Google AI Overviews for the travel and tourism industry

With Google AI Overviews now part of the everyday experience of users signed in and searching on Google, there have inevitably been some changes to the user journey and how search results are represented.

The travel and tourism industry has always been subject to interesting changes in search experience, be it the incorporation of Google Flights into native search results or enhancements in local SEO for travel-based entities, such as hotels.

Let’s take a look at the impact of AI Overviews (AIOs) in the sector and what brands should be considering moving forward.    

Travel-based searches trigger AIOs much less than expected

The instances of searches that trigger AIOs for the travel industry are far lower than might have been expected. Indeed AIOs only appear for around 2% of searches on average, based on a study by Brightedge, compared to 5% for the finance and 14% for entertainment sectors. Other studies suggest that AI Overviews are triggered by around 4-7% of searches in the travel sector. 

Taking aside commercial intent-based searches, Advanced Web Ranking’s study, albeit based on US data, suggests that long-tail, informational queries trigger AIOs the most often at 7.78%, with top-of-funnel search terms such as “things to do in Los Angeles” or “what to do in Cape Town in the winter” being prime candidates for AIOs. 

This doesn’t mean that brands operating in the travel space shouldn’t pay AIOs any heed, though, as the landscape is constantly changing. When AIOs do appear in searches related to the travel and tourism industry, the net result is regular organic results being pushed further down the SERP which will impact click-through rates. Brands will want to feature in AIOs where they can, so it’s important to consider this as part of your overall SEO strategy. 

What types of queries are triggering AIOs in the travel sector?

Despite the current low average instances of AIO appearances related to travel keywords, AIOs are by their nature dynamic in how and when they appear and are subject to constant change.  

Travel-related AIOs can be triggered by long-tail, informational queries, particularly those related to planning trips, destination research, or comparing travel options. As we mentioned, a lot of straightforward “things to do in ‘location’” type searches don't often trigger AIOs, neither do “where to travel in ‘location’” and similar searches. Listicle-type articles still rule the roost here. 

Commercial-type searches such as “hotels in London” still typically return map packs and online travel agencies (OTAs) in the search results, as do searches such as “flights to New York”.  

However, going deeper into more long-tail, specific queries we can start to see the emergence of AIOs. For instance, a query like “best time to visit Iceland for the Northern Lights” generates an AI Overview, while shorter, more generic queries such as “Iceland tourism” or “Iceland trip itinerary” do not.

Similarly, more in-depth logistical searches or searches that rely on reliable, trustworthy sources such as government sites also appear to return AIOs on occasion. Looking at the term “how to travel to South Africa” for example, returns an AIO with links to government sites referencing entry requirements such as passports, visas and required funds. 

Another long-tail query, “what is the best way to travel around Vietnam” also triggers an AIO, with links to popular travel sites such as Lonely Planet and, interestingly from a commercial perspective, travel booking providers.  

Low percentages of AIOs aside, there’s a clear opportunity for brands to take action with regard to a variety of long-tail searches and through their informational-type content. 

What do AIOs look like in the travel industry?

AI Overviews in the travel industry are dynamic not only in how often they appear but also in how they’re composed. On average, travel-related AI Overviews display three to five sources in their initial view, expanding to include seven or more when the user clicks to see additional information.

In many cases, the sources featured in AI Overviews are drawn from the traditional top ten search results. This indicates that a strong SEO foundation—focusing on relevance, authority, and expertise—can increase the likelihood of a travel website being featured in AI Overviews.

The travel industry encompasses a wide range of topics, from flights and accommodation to destination guides and travel tips. Let’s look at some examples of AI Overviews in different areas of travel and tourism.

Flights

Commercial flight-based terms appear to not trigger AIOs overall, with traditional OTA-type results comprised of Skyscanner, Kayak and Expedia continuing to dominate. This is even on long-tail searches such as “cheapest time to fly to Tokyo” where one might assume more long-tail content is surfaced in the form of an AIO. 

Indeed, even comparative or research-based terms such as “best place to stopover when flying to New Zealand from London” or “can I fly direct to Cuba from the UK” still render traditional search results.

However, more conceptual, opinion-based long-tail search terms such as “why are flights so expensive in 2024” can trigger AIOs: 

Clicking on the “Show all” dropdown, we can see a total of four source links which are contributing to the AIO instance. Major news sites aside (in this case, CNBC), we can see links to Investopedia and a blog post being pulled in from LinkedIn.

Scrolling down the SERP, we can see this roughly aligns with the top ten results, which is composed of forum sites (such as Reddit and Mumsnet, which don’t appear in AIOs), as well as a couple of other news and travel sites such as The Sun and Going.com. 

Despite flights offering a low threshold for AIOs, there’s still some clear opportunity for brands to explore long-form content opportunities on informational queries that may be popular topics in forums and community sites.

Hotels

Much like flights, hotel-based queries are typically commercial in nature with the user likely having made up their mind on where they want to stay and are expecting an eCommerce user journey provided by the likes of Booking.com, Tripadvisor or Trivago. These won't generate an AI Overview, with hotel searches still very much in the hands of OTAs and local SEO listings.

Here, AIOs are generated by more long-tail, research-led queries that suggest the user is still researching their journey. Take a look at the below AIO result for “what can I expect from a Japanese hotel”:

This may blend into a more destination or cultural guide-type query, but we can see here a real variety in the sources being cited. IES Abroad, an international student programme site, is being featured, as is adventure travel provider Intrepid Travel, alongside Forbes, Wikipedia and a few other related travel sites and blogs.

This again broadly mirrors the composition of the below traditional search result (alongside a Reddit listing) and suggests that there are ample opportunities for hotel adjacent or travel brands to enjoy the heightened visibility opportunity that AI Overviews present. 

Destination guides

As we’ve mentioned, straightforward exploratory queries like “things to do in Barcelona” don’t often return AIOs. It’s when more niche and in-depth queries are used that we tend to see AIOs being triggered, and this is where advanced keyword research and potentially exploring user conversations on Reddit may come in handy for inspiration. 

Tweaking our search slightly and making it more specific, the longer form “how to experience Barcelona off the beaten path” does return an AIO:

With Barcelona being a well-trodden destination, we can see useful “hidden gem” type results being generated here. Outside of well-known tourist stops in Barcelona, such as the Sagrada Familia or La Rambla, the result is pulling in specific museums and markets which are cited in a variety of sources (eight in total here) that traverse sites such as Hotels.com, Conde Nast, Lonely Planet and a series of specialist Barcelona guide websites. 

Below the AIO there is a featured snippet hitting the similar “hidden gems in Barcelona” demand before the traditional results being a mixture of websites (with Reddit making another appearance) that aren’t cited in the AIO. This suggests that sites not featured in the top ten search results have a chance of being featured, which does open up the playing field somewhat.

Optimising for travel and tourism in the age of AIOs

Despite some variance, there’s a clear connection to suggest that brands who enjoy strong organic visibility in a certain topic can hope to enjoy being featured in an AIO for related queries. 

With commercial queries currently not triggering AIOs (although Google’s recent shopping AI update may change this), brands should look to produce content that answers common questions travellers have when researching trips. Structuring your content in a way that aligns with user intent, using headings, lists, and clear, digestible information, is crucial.

The future of travel when it comes to Google search is likely to shift more in favour of AI outside of informational type queries, with users potentially being able to plan and book their results all through an AI-led experience. Alongside adhering to SEO best practices and Google’s E-EAT, brands should focus on an enhanced user experience that focuses on intent optimisation as well as quality content and storytelling.  

Local SEO will continue to play a major role in the travel and tourism sector too. For brands themselves, ensuring thoroughly optimised and up-to-date listings will continue to be paramount. 

About the author

Michael Carden-Edwards is SEO Strategy Lead at Reddico. A seasoned SEO and digital marketing expert with 13+ years of experience, Michael has directed SEO strategies for major brands like British Airways and O2 as well as conducting countless public and internal SEO training sessions. Based in Sevilla, he joined Reddico in 2021, enjoying the flexible working and unique culture from a sunnier climate.

Reddico travel and tourism clients

We've worked with numerous travel and tourism brands, including Audley Travel, Gap 360, Forest Holidays, loveholidays, Original Travel and Skyscanner.

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