For more than a decade, place brand and destination marketing organizations have optimized their strategies around a familiar framework: search engines, keywords and rankings. Success was measured by visibility on a results page and the ability to drive users toward owned content. That framework is changing, and quickly.
As generative AI becomes embedded into how travelers discover, research, and plan trips, we are entering a new era of discovery: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Travelers are no longer searching for information; they are conversing with intelligent systems that synthesize answers, make recommendations, and shape decisions in real time. For place brand and marketing teams, this shift requires more than tactical tweaks. It calls for a strategic reorientation. One that recognizes how inspiration, influence, and trust are formed inside AI-driven environments.
Below are 4 Core Changes DMOs must make to adapt:
Traditional SEO rewarded destinations for matching keywords and structuring pages correctly. GEO rewards destinations for being clear, credible, and contextually rich. AI systems don’t simply index content, they interpret it. They look for signals that help them answer questions like: What makes this place distinctive? Who is it best for? Why does it matter at this moment?
This means DMOs must move beyond generic descriptors and toward sharper, more intentional storytelling. Focus on clear articulation of brand pillars and emotional value, consistent language around experiences, audiences, and seasonality; opt for content that explains why something matters, not just what it is. Destinations that are vague or overly broad become harder for AI to confidently recommend. Specificity builds relevance.
In a generative search environment, travelers don’t type fragmented phrases, they ask full questions: “Where should I go for a long weekend that feels outdoorsy but still has great food?” “What’s a good alternative to Paris during the shoulder season?” “Is this destination better for families or couples?”
To adapt, DMOs must structure their content around intent and inquiry, not just terms. Anticipate the real questions travelers ask at different stages of the journey and create content that naturally answers those questions. Ensure your answers are accurate, balanced, and useful, not promotional fluff. This is where conversational formats matter. AI favors content that mirrors how humans speak and think, making conversational clarity a strategic asset.
One of the biggest risks in the age of AI is over-optimizing for attribution while under-investing in inspiration. Generative systems often influence travelers before they ever reach a booking engine or website. If your destination isn’t part of that early inspirational set, you may never enter the consideration funnel at all. Place brands must invest in emotionally resonant storytelling that sparks curiosity. Focus on moments, feelings, and identity (not just listings) and embrace inspiration as measurable influence, even if it doesn’t convert immediately
At Tiki, we see this firsthand in conversational environments where travelers are still exploring possibilities. The destinations that show up strongest are the ones that have articulated why they exist in a traveler’s world, not just where they are.
In a GEO-driven world, travelers may never visit your homepage. Your destination’s narrative must be portable. AI draws from multiple sources, like publisher content, structured data, media placements, and conversational interactions, to form a composite understanding of a place. That means DMOs need consistency across editorial partnerships, media placements, owned content and emerging conversational touchpoints. If your messaging is fragmented or inconsistent, AI systems struggle to represent your destination accurately. Cohesive brand voice is no longer just a creative best practice, it’s a discoverability requirement.
Generative AI is not replacing destination marketing, it’s amplifying what matters most. The places that succeed in GEO will be those that:
For place brand leaders, this is an opportunity to reclaim the heart of destination marketing: helping people imagine themselves somewhere new by making sure AI systems can do the same on your behalf. The future of discovery is dialog-driven. The question isn’t whether AI will shape how travelers find destinations, because it already is. The real question is whether your destination is ready to be part of that conversation.
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