AI in tourism is transforming how travel is planned, booked, and sold—discover the top trends shaping the future of experiential tourism.
The experiential tourism industry is no longer a niche—it’s a full-speed race to innovate and redefine how people travel. At the heart of this transformation is artificial intelligence (AI), reshaping everything from how experiences are discovered and booked, to how they are curated, marketed, and remembered. Three major trends stand out: the evolution from SEO to AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization), the personalization of travel planning through AI tools like OpenAI’s Operator, and the creative reinvention of platforms like GetYourGuide and Airbnb. This article explores how these developments are rewriting the rules of engagement for tour operators, travelers, and platforms alike.
1. From SEO to AIO: A New Frontier for Digital Visibility
For years, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has been the primary strategy for visibility in travel marketing. But with the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and Google Gemini, users are turning to virtual assistants rather than traditional search engines for travel recommendations.
Enter AIO: Artificial Intelligence Optimization. AIO isn’t a replacement for SEO but its evolution. While SEO focuses on keywords and link-building, AIO requires content to be easily understood and used by AI agents capable of browsing, selecting, and even booking experiences. For example, rather than optimizing for “boat tour Venice,” AIO content must answer questions like “What’s the best sunset boat tour in Venice for couples?” These are real triggers that AI agents use to select content.
Effective AIO includes:
- Structuring content with clear itineraries and pricing.
- Implementing Schema.org metadata to highlight relevant info.
- Using FAQ sections tailored for natural language queries.
- Analyzing user reviews to identify recurring questions or concerns, which can be transformed into content triggers.
For tour operators, this shift means rethinking how they present their services—moving from keyword stuffing to context-rich, structured storytelling that AI can easily digest and relay.
2. Personalizing Travel Through AI: The Rise of Smart Assistants
Personalization is the holy grail of travel, and AI is rapidly making it accessible on a mass scale. Tools like OpenAI’s Operator exemplify this evolution. Operator is more than a chatbot—it autonomously plans travel experiences from flights and hotels to activities, filling out booking forms and interacting with websites without requiring an API. It acts as a remote browser agent, capable of handling complex planning tasks with just a simple user request.
Operator is currently available to ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S., but it signals a much broader transformation. In this model, a user could say, “Plan a food and wine tour in Tuscany next weekend,” and the AI would suggest, book, and manage every detail—restaurant reservations, winery visits, even local guides.
This has profound implications for tour operators:
- Smaller providers can automate time-consuming tasks like itinerary building.
- Businesses can focus more on the creative and emotional aspects of their services.
- AI can match activities to individual traveler profiles in real-time, boosting satisfaction and retention.
But there are challenges. Automated systems may struggle with complex routes, CAPTCHA barriers, or regulatory quirks. And crucially, no AI can replace the human touch that gives a tour its soul. The future lies in harmonizing efficiency with empathy.
3. GetYourGuide and Airbnb: Competing Visions for Experience-Driven Travel
In this fast-moving landscape, two platforms stand out for their AI-forward, content-centric strategies: GetYourGuide and Airbnb. Though their approaches differ, both are doubling down on experiences as a strategic pillar of growth.
GetYourGuide: From Platform to Media Brand
GetYourGuide is pivoting from being a listings platform to a content powerhouse. CEO Johannes Reck’s vision is clear: every experience should be a shareable, memorable story. To support this, the platform has introduced:
- A new category, “Shows & Events,” merging tourism with live entertainment. It launched in Las Vegas with MGM Resorts and Cirque du Soleil and is expanding to Broadway, the NBA, and beyond.
- AI-driven tools for suppliers, including content generation for titles, descriptions, and SEO-optimized listings.
- Visual-first upgrades, like embedded video previews for each activity, designed to emotionally engage potential customers.
This approach redefines what it means to “sell” an experience. Videos, imagery, and compelling storytelling become the primary conversion tools, while AI enables even small providers to compete with polished, professional content.
Airbnb: Returning to Its Roots with Local Experiences
Meanwhile, Airbnb is relaunching its “Experiences” section with a renewed focus on authentic, host-led activities. These range from cooking classes and walking tours to niche cultural immersions—all emphasizing personal connections.
While Airbnb leans into intimate, peer-to-peer interactions, GetYourGuide aims to scale professional storytelling, positioning itself as a multimedia travel brand. This “creative competition” offers opportunities for providers to choose the platform that aligns best with their values, audience, and storytelling style.
4. The Content-First Ecosystem: Building Meaning Through Media
Johannes Reck emphasizes that GetYourGuide is not about listing thousands of tours but creating an ecosystem where each has a distinct identity. This philosophy aligns perfectly with the rise of AIO: the goal is no longer just visibility, but resonance.
This ecosystem includes:
- AI assistance to polish and optimize every experience listing.
- Professional videos shot in documentary or creator styles.
- Formats like “All Art, No Crowds,” which offers private, early access to major museums—turning exclusivity into a content hook.
Crucially, this approach elevates the role of content from marketing tool to value proposition. A photo, a story, a memory—these are now central to why someone books a tour. In the age of infinite options, the ability to emotionally connect through narrative becomes a competitive advantage.
A Future Built on Story, Smart Tech, and Shared Emotion
Artificial intelligence is not replacing human experience—it’s magnifying it. From back-end automation to front-end engagement, AI allows tour operators to focus on what they do best: creating unforgettable journeys.
Whether through AIO-powered discoverability, personalized itineraries, or immersive storytelling platforms, the future of tourism belongs to those who embrace technology not as a substitute, but as a stage. It’s a future where travelers don’t just scroll and book—they dream, connect, and remember.
And for the providers? It’s time to think like creators, not just sellers. Because in this new world, the most powerful currency is the story you tell—and how well AI can help you tell it.
