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Imagine that a traveler asks Claude or ChatGPT: "What hotels in Barcelona offer certified sustainable experiences?" If your hotel meets that criteria, but the AI does not mention it, you just lost a potential reservation. The Internet gateway is changing radically, and hotels that do not adapt their digital strategy will be left out of these recommendations.
Welcome to the world of geo (Generative Engine Optimization), The discipline that determines what brands artificial intelligences mention when answering questions.
It is not about replacing traditional SEO, but about complementing it. While classic SEO helps you appear on Google, the Geo ensures that Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity recommend your hotel.
the data ofSearch Engine LandThey reveal that conversational searches (in language models) are growing exponentially. Users no longer write «Hotel Barcelona near Playa»; They ask "recommend me a family hotel in Barcelona with direct access to the beach and breakfast included". This detailed query generates specific answers, and if your content is not ready to be processed by an AI, you simply won't show up.
The difference is substantial: in a traditional search, the user sees ten results and decides. In a generative response, AI synthesizes information from multiple sources and offers two or three specific recommendations. Being among those mentions is the new first position in search engines.
1. Structured content to extract direct answers
AIs prefer clear and concise information that they can literally cite. Instead of writing dense paragraphs about your services, structure the content in question-response format:
QUESTION: What wellness services does the example hotel offer?
direct answer: 800m² spa with thermal circuit, personalized massages and morning yoga included in all higher rates.
EXPANSION: Our spa has a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, heated pool and relaxation room. Guests can book facials, therapeutic massages or participate in the yoga sessions we offer each morning at 8:00 a.m.
This format allows the AI to extract the short answer for a quick query, while the human user who visits your website gets the full context. The good thing is that it works for both.
2. Structured data that machines understand
Here comes the technical part, but calm: you don't need to be a programmer. It's about adding JSON-LD code on your website, so that it formally communicates who you are and what you offer. For example, a basic marking for your hotel would include:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "hotel",
«Name»: «Hotel example Barcelona»,
«Description»: «Sustainable boutique hotel in the Gothic neighborhood with Biosphere certified»,
"address": {
"@type": "postaladdress",
"StreetAddress": "Carrer Exemple, 42",
"AddressLocality": "Barcelona",
“Postalcode”: “08002”
},
"AmenityFeature": [
{«@type»: «LocationFeatureSpecification», «name»: «spa»},
{«@type»: «LocationFeatureSpecification», «Name»: «Rooftop pool»}
]
}
This code tells the AIs, "I'm a hotel, I'm here, and I offer this." If your website does not have this markup implemented, AIs will have more difficulty processing your information reliably.
3. Signs of authority that generate trust
Generative models prioritize verified sources. How do you build that digital authority?
- Consistent presence: Make sure your name, address and contact details are identical on your website, Google Business Profile, social networks and tourist directories.
- Mentions in relevant media: A review in Condé Nast Traveler, for example, or a collaboration in media such as Turismo de Barcelona add weight to your credibility.
- CERTIFICATIONS AND AWARDS: If you have sustainable certification, Michelin stars in your restaurant or TripAdvisor awards, include them in a structured way in your content (schema.org).
The only way to know if your efforts work is to try directly. Create a “Prompts Lab” – a set of questions that you run weekly on your preferred language model to check if they mention your hotel.
Test Prompt Example:
“What boutique hotels in Barcelona offer certified sustainable experiences?”
Record each test: date, model used, full answer and if they mention your hotel or your URL. With the percentage of Prompts that you are cited, you build a clear metric. If a month ago it was 10% and now it is 40%, you know that your technical improvements are working.
Action plan: first 30 days
You don't need to transform your entire digital strategy at once. Start with concrete actions that generate quick results:
Week 1-2: Audit
Check your current content. Do you have a FAQ section? Do you directly answer common queries like “Do you allow pets?” or "Do you have a parking lot?"? If not, create those sections.
Week 3: Basic Implementation
Add JSON-LD Organization and FAQPage markup on your home page and in the FAQ section. There are tools like Schema Markup Generator that facilitate this process without touching code manually.
Week 4: First tests
Run your initial Prompts lab with 5-10 relevant questions for your business. Record the results. This is your baseline.
Appearing in generative responses is not an exercise in digital vanity. A McKinsey study documents that users rely more on AI recommendations than traditional paid ads. If a conversational assistant suggests your hotel when a traveler asks for family options in your area, you are receiving a personalized recommendation with implicit authority.
This traffic tends to convert better because it arrives with a clear intention and a specific context. Not a generic user who seeks "Barcelona hotels"; It is someone who asked exactly what you offer and received your name as an answer.
Common mistakes you should avoid
Do not invent data: IAS can verify information in multiple sources. If you public you have a spa when you don't have it, that will eventually be detected and damaged your credibility.
Do not saturate technicalities: The content should be human readable first. A perfect JSON-LD on an unreadable page is useless.
Do not abandon traditional SEO: Geo and SEO work together. AIs usually rely on search engine and Knowledge Graph indexes that depend on your previous organic positioning.
Conversational AIs will not disappear or reduce their influence. Every month that passes without adapting your content is an advantage that you deliver to competitors who are preparing. The good news is that it does not require millionaire budgets: it requires method, consistency and systematically testing.
- Start this week with a quick audit of your content.
- Identify three questions that your guests frequently ask and make sure your website answers them directly and structured.
- Then, run a prompt on your LLM by asking about hotels with those features in your area.
- If you don't show up, you know where to start.
In the coming years, the hotels that dominate Geo will be the ones that capture the demand of travelers who use AI as a starting point to plan their trips.
The question is not whether you should incorporate this discipline into your digital strategy, but how long it will take you to start while others do it for you.
At Neobookings we can help you get it going.