We Tested 2,800 Travel Queries. Here's What AI Actually Recommends.
At SearchIntel, we ran 2,800 travel queries across ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini covering UK and US markets. We tested discovery queries ("things to do in Barcelona"), comparison queries ("best tours in London") and booking queries ("book Colosseum tickets"). Then we tracked which brands appeared, on which platform, and how often.
The results challenge assumptions about how AI recommends travel brands.
Finding 1: Gemini Dominates Travel Brand Mentions
Gemini mentions travel brands more than any other platform — accounting for roughly 45% of all OTA mentions despite being just one of three LLMs tested.
| Platform | GetYourGuide | Viator | TripAdvisor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini | 168 | 171 | 212 |
| ChatGPT | 126 | 136 | 132 |
| Claude | 85 | 90 | 56 |
Gemini's responses are also 3.5x longer than Claude's (5,000 characters vs 1,375), creating more opportunities for brand mentions — but also more noise. If you're a travel brand tracking AI search visibility, Gemini should be a priority.
Finding 2: Booking Intent Is Where OTAs Win
GetYourGuide and Viator are mentioned 2x more in booking queries than comparison queries. TripAdvisor shows the opposite pattern — it owns the comparison moment.
| Brand | Comparison Mentions | Booking Mentions | Booking Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | 116 (31%) | 261 (69%) | 69% |
| Viator | 126 (32%) | 269 (68%) | 68% |
| TripAdvisor | 229 (59%) | 156 (41%) | 41% |
When someone asks "best tours in Rome", TripAdvisor appears 59% of the time. When they ask "book Colosseum tickets", GetYourGuide and Viator dominate. This means different brands win at different stages of the customer journey — and most travel brands have no idea where they stand.
Finding 3: Discovery Queries Rarely Mention Booking Platforms
For "things to do in [city]" queries, GetYourGuide and Viator were almost never mentioned — just 2 mentions each across hundreds of discovery queries. Kayak, by contrast, appeared 128 times.
OTAs don't compete in the discovery phase. That space belongs to destination content, tourism boards and editorial sites. The AI search visibility battle for tour operators starts at the comparison and booking stages.
Finding 4: AI Platforms Geo-Target Brand Recommendations
The UK and US markets see dramatically different brand recommendations:
| Brand | UK Mentions | US Mentions | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | 121 | 51 | 2.4x higher in UK |
| Kayak | 94 | 197 | 2.1x higher in US |
| Skyscanner | 54 | 6 | 9x higher in UK |
| Priceline | 1 | 32 | Nearly zero in UK |
European-headquartered OTAs have significantly higher AI visibility in UK queries. US brands dominate their home market. If you're a travel brand operating across markets, your AI search visibility strategy needs to be market-specific.
Finding 5: Each Platform Has Brand Affinities
Not all platforms treat brands equally:
- ChatGPT favours Airbnb — 88 mentions vs 77 on Gemini and 41 on Claude
- Gemini favours traditional OTAs — highest mentions for GetYourGuide, Viator and TripAdvisor
- Claude is the most conservative — lowest overall OTA mention rate, but introduces brands earliest in its responses (at just 8.5% into the answer)
A brand can appear visible on one platform and invisible on another. Measuring only one platform gives you an incomplete picture. Learn more about how to measure AI search visibility across all platforms.
What This Means for Travel Brands
You need platform-specific visibility data. Generic "AI visibility" claims mean nothing when Gemini mentions you 168 times and Claude mentions you 56 times. Each platform requires its own analysis.
Intent matters more than volume. A travel brand that appears in 100 discovery queries but zero booking queries is losing the moments that drive revenue. Map your AI visibility by intent stage, not just total mentions.
Market-specific strategies are essential. A UK strategy that works for Booking.com will fail for Kayak. AI platforms appear to geo-weight recommendations based on brand origin and market relevance.
Monitor continuously, not once. AI models retrain regularly. A brand's Share of Memory — its presence in AI's knowledge — can shift as competitor narratives strengthen. What's true today may not be true next quarter.
Key Takeaways
- Gemini accounts for ~45% of all travel OTA mentions — the most brand-generous platform
- Booking intent is where OTAs win — GetYourGuide and Viator dominate booking queries 2:1 over comparison
- TripAdvisor owns comparison — mentioned in 59% of "best X" queries
- AI geo-targets recommendations — Booking.com is 2.4x more visible in UK, Kayak 2.1x more in US
- Each platform has brand affinities — ChatGPT favours Airbnb, Gemini favours traditional OTAs
- Discovery queries ignore OTAs — the AI visibility battle starts at comparison and booking