AI is really getting into the trip planning game. In October 2023, a survey found 63% of travelers reported using AI via either a phone or tablet for travel planning reasons. Google is all about it, too. The company’s #1 summer travel tip for 2024 was getting trips ideas with generative AI — a whole new feature.

It makes sense. Planning a trip is daunting. Figuring out what to do, where to eat, what’s nearby — this has literally put me off committing to traveling countless times. That’s why AI is so useful. You can ask it to generate an itinerary for your exact situation, such as “generate a 3-day itinerary for a couple with 2 dogs”.

But where is it getting that information? How can destinations and businesses in the tourism and hospitality space stay relevant?

I tried out the Google feature myself, searching for “3-day trip itinerary to indiana for a couple with 2 dogs”. Luckily, Google has a “Show All” feature, showing us what links it used as sources. Scrolling through, I see restaurant websites, Bring Fido, TikTok, TripAdvisor, and more. One of the top ones, of course, is Visit Indiana’s “Pet-Friendly Attractions”.

And that’s really the point. We’re seeing signs here: if you want to be relevant in the age of AI, you’re going to have to get specific sometimes. That doesn’t mean you need to make a hundred different blogs for each topic. Instead, if you’re known as a romantic getaway — write an itinerary about that. Employ language such as “top” and “best” to get into the mix. Think about some “must-do” articles.

Most importantly, when you do write content, make sure you keep it updated. That’s where AI falls short, with almost too much information to pull from. Make sure your visitors have positive experiences by keeping your content accurate. Get those creative juices flowing!