How Tour Operators Can Turn AI Search Traffic Into Direct Bookings

Traditional SEO is fragmenting. Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and ChatGPT now answer travel questions directly—often without a click to your website. For tour operators and attractions, this shift is both a threat and an untapped acquisition channel. The operators who structure content to be "citation-ready" for AI systems are already capturing high-intent traffic at a fraction of OTA customer acquisition costs. This article breaks down the mechanics of AI search optimization (GEO/AEO), provides a 7-step playbook to get cited, and shows how to convert that traffic into direct bookings. The outcome: a new, low-cost distribution channel that bypasses OTA commissions entirely.