As I wrote in my three-part blog series on AI you don’t need to be an expert in AI, but you do need to understand what it means to your business and how to effectively respond.
In this series of three blogs, I’m going to introduce you to an impact of AI that is happening right now which, if you don’t respond, will see the volume of direct bookings decline. Remembering these are your most profitable bookings that you don’t want bleeding off to the OTAs.
I’ll spell out in plain English what GEO is and why every tourism operator should care.
If SEO is about ranking your website in search results, GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is about making your website the kind of source that AI-powered search and assistants use when they generate answers.
Tourism has been one of the fastest categories to shift to “ask a question, get an itinerary” behaviour. Travellers now ask tools questions like:
- “What’s the best day trip from Hobart in winter?”
- “Family-friendly things to do in the Barossa with a toddler?”
- “A premium 3-day Margaret River itinerary with one unique experience per day”
- “Is this hike suitable if I’m not super fit?”
Generative systems try to respond with a complete answer: suggestions, comparisons, what to book, what to pack, and when to go. They build that answer by pulling from content they can understand quickly, trust, and summarise accurately.
That’s GEO! It helps those AI systems understand your business and your offers so they can recommend you correctly. And that is why it is so important to consider in the context of your own website.
What does GEO mean for a small tourism business’s website? Think of GEO as three outcomes:
- Your site is “extractable”
AI can easily find the key facts: where you operate, what the experience is, who it’s for, what’s included, how long it takes, what it costs, and how to book. - Your site is “verifiable”
Your claims look credible: clear policies, safety and licensing details (where relevant), real photos, reviews, and business contact details. - Your site is “answer-shaped”
Your content matches the way people now ask questions: not just “Kayak Tour”, but “Sunset kayak tour for beginners near Byron Bay – what to expect”.
What GEO is NOT
GEO isn’t:
- stuffing pages with keywords
- chasing hacks or tricks
- replacing human writing with AI fluff
In fact, generic content is your enemy. AI can generate generic until the cows come home. Your advantage is what only you can provide: local truth, logistics, safety, seasonal nuance, and real experience detail.
Why does it matter so much specifically for small Australian tourism businesses? Most SME operators compete with:
- OTAs that will always out pay (ad spend) and outrank you
- destination (DMO) directories (listings with link-offs)
- big “Top 10 things to do” articles
GEO helps your own website become the authoritative reference about your experience. If AI summaries and travel planners pick sources, you want them to pick you, not a third-party listing that can be out of date or incomplete.
It also helps you attract the right guests. When your site clearly states, “who it’s for” and “what’s included,” you reduce mismatched enquiries and increase booking confidence.
Your challenge is to re-set your thinking to a simple GEO mindset. When you’re writing or updating pages, keep asking:
- Would a stranger understand this offer in 20 seconds?
- Could someone accurately describe it without calling me?
- Are the key facts in text (not only in an image or PDF)?
- Is there proof that makes this feel trustworthy?
- Does this page answer the questions guests ask before booking?
If you nail those basics, you’re basically doing GEO because you’re creating the kind of content AI systems can confidently use and cite.
Keep an eye out for my next blog on this topic in a week or so.
