"Plan me four days in Kyoto with one day trip, mostly walking, a cooking class and something special for our anniversary." A year or two ago that request meant hours of tabs and blog posts. Now an AI assistant returns a day-by-day itinerary in seconds, naming specific attractions, tours and operators along the way.
For tour operators, activity providers, attractions and travel agencies, the key question is simple: when AI builds the itinerary, how do you become one of the named stops? The answer depends on where AI planners get their information and how clearly your products are described in those places.
This guide explains how AI itinerary planning sources attractions, tours and operators, covers Google's 2025–2026 travel features and gives you a practical plan to get included.
Key Takeaways
- AI planners blend live data (Google Maps, prices, availability), web content (guides, operator sites) and opinion (reviews, forums, video).
- Google's Things to do programme lets qualifying partners show activity listings on Google surfaces via a feed, usually through a connectivity partner.
- Google AI Mode's Canvas trip plans combine flight and hotel data, Maps photos and reviews, and web information, and suggest activities by travel time from the traveller's lodging.
- Operator websites need specific, text-based product facts: duration, meeting point, inclusions, group size, accessibility, seasonality and cancellation terms.
- Independent mentions on travel media, forums and video strongly shape which operators AI names; earn them deliberately.
How AI Builds an Itinerary
An itinerary request is really dozens of smaller questions: what to see, in what order, how long each takes, where to eat nearby, which tours are worth it. This breakdown is often called query fan-out, and our guide to query fan-out content explains how to write for it. Each sub-question can pull from a different source.
Google has been explicit about its own sources. In November 2025 it described Canvas travel plans in AI Mode as pulling together real-time flight and hotel data, Google Maps details such as photos and reviews, and information from across the web, with restaurant and activity ideas sorted by travel time from your lodging. In August 2026 it added hotel booking within AI Mode for US users, alongside flight price tracking.
Outside Google, the picture is less documented. OpenAI's publisher FAQ says any public website can appear in ChatGPT search, as long as its OAI-SearchBot crawler is not blocked, but neither OpenAI nor other assistant makers publish how they choose tours. Assume they reward the same things: clear facts, strong reviews and independent mentions.
| Itinerary element | Likely sources | How operators get included |
|---|---|---|
| Attractions and sights | Maps place data, official attraction sites, travel guides | Complete Business Profile; clear official site |
| Tours and activities | Things to do listings, OTA and marketplace pages, operator sites, reviews | Connect via a Things to do connectivity partner; strong product pages |
| Timing and logistics | Maps travel times, opening hours, operator details | Publish duration, meeting point, start times, seasonality |
| "Is it worth it?" | Reviews, forums, travel media, video | Review programme; digital PR; creator partnerships |
| Bookings | Partner booking platforms, operator booking pages | Bookable online, with a reliable booking engine |
Google Things to Do
“Through a feed integration, qualifying partners can show travel activity related items on Google-owned surfaces.”
— Google Actions Center, Things to do overview, Things to do: Overview and eligibility
Google encourages attractions, tour operators and activity providers to connect through one of its approved connectivity partners, while OTAs and reservation technology companies can apply for direct integration. If your booking system is on Google's list of connectivity partners, ask them how to enable it. This is one of the few ways to put structured product data (prices, availability, booking links) directly into Google's travel surfaces.
What Your Website Must Say
AI planners can only recommend your tour for "a gentle walking tour suitable for grandparents" if your page says how far you walk, at what pace and whether there are steps. For each product page, publish:
- Duration, start times and season dates.
- Exact meeting point with a map link and nearest transport.
- What is included and not included (food, tickets, transport, guide language).
- Group size limits and private options.
- Fitness level, accessibility, age limits and family suitability.
- Price, or how pricing works, and cancellation terms.
- Who the tour is best for, and who should choose something else.
Keep these facts fresh: AI answers that quote last year's timetable hurt everyone. Our guide to content freshness for AI search covers update routines, and if you sell to several countries, see international AI search.
Earn Independent Mentions
For "is it worth it?" questions, AI leans on what other people say. Practical ways to build that evidence:
- Review volume and detail: ask every guest, on Google and the main travel review platforms, and reply to every review.
- Forums and communities: answer questions helpfully (and transparently) in travel communities; see Reddit and AI search and community mentions beyond Reddit.
- Video: publish short, useful videos of the actual experience; our guide to video for AI search explains why.
- Travel media and bloggers: host familiarisation trips and offer genuine stories, not paid placements disguised as editorial.
- Local partnerships: get listed by tourist boards, hotels and attractions that recommend you.
Step-by-Step: 60-Day Plan for Tour Operators
- Week 1: Test 15 itinerary prompts for your destination on AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot. Note which operators and sources appear.
- Week 2: Complete your Google Business Profile and ask your booking system about Things to do connectivity.
- Weeks 3–4: Rewrite your top five product pages with the facts above.
- Weeks 5–6: Launch a review request routine and reply to all recent reviews.
- Weeks 7–8: Pitch two local media or creator stories and update partner listings.
- Day 60: Re-run the same prompts and compare.
Prompt Checklist by Traveller Type
| Traveller | Prompt example | Content it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Families | "Things to do in [city] with kids aged 6 and 9" | Age suitability, duration, facilities |
| Older travellers | "Easy-paced sightseeing tour in [city], few stairs" | Walking distance, pace, accessibility |
| Food lovers | "Best food tour in [area] for vegetarians" | Menu details, dietary options |
| Short stays | "What to do with one day in [city]" | Start times, half-day options, meeting points |
Common Mistakes
- Relying only on marketplaces. OTAs help, but your own site must carry the full facts too.
- Marketing copy instead of facts. "Unforgettable adventure" tells AI nothing; "3 hours, 4 km, 2 tastings" does.
- Out-of-date seasonal information. Update dates and prices every season.
- No online booking. AI-led planning increasingly ends with a booking link.
- Fake or incentivised reviews. They break platform rules and put your listings at risk.
If you run accommodation too, see our guide to AI search for hotels, and for how Google updates have treated travel sites, read algorithm updates and travel sites.
Related Guides
- AI Search for Healthcare Providers: Accuracy, Trust and YMYL Rules
- AI Search for Law Firms: Getting Recommended Without Breaching Ethics Rules
- AI Search for Financial Services: Compliance-First Visibility
Frequently Asked Questions
How do AI trip planners choose tours and activities?
They combine live data such as maps and availability, web content such as guides and operator sites, and opinion such as reviews, forums and video. Clear product facts and independent mentions improve your chances of being named.
What is Google Things to do?
It is a Google programme where qualifying partners share travel activity listings through a feed so they can appear on Google surfaces. Most operators join through an approved connectivity partner, usually their booking system.
Can AI Mode book tours directly?
Google has announced AI Mode booking for restaurants, some event tickets and local appointments, and hotels in certain markets. It has not announced tour booking in the sources we reviewed, so check Google's latest updates.
Do reviews matter for tour operators in AI search?
Yes. AI answers to 'is it worth it?' questions often reflect review themes. Detailed, recent reviews on Google and major travel platforms give assistants evidence to recommend you.
What should a tour product page include?
Duration, start times, meeting point, inclusions, group size, accessibility, age limits, price or pricing method, cancellation terms and who the tour suits.
Get Into the Itinerary
AI planners name the operators they can describe accurately and trust. Connect your products to Google's travel surfaces, publish specific facts, keep them fresh and earn independent mentions. If you would like expert help, our SEO for travel agencies service covers travel and tour brands, or you can get a quote.
References
- Explore new ways to plan and book travel with AI in Search – Google (November 2025)
- How to book travel with AI Mode in Google Search – Google (August 2026)
- Things to do: Overview and eligibility – Google Actions Center
- AI features and your website – Google Search Central
- Publishers and developers FAQ – OpenAI Help Center
- AI visibility: What it is and how to grow yours in 2026 – Semrush Blog (March 2026)
