DSTNCMPPremium Partner
VISIBILITY IN THE AI ERA
ON FEBRUARY 9, 2026, BY GEORG KOCH
GEO Complements SEO: Why Visibility in Tourism Is Being Redefined
Why visibility in tourism is currently being redefined is the topic of a session on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the DSTNCMP26 in Brixen. In his keynote, Georg Koch from valantic CX Austria GmbH will explain why it is no longer enough today to simply be found by a search engine.
Search engines remain important. However, today’s travelers are increasingly searching directly through AI or receiving AI-powered answers. This is changing the rules for how destinations gain visibility online.
How do we plan a trip these days?
With dozens of open browser tabs, or by asking specific questions of an AI tool like ChatGPT or Copilot? The answer to this question points to a shift affecting many areas of tourism: Guests’ digital behavior is changing —and with it, the rules governing how destinations are visible online.
What's changing?
Search engines remain important. But AI is playing an increasingly significant role in search. More and more searches result directly in AI-generated answers or are routed straight to an AI tool. As a result, guests click less but receive clear recommendations and answers more quickly. For destinations, this means that simply being found is no longer enough. The key is to be part of the answer that the AI provides!
GEO: What does that actually mean?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. At its core, it revolves around a new key question: How is content mentioned, recommended, or cited in AI responses? Without getting too technical: AI reads, condenses information, compares providers, takes reviews into account, and uses all of this to form a single, curated response.
That’s why content that is clearly structured, easy to understand, up-to-date, and credible is crucial. In short: content that AI is happy to cite.
What does that mean specifically for tourism?
Many players in the tourism industry today produce high-quality content—with a focus on search engine optimization. However, AI evaluates this content based on different criteria. Therefore, new questions are crucial:
- What data of ours does the AI actually see?
- Does the AI immediately understand what makes our destination special?
- Are our messages clear enough to be quoted by AI?
- Are there specific answers to common questions from guests?
The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness that the rules of the game for visibility in tourism have changed, and that many guests no longer search for information but simply ask an AI tool questions. It is therefore no longer enough to simply be found. What matters most is being part of the right AI response.
The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness that the rules of the game for visibility in tourism have changed, and that many guests no longer search for information but simply ask an AI tool questions. It is therefore no longer enough to simply be found. What matters most is being part of the right AI response.
More Information
This preview offers a glimpse into the session "GEO Instead of SEO – Content Creation at the Next Level" in the track "Using Digital Data Effectively. "
CLICK HERE FOR THE TOPIC OVERVIEW
Teaser image: Photo by Amanz on Unsplash
Hero image: valantic Austria