 |
| Lauren Mackiel |
For decades, travel brands have competed for attention across familiar terrain: glossy magazine spreads, best-of lists, destination roundups, broadcast segments, search rankings and social feeds. The goal was always the same: inspire discovery, earn trust and move someone from curiosity to consideration.
Today, that discovery journey is changing in real time.
People are no longer beginning every trip with an online search or travel magazine. They begin with a prompt on generative platforms: What is the best waterfront resort in New England for a romantic weekend? Can you give me the top three 5-star resorts for a wellness getaway? What would an ideal 7-day itinerary look like for our family vacation in England this summer?
The answers to their questions come from AI generative platforms, which pull from thousands of pieces of data and credible citations. Hotels, resorts and destinations now must think beyond traditional search and focus on the sources and signals that feed these large language models (LLMS).
Optimizing for the answer
Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO, is not simply a new acronym for SEO or a technical exercise that belongs solely to web teams or marketing agencies. It is about ensuring a brand is credible, current and trusted enough to appear in the answer box.
GEO gives public relations professionals a new way to understand where brand reputation is being shaped. It may be one of the most important evolutions of our discipline in years, not because it replaces the work we do, but because it changes where that work needs to show up.
At Coyne PR, we talk a lot about what it means to show up in the answer box. For any travel brand, that means being present when someone is deciding where to go, where to stay or what to do. The opportunity is not only to be found, but to be included in the short list before a traveler ever reaches its website.
| This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Jul./Aug. '26 Travel & Tourism PR Magazine |
In the old model, the focus was often on ranking for the right keywords. That still matters. The new layer is understanding whether a brand is being surfaced for the moments, markets and experiences it has a credible right to own.
This work is already shaping how we counsel clients. In a recent GEO assessment for a boutique luxury resort, Coyne PR looked at how the property was appearing across AI-driven travel queries and what that presence suggested about future opportunities. The evaluation gave us a high-level view of how the property was being represented, where competitors were appearing and where our client could continue to sharpen its story. It helped us understand how a traveler might encounter the resort and then use that insight to build a smarter, more effective PR plan.
Earned media stories work harder
PR plays a meaningful role because AI can only cite the information it can find. It pulls from the coverage, listings, reviews, guides, awards, websites and conversations that already exist. A media placement can be more than a moment in time, becoming a part of the larger body of information that shapes how a hotel, resort or destination is recognized and understood.
For our client, the assessment helped inform our strategy and approach. It pushed us to look more carefully at the writers, sources and outlets that carry weight in the discovery journey, including some that may not have been obvious through traditional planning and research. It also helped us think about the types of stories, proof points and outside perspectives that can strengthen the property’s presence over time, without overcorrecting or losing the human quality that makes travel storytelling powerful.
The strongest earned narratives are useful, interesting and real for travelers. But we do have to think more intentionally about what a story does after it runs. A great placement should reinforce the experience a brand wants to be known for, support the larger positioning and live in places that consumers, editors and the tools they use are likely to encounter.
The future of PR in this category will require closer coordination between earned media, content, analytics and brand positioning. The work still needs industry expertise, creativity and media relationships. The difference is that we now have a clearer view of how those efforts can influence discovery long after the first headline appears.
Human inspiration matters
Travel makes this conversation especially important because a trip is personal. People are not just looking for a place to sleep or a restaurant to book. They are seeking the feeling of a weekend respite; the ease of a family getaway; the confidence that a meeting will go smoothly or the sense that a destination is worth their time.
AI may help build the itinerary, but emotion still drives the decision. Travelers want inspiration, confidence and a sense of possibility. They rely on trusted experts, compelling accounts and reliable advice. AI is increasingly becoming the intermediary that gathers all that information and distills it into a suggested path.
Travel advisors and industry experts will continue to play a role in the process. While consumers may use AI to explore possibilities, they still turn to people to validate choices or bring complex trips to life.
Turning visibility into action
Travel and hospitality brands have a clear opportunity: A strong GEO-informed communications strategy can lead to sharper media priorities, refreshed website content, clearer messaging, stronger thought leadership, updated destination guides, new partnerships and more intentional storytelling around bespoke experiences. The goal is to make sure the right story is available when people are making decisions.
The brands that adapt early will have an advantage, they will see what is working, fix what is missing and make it easier for people to choose them.
Travel PR has always been about helping people imagine where they could go next. Now, we must also make sure the brands we represent show up when AI helps them decide.
Because the next great travel decision may not begin with a search result… it may begin with an answer.
***
Lauren Mackiel is Senior VP at Coyne PR.
Why increasing the participation of local communities and business in major events can help increase awareness and visitation.
From humble beginnings in a spare room in her mother’s home to an agency with offices in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, Carolyn Izzo has always believed in the importance of personal connections.
Travel brands are discovering that joy, playfulness and a well-placed wink can help them create stronger emotional connections and engagement with potential travelers.
As AI-generated outreach grows and newsrooms shrink, personalized pitching can make the difference between opening a door and getting ignored.
Sports tourism has become a major player on the travel landscape. The industry needs to keep its eye on the ball to make sure its effect extends past game time.
