Category Archives: AI Insights

If you've been keeping half an eye on the marketing world lately, you've probably noticed a new alphabet soup floating around: AEO, GEO, and good old SEO.

For years, SEO was the only acronym tourism operators needed to know, now suddenly there are two more letters-based terms getting thrown into the mix, and understandably, a lot of our clients are asking us the same question: "Aren't these all just...the same thing?" 

Not quite. And with the way people are searching for (and booking) their next New Zealand adventure changing fast, it's worth understanding the difference before your competitors get there first. 

Let's break it down. 

First, a Quick Refresher: What is SEO? 

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the practice you already know and love (or possibly love...

The tech world is buzzing after Google I/O 2026, and for those of us in the tourism industry, things are about to get a lot more interesting. Google has officially moved from “AI as an assistant” to “AI as an agent,” and it’s another change to how travellers find and book your experiences.  

Here are the three big takeaways you need to know:

1. The Search Box is Becoming a “Do-it-all” Engine

Google has completely reimagined the search box which will become integrated with AI Overviews and AI mode. It’s no longer just about giving you links, it’s about getting things done.

With new “information agents,” users can now ask to “find, check, book, or buy” directly within the search experience. Google is essentially building an agentic layer that handles the heavy lifting,...

We often talk about how tourism websites should be designed with one goal in mind: attract visitors from search engines (mostly Google) and convert them into bookings. While that objective remains the same, the way travellers discover and interact with tourism businesses is changing rapidly.

With AI-powered search experiences becoming increasingly common, travellers are no longer simply clicking through lists of search results. They're asking questions, receiving recommendations, comparing options, and planning itineraries directly within AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode/Overviews, Perplexity and more.

Given this, your website has three audiences to consider:

• Human visitors looking to book
• Traditional search engines 
• AI search tools looking to...

Don't believe it when someone declares SEO is finished, because in reality it still growing in importance.

What’s actually happening isn’t the death of SEO, it’s a shift as search has evolved. User behaviour has changed, and with AI now shaping how travellers discover and compare experiences, the old playbook is needing a new chapter.

What People Mean When They Say “SEO is Dead”

Usually, they’re reacting to things like:

• Traffic dropping despite “doing SEO”
• AI-generated answers reducing clicks
• Keyword rankings feeling less predictable
• More competition than ever

They’re not wrong to notice the change, but the conclusion is off.

The Modern SEO Space

Older SEO strategies have evolved, here's what's no longer good SEO practice:

• Keyword...

If your business isn't visible in AI search, then you're missing out on bookings

It sounds alarmist, but the reality is a growing number of travellers are now turning to AI tools to research and plan their trips - so if you aren't being recommended by AI platforms then you don't even get a look in for those bookings.

AI Search is no longer niche - it should form part of your overall SEO strategy. That's why we have put together an eBook all about AI Search - to help you understand what AI Search is, and how to give your business more chance of being visible to these platforms.

"In the US, 56% of travellers used AI for planning, booking or in-destination assistance for at least one trip in the past 12 months (March 2026), and it’s a fast growing trend - up from 43% in the...

Reddit has been described as “the front page of the internet.” In reality, it’s something far more valuable for tourism operators. It’s the world’s largest, unfiltered travel advice forum. And increasingly, it’s influencing what AI tools recommend to your potential customers.

In our article, What do Wikipedia and Reddit have in common?, we explored how community-driven platforms are increasingly shaping what shows up in AI search results. Now it’s time to zoom in on one of them - let’s talk about Reddit.

What Makes Reddit Different?

Reddit isn’t like Instagram or Facebook. It isn’t polished, it isn’t curated, and it definitely isn’t brand-first. It’s organised into communities called subreddits, such...