There’s something special about an early morning gathering over coffee and pastries when the room is buzzing with questions about the future. That was exactly the atmosphere at the South Place Hotel in London in June, where hoteliers, marketers, and industry leaders came together for our latest Business Breakfast event.
The topic on everyone’s mind? How to maintain a hotel’s brand while maximising visibility in a search landscape increasingly shaped by AI.
Moderated by Sam Weston, Head of AI & Marketing at 80 DAYS, the panel featured an expert lineup:
- Nicole Otero, Senior Marketing Manager at Heckfield Place
- Ajesh Patel, Industry Manager, Travel at Google
- Alex Robinson, Director – Industry Partnerships at STR
- Douglas Guthrie, Paid Media Manager at 80 DAYS
Together, they explored the enduring power of brand, the practical strategies that work today and the big shifts coming in hotel discovery - primarily the shift from search to selection. Here’s a summary of the key insights and takeaways.
The Enduring Power of Brand in the Age of AI
Nicole opened the discussion by reminding everyone of the emotional core of luxury hospitality. “At a luxury level, purchase decisions are really driven by that emotional pull. Your brand is your biggest tool in creating a feeling – a world outside of the bricks and mortar.” At Heckfield Place, that means using digital channels to tell deeper, more detail-driven stories that truly reflect their values and ethos.
Alex agreed, pointing out how brand alignment with experiences is what drives loyalty across the market. “If you have a solid brand that people can identify with, the evidence shows they’re willing to pay for it and revisit it.” He noted that even without formal loyalty schemes, strong hospitality brands see repeat custom simply because people feel a connection.
Ajesh gave a clear view of how hoteliers should think about brand in the AI era:
- Structured data – making sure websites surface the best imagery, content, and information so AI agents can retrieve it.
- Unstructured data – reviews, blogs, social chatter, all of which shape how a hotel is represented.
- Brand distinctiveness – showcase unique experiences and stories to stand apart.
As he put it: “Even if you’ve got a good or bad review, respond to it, interact with consumers. All of that data is being fed back into the system. And don’t forget, people are considering multiple brands before booking, often six or seven, so it’s about giving the AI every reason to put you in front of that guest. Structured data, unstructured data and your unique brand story all work together to make sure you’re visible when it matters most.”
Douglas built on this by talking about brand’s impact on advertising. “Our goal is to amplify and protect client brands, not to dilute them. Automated campaigns can drive performance, but only if they’re fuelled with the right data and distinctive creative – copy, imagery and video that feels true to the property.”
"Your brand is your biggest tool in creating a feeling – a world outside of the bricks and mortar."
Nicole Otero, Senior Marketing Manager at Heckfield Place
Maximising Visibility Now, While Preparing for the Future
With brand as the anchor, the panel moved to tactics. Sam asked what’s working today, with the answers spanning technology, innovation and of course, the fundamentals.
Ajesh highlighted a few solutions latest tools: “Of course, with a Google lens, there’s AI Max, a new tool to expand your existing search campaigns. Performance Max is another great way to drive direct bookings and ROI. And finally, don’t overlook traditional SEO tactics - they’re still entirely within your control and can make a real impact.”
Alex stressed simplicity in the booking journey: “When a guest lands on your site, make sure your best offer is there and the process is seamless. OTAs make booking simple - so your direct site has to be at least as easy.” He continued to warn against jargon-heavy room descriptions and cluttered paths to purchase.
Douglas shared a case study where adopting smart bidding with broad match keywords delivered a 136% uplift in conversion value year-on-year and a 10:1 ROI. What was interesting, he said, was that upper-funnel, discovery-focused searches were driving a lot of the revenue, once the algorithm was allowed to optimise.
Nicole’s perspective was that luxury brands shouldn’t be afraid of specificity. “Don’t be afraid to be niche. Luxury today is community-driven and purpose-led. At Heckfield, our values and ethos are what set us apart. That’s what we amplify and what drives success for us”
Sam also noted that AI-driven bookings are already showing up in analytics: “83% of a sample of London five-star hotels had received at least one booking from LLMs, like Gemini and ChatGPT, this year. It’s still small volume, but it’s here and it’s growing.”
Preparing for that future, Douglas recommended schema markup, FAQ pages, and accurate third-party mentions. “FAQs like check-in times, family policies and all the practical details, that’s what AI will surface. Make sure it’s easy to find.”
The Future of Hotel Search
The final theme was the future. How can hoteliers maintain control of their brand when AI is constantly repurposing their content?
Nicole argued that it comes down to being intentional: “Be scrupulous about what you’re posting on social, how you brief your PR teams, which influencers you work with etc. Every touchpoint feeds into how AI is shaping your brand image.”
Sam pressed the OTA question: could independents really compete when OTAs often get early access to advertising tools?
Ajesh reassured the room: “We don’t want preferential treatment. Our aim is to shorten the gap so everyone has access quickly. What really matters is your first-party data – you know your guests better than anyone.”
Douglas added that testing and iteration are vital: “Even if PMax didn’t work for you last year, try again. These AI powered tools evolve fast. Managing them well is how you get results.”
Ajesh was pragmatic when posed the slightly cheeky question “What’s the ultimate end game for Google? Is it entirely AI-enabled search and the death of traditional search as we know it today? In other words, can you just tell us Google’s entire product roadmap?”
Reassuring the room, he commented “What I can say is that search isn’t going anywhere. Regular search will remain, but AI is changing the way we surface information. AI Overviews and AI Mode for example, give users a different view of results. At its core, our strategy is the same: to organise the world’s information and make it useful. SEO is still alive, websites are still king, and humans are still needed in the process.”
So, on the question of how to maintain brand and maximise your hotel’s visibility as we move into an era of AI-enabled search, Sam closed the discussion with a note on finding balance: “We must hold onto our brand identity, but we may need to release just a little control - to let AI help us advertise more effectively.”
"What I can say is that search isn’t going anywhere. Regular search will remain, but AI is changing the way we surface information. AI Overviews and AI Mode for example, give users a different view of results. At its core, our strategy is the same: to organise the world’s information and make it useful. SEO is still alive, websites are still king, and humans are still needed in the process."
Ajesh Patel, Industry Manager, Travel at Google
Five Key Takeaways for Hoteliers
- Brand remains integral - Emotional resonance and storytelling matter more than ever in an AI-filtered world.
- Feed the algorithms - Structured data, reviews, blogs and social content all shape how AI present your property.
- Automation needs fuel - Strong creative assets and first-party data are what make automated campaigns, like Pmax, work.
- Simplify the booking journey - Direct sites must be as seamless as OTAs to capture conversions.
- Be intentional across channels - Every PR story, influencer post and update feeds into how your brand is represented in AI results.
As AI adoption accelerates, the landscape is changing faster than ever. But the panel’s collective message was one of reassurance: AI doesn’t diminish the value of brand; it amplifies it. By being proactive, purposeful and data-driven, hoteliers can ensure their brand not only endures but thrives in the AI-enabled era.