Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how travellers discover and book hotels. Instead of relying on traditional search, people are turning to AI assistants and conversational platforms that surface recommendations instantly. For independents, this means competing not just with OTAs and global chains, but also with algorithms that decide what gets seen.
Hoteliers who partnered with HotelREZ, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. The way forward lies in embracing Google’s EEAT framework—Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, while preparing for the rise of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). These principles are becoming the foundation of digital visibility and directly influence how travellers choose where to stay.
Why EEAT is Central to Digital Trust
EEAT comes from Google’s quality guidelines, designed to prioritise information that is credible and helpful. In travel, it ensures that travellers see content they can rely on when making booking decisions.
Hotels, EEAT is the difference between being discovered or being overlooked. It shapes what appears in search results, travel guides, and increasingly, in AI-generated itineraries. In other words: if your property doesn’t meet EEAT standards, it risks being invisible in the channels where future guests are searching.
SEO to GEO: The Next Shift
While SEO is about optimising for search engines, GEO is about making your content visible to AI-driven platforms. These systems pull answers and recommendations directly into their responses, leaving less room for travellers to scroll through multiple results. Independent hotels need to:
- Build trust signals across their digital presence.
- Publish structured, clear information that AI can interpret.
- Highlight local expertise and authentic experiences to stand out.
HotelREZ, guides hotels through this shift with services that optimise content, distribution, and technology, ensuring your story is surfaced not only by Google, but also by the AI platforms travellers now use to plan.
Putting EEAT into Practice
Expertise and Local Knowledge
Travellers expect reassurance that your hotel understands its destination. Sharing staff insights, itineraries, or tailored recommendations shows both guests and search engines that you know your market. Practical steps:
- Publish destination guides for different traveller types.
- Feature your team sharing insider tips in blogs or video.
- We help hotels amplify this type of content across global channels, ensuring local expertise is visible worldwide.
Experience as a Storytelling Tool
Modern travellers want to feel connected to your brand before they arrive. Showcasing lived experiences, guest stories, and unique events creates that emotional link. Practical steps:
- Build a gallery of real guest stories and images.
- Offer virtual tours to reduce booking hesitation.
Through representation brands like Best Loved Hotels and Elegant Hotel Collection, HotelREZ provides platforms to share these stories with travellers actively seeking authentic stays.
Authority Through Community Engagement
Establishing yourself as part of the local fabric builds authority. Whether through events, partnerships, or cultural activities, hotels that become hubs of their community stand out. Practical steps:
- Keep a live “What’s On” page for events and festivals.
- Collaborate with local businesses for exclusive experiences.
- HotelREZ strengthens this positioning with international visibility, making sure your local authority translates into global recognition.
Trust as the Key to Conversion
Trust doesn’t stop with discovery, it’s what turns lookers into bookers. Clear booking benefits, consistent branding, and seamless transactions all play a part.Practical steps:
- Make cancellation policies and direct booking perks highly visible.
- Keep your brand presence consistent across every channel.
- With tools such as CentralREZ CRS and REZPayments powered by Adyen, HotelREZ ensures your guests’ booking journey is smooth, secure, and reliable.
EEAT + HotelREZ = Long-Term Success
The digital landscape is moving towards AI-first travel planning. Hotels that embrace EEAT, adapt to GEO, and partner with the right distribution and technology provider will remain visible, trusted, and bookable.
HotelREZ, we bring together advanced distribution systems, content expertise, and global representation to give independent hotels the edge. Our focus is on helping you be discoverable where travellers are searching, believable in the moments that matter, and bookable across every channel.
The future of bookings will belong to hotels that combine trust with technology. Make sure your property is one of them.
