. The strongest rises occurred in May and December, with planning happening through AI platforms.

Seasonal demand is no longer limited to traditional search. The transition from destination-first search to intent-led discovery means the visibility challenge has changed. It’s not just SERP rankings brands are competing for: it’s AI visibility. But it's not just a question of more citations – you need the right ones, since not all citations are created equal.

It sounds complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s get into it. 

Reconfiguring the rhythm of travel

First things first, our data. It demonstrates a clear twin-peak pattern, with AI search engagement reaching its highest levels in December and May. A trend that extends to US audiences, with traffic from AI sources to travel sites growing 194% year-on-year across the pond. 

On the surface, this isn’t that surprising, since those months align with established consumer behaviours: winter sun escapes and summer holiday planning. However, where these journeys are now taking place is interesting.

In other words, AI platforms are becoming firmly ingrained into the travel planning process and seasonal peaks. This means brands need to think about AI visibility in the same way they think about paid search budgets or media investment. 

The inspiration phase is getting longer

While platforms are pushing to collapse the path from discovery to transactions, the inspiration phase is expanding with more avenues available than ever before. Today's travellers are spending months researching their holiday plans, whether that's by following travel influencers on TikTok (43%) or getting ideas from TV series and films (30%).

AI tools are making this process easier by helping aspiring adventurers explore possibilities without needing to sift through dozens of websites. This has created the ‘window-shopping gap’, where consumers can spend weeks or months deliberating with AI assistants before making a booking decision. Yet when they eventually decide to convert, the gap between booking and departure is much shorter than it was before. 

Where does that leave travel brands?

The traditional rules travel brands have organised themselves by are under development. If AI is becoming a traveller’s first point of contact, brands need to think carefully about how they can show up in the information cited on these platforms. 

Balance AI visibility with seasonal demand

To make the most of AI search potential, brands should align resources and investment to the moments audiences are actively researching and planning. 

But there needs to be balance, since preparation matters just as much as peak itself. Waiting until booking season to ramp up visibility activity is a risky strategy. By the time someone asks AI Mode for recommendations on a family-friendly Mediterranean destination, they’ve already entered the consideration phase.

The brands that appear in those recommendations are likely to be the ones that spent months building relevant content and visibility. By the time December or May rolls around, you risk arriving too late to influence the journey before demand surges. 

Create content around traveller intent

One of the biggest changes AI search introduces is how consumers are asking questions. Traditional search encouraged users to enter short, keyword-driven queries, while AI search encourages conversations.

Instead of searching for “best Greek islands”, travellers are asking “Where can I take two teenagers in October that’s affordable?”. Or “What’s a good destination for a wellness-focused long weekend without a long-haul flight?”.

Destination pages still matter, as well as guides, itineraries, FAQs and comparison content. But creating content around intent and motivation helps answer the questions people are actually asking AI assistants. That’s where SEO and GEO begin to overlap with the goal of becoming one of the sources AI platforms trust enough to reference.

Quality, not quantity

More citations doesn’t necessarily translate into better visibility. Different brands, depending on their audience and service offering, build authority differently from varying sources, even in the same sector. And since authority is part of the magic formula that makes AI pay attention, it's worth getting more granular with your GEO strategy.

For example, a luxury tour operator and family holiday provider may both be targetting the broad category of travellers, but their authority signals are on different ends of the spectrum. The luxury brand might earn AI visibility through endorsements in high-end travel publications like Condé Nast Traveller, meanwhile family travel may be cited because of recommendations from parenting websites or comparison content around school holiday destinations. 

Strengthen authority across every channel

There is no one activity that contributes towards AI visibility – it's a combination of strong technical SEO, digital PR, third-party brand mentions and a well-structured website. AI platforms draw information from multiple sources, looking for consistent evidence of a brand’s trustworthiness, authority and relevance.

This is where an integrated digital strategy becomes non-negotiable. A practical way to approach this is by aligning channel activity around key travel themes and audience interests. If you’re targeting winter-sun demand, SEO, digital PR and paid media teams should all be supporting the same audience needs and questions.

The future of travel is already here

We’re past trends at this point - 168% past it to be exact. The increase in AI search engagement across the travel sector represents a fundamental shift in how consumers are discovering, evaluating and planning their next getaways.

Seasonal peaks are still certified booking zones, but increasingly this decision is being shaped by AI assistants long before travellers get there. The question is: will your brand be part of the answer? Speak to us at IDHL to discover how your travel brand can stay visible in the age of AI-powered discovery.