Artificial intelligence continues to become integrated into nearly every aspect of life, and the travel industry is no different. Perhaps the biggest trend is destinations launching their own AI tools to help visitors plan trips and get around like a local.
The idea is that instead of clicking and scrolling through a destination’s website or searching for information on their own, prospective visitors can ask a custom-built AI any questions they have about the destination. They can have it plan a full itinerary unique to their needs and preferences, or in the near future, with agentic AI, book the actual trip for them.
Travel publisher Matador Network, with its AI travel genius GuideGeek, is among a growing group of companies applying AI in travel. In addition to being a very popular AI tool for travelers on its consumer platform, GuideGeek has released custom versions of its AI technology with destination marketing organizations (DMOs, or tourism boards) around the world, such as NYC Tourism + Conventions, Destination Toronto, and South African Tourism.
The platform is built on GPT, and Matador says it has over a thousand additional sources of travel data. The custom AI tools for destinations, with names like Libby and 6ix, prioritize data from the DMO, which often has hundreds or thousands of curated pages about the destination.
The AI is connected to the DMO websites and social channels like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Travelers can message the AI questions about activities, restaurants, flights, museums — really anything about visiting the destination — and get instant responses. In addition to shaping how trips are planned, AI is also shifting how destinations market themselves.
Countering falling search traffic with AI engagement
Like many organizations that rely on web traffic, DMOs are concerned about new AI overviews in search. Some have even called the shift an “existential threat” to the way DMOs operate.
Media outlets have a similar problem, but unlike news organizations, which directly monetize traffic with ads, DMOs aren’t selling impressions — they’re selling a destination. Though search traffic may see a decline, if destinations are able to convert more of that traffic into actual visits to their destination, they may help support tourism spending.
“6ix users can fine-tune their itineraries to incorporate preferences,” Port says. “Something like, ‘Include art galleries within walking distance of the subway,’ or ‘Share restaurants that will appeal to both adults and children.’ The ability to engage in conversation and add personalization is where the real power of GenAI for travel reveals itself.”
This increasing detail and personalization help potential visitors progress down the sales funnel. Other DMOs describe seeing a similar progression.“Our role is providing inspiration and information to visitors. GuideGeek bridges the two,” says Virginia McNellis, Marketing Director, Snowmass Tourism. “Travelers can explore high-level questions about why they should visit Snowmass, or get specific in crafting their perfect custom itinerary.”
Building a relationship between the destination and the visitor
In addition to trip planning and creating an itinerary — which AI can do very quickly and relatively effectively — Matador Network CEO Ross Borden argues that when destinations launch a custom AI tool, it helps build a relationship with travelers.
“Instead of hopping around the website or following random feeds on social, visitors can now just talk directly to the DMO,” says Borden. “It offers a more personalized experience that can be tailored to individual visitors.”
Of course, the concept isn’t new. Apple launched Siri in 2011, and chatbots on websites started popping up around the same time. But they were not always perceived as helpful by users. Advances in generative AI changed that with chatbots now ingesting huge volumes of data and producing custom responses instead of drawing from a limited set of preset scripts.
“Destinations are such a strong use case for AI because the DMO's knowledge base typically includes information the visitor is seeking,” says Borden. “GuideGeek is an incredibly efficient way of connecting the user with that information.”
Borden says GuideGeek has made a commitment never to sell user data. But destination partners can access their own data on the platform for marketing and research purposes. GuideGeek is designed to help improve digital visibility for DMOs, which historically have executed marketing campaigns without a great deal of visibility into who is actually coming to the destination.“
DMOs have been challenged with increasing visitor loyalty because they don't have a digital ecommerce turnstile like other segments of the travel industry,” says Borden. “AI-powered platforms such as GuideGeek allow DMOs to engage visitors in a more individualized way. Mass personalization is now becoming a reality for destinations.”
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