As of May 2025, Google’s rollout of AI Overviews has changed the travel search game forever. No longer are users scrolling through pages of search results—they’re asking full questions like “Where’s the best wildlife tour in Kakadu?” and receiving AI-generated answers pulled from just a handful of websites.
If your tourism business doesn’t show up in those answers, it’s not just underperforming—it’s invisible.
Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking in search engines, GEO is about creating content that AI systems like Google’s Gemini can understand, trust, and use in their responses. These systems aren’t looking for keyword-stuffed pages. They want clear, structured, helpful content that mirrors how people ask real questions.
Think about how people plan travel now:
These aren’t keywords—they’re questions. And Google’s AI Overviews respond with summarised insights, business names, and booking links pulled from websites it understands deeply.
If your website doesn’t feed Google the right information in the right format, it’s invisible in this new AI-first world.
A regional tour company offering immersive Indigenous experiences in the Northern Territory had strong TripAdvisor reviews and good word-of-mouth but was invisible in AI answers for “authentic Indigenous tours near Darwin.”
Why? Their service page had no structured data, no FAQs, and was updated three years ago. Once these were fixed, and the content reframed for real questions (like “Is this tour family-friendly?”), visibility in Google’s AI improved—and so did direct traffic.
Start by asking Google AI and other AI engine the questions your customers might ask:
Do you appear in the AI-generated answer? Or is it a competitor?
If not, it might be time to:
Remember those magazine quizzes? This one’s for your website. Count how many of these you can confidently say “yes” to (no cheating!).
1. Can you easily spot the publish or last updated date on your latest blog post?
2. Do your service pages answer questions like “Is this tour family-friendly?” or “Do you run in wet weather?”
3. Are there at least three FAQs written in plain English on each of your key pages (and using the FAQ schema)?
4. Have you tried asking Google’s AI or ChatGPT if your business comes up for prompts like “Best things to do in [your location]”?
5. Does your website use schema markup—like FAQs, Local Business info, and Product reviews?
6. Does your About page clearly explain who you help, what you offer, and where you operate?
7. Is “Chatbot” or “AI recommendation” an option in your “How did you hear about us?” form?
8. Are your blog articles linked to categories and tags, and do they link out to credible sources?
9. Can your content still be seen if JavaScript is turned off? (No idea? That’s probably a no.)
8–9 “yes” answers: 🔥 You’re a GEO rockstar! Your site is primed for AI exposure.
5–7 “yes” answers: 🧩 You’re on the right track—just a few updates away from being AI’s first pick.
0–4 “yes” answers: 👻 Oops. Your site might be invisible to the AI travel agents of today.
➡️ Ready to fix that? A GEO Readiness Assessment will show you exactly what to do.
Traditional SEO helps you appear in search. GEO helps you become the answer. This means creating the kind of content that AI models reference, not just humans clicking through search results.
GEO is the process of making your website and content optimised for AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and Gemini. It ensures your business is chosen by these tools when travellers ask questions like “What’s the best eco-tour in Tasmania?”
AI-generated answers are now appearing above traditional search results and only list 3–5 options. If your business isn’t optimised for GEO, it risks being excluded from the results travellers actually see and trust.
SEO gets you ranked; GEO gets you recommended. GEO focuses on structured data, FAQs, schema, service clarity, and conversational content that matches how people speak to AI.
Ensure your pages are up-to-date, structured with schema markup, answer common questions, load quickly, and display important information without relying on JavaScript. Use real language, not marketing fluff.
Do you show up in ChatGPT or Google AI for key prompts?
Do you have schema markup and clear service descriptions?
Is your content fresh and question-focused?
If not, consider a GEO Readiness Assessment to find out what’s missing.
Yes. Look for referral traffic from chat.openai.com, gemini.google.com, and similar sources. Also update your contact forms with an “AI/Chatbot” option to capture those leads directly.
At Tourism Tribe, we’ve developed a dedicated Generative AI Visibility Assessment tailored to tourism operators. It’s based on Google’s latest guidance, the way AI engines evaluate your content, and practical steps to fix what’s holding you back.
Our assessment includes:
Optional upgrades include:
AI isn’t the future, it’s the now. If your tourism website isn’t ready, you’re not just behind—you’re off the radar. But it’s still early – you could have a real competitive advantage.
Learn more about our GEO readiness assessment here.
Let’s make sure your business becomes the answer in AI search—not the afterthought.
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation—the process of preparing your website to be chosen by AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Bing Copilot. This assessment shows how visible your tourism business is in these new AI-powered search results—and gives you a clear action plan to boost your exposure.
Brisbane, QLD – A new national report released today by digital training leaders Tourism Tribe reveals that while Australian tourism businesses are beginning to embrace
As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries worldwide, the Australian tourism sector is at a major turning point. To help our industry understand how AI
AI is reshaping how travellers plan and book their trips — is your tourism business showing up in search? In this episode, we reveal how to optimise your website for AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Bing, with simple tips you can start actioning today.
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