Beyond Google Ads: Getting Your Hotel Found in ChatGPT and Perplexity

If your acquisition still leans on paid search alone, you’re leaving visibility on the table. Today’s travelers ask AI assistants for where to stay, and those AI-driven environments increasingly decide what appears first. Beyond Google Ads, Getting Your Hotel Found in ChatGPT and Perplexity is now essential to protect and grow direct bookings.

As a data-driven online marketing agency with more than 15 years in the leisure sector, we create the right marketing strategy using AI technology, Google, and social media. This article explains why AI answer engines matter, how they choose what to show, and practical steps to boost your hotel’s presence—plus how our AI-first process keeps your visibility and bookings on track.

Why ChatGPT and Perplexity matter for hotels now

• AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity increasingly determine which hotels, campings, and vacation parks show up to potential guests.
• Without a smart AI strategy, your accommodation risks dropping out of view—and that can mean fewer direct bookings.
• Search behavior is shifting from long lists of links to concise, synthesized answers. Hotels that provide clear, consistent, and guest-focused information are more likely to be recommended.

How AI answer engines choose what to show

While each AI platform uses its own methods, widely accepted factors influence which properties surface:

• Clear, authoritative information: AI systems prioritize hotel details that are consistent and easy to interpret.
• Guest-centric content: Pages that answer common traveler questions (location, amenities, parking, pet policy, breakfast, cancellation) help AIs deliver confident recommendations.
• Structured and well-organized pages: Clean headings, scannable lists, and structured data help machines understand your offer.
• Relevance and intent match: Content aligned to how guests actually search (e.g., family-friendly, near a venue, wellness facilities) improves visibility.
• Brand signals across channels: Active, coherent presence on your website, Google, and social platforms strengthens recognition.

These fundamentals support visibility across both traditional search engines and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) contexts.

Netstar’s AI-first approach to hotel visibility

We combine early adoption of AI with deep leisure-industry expertise to keep your property discoverable where guests are searching—Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.

Step 1: Introduction and discovery

We start with an introduction and orientation conversation to understand your property’s identity, goals, and booking dynamics. You’ll have a dedicated point of contact and quick, direct communication from a fixed team.

Step 2: Strategy plan and AI scan

We prepare a tailored plan of approach, determine the strategy, and conduct an AI scan to uncover opportunities for visibility and performance in AI-driven environments. We map your specific situation and convert insights into data-driven campaigns.

Step 3: Campaign setup and configuration

We set up and configure performance-oriented campaigns across Google and social media—including remarketing—to capture and nurture demand.

Step 4: Activation and ongoing AI optimizations

We activate the strategy plan and apply continuous AI-based optimizations to improve performance over time. You receive clear monthly reports with 100% insight into costs and results, including visibility metrics and overall campaign performance.

What clients say:

• Nieuw Leven Texel reports direct bookings coming in from campaigns.
• Zee van Tijd highlights fast communication, a fixed contact person, and services aligned with their identity.
• Camping de Midden Veluwe values being guided through marketing and remarketing, saving time for guests.
• De Zeeuwse Stromen benefits from strategy tailored to their specific situation and monthly clarity on findability.
• De Kennemer Duincampings appreciates continuous monitoring and extensive reporting across campaigns.

Our reach and focus:

• More than 15 years specialized in the leisure sector
• 1,300+ accommodations supported, including 450+ hotels and 150+ vacation parks
• Clients in 22 countries
• More than 93% continue with us after two years
• 100% insight into costs and results

Practical steps to get found in ChatGPT and Perplexity

Below is a structured checklist your team can apply. These steps support both classic SEO and GEO (AI answer engine) visibility.

1) Nail the essentials travelers ask AI

• Publish an up-to-date, scannable Hotel Facts page: rooms, amenities, check-in/out times, parking, breakfast, pet policy, accessibility, family options, meeting spaces, spa/wellness.
• Add concise location context: neighborhood, distances to key attractions, transit access, and unique local experiences.
• Provide clear policies and FAQs with short, direct answers—ideal for featured snippets and AI.

2) Make content machine-friendly

• Use descriptive H1–H3 headings and bullets so AI can parse your pages easily.
• Keep one main topic per page; avoid burying details deep in PDFs or images.
• Where applicable, use structured data (e.g., hotel-specific schema) to help systems interpret your content more reliably.

3) Align to real guest intent

• Create pages for common intents: “family rooms,” “pet-friendly,” “near [attraction],” “wellness weekend,” “meeting & events,” “eco-stays.”
• Use natural language that mirrors how travelers ask questions. Include brief Q&As for fast, direct answers.

4) Strengthen brand signals beyond ads

• Keep Google profiles and social pages consistent with your website information.
• Run always-on campaigns to build brand recall so AIs recognize and retrieve your property more confidently.
• Use remarketing to stay present during research windows and to re-engage interested travelers.

5) Measure and refine continuously

• Track visibility and conversion trends by theme (e.g., family, wellness) to see which intents drive direct bookings.
• Review monthly reporting for clarity on what’s working and where to optimize next.

Snapshot: Signals AI engines reward

Featured answers for AI and GEO

• How do I get my hotel mentioned in ChatGPT and Perplexity?

  • Provide clear, consistent hotel information, publish concise FAQs, and maintain strong cross-channel signals. Pair that with ongoing campaigns to build brand awareness.

• Does advertising still matter for AI visibility?

  • Yes. Campaigns on Google and social help create sustained brand signals and demand that AI systems can recognize, while your content provides the factual grounding.

• What should I publish to help AI recommend my property?

  • Guest-oriented facts (amenities, policies), location context, and pages aligned to common traveler intents—formatted with clean headings and lists.

• How do I know if it’s working?

  • Monitor visibility and bookings with clear monthly reporting. Look for increases in direct bookings and improved performance on intent-focused pages.

How Netstar supports your next stage of visibility

Our four-step process—from introduction and AI scan to activation and continuous AI optimizations—keeps your property aligned with how guests search today. We manage performance campaigns on Google and social media, including remarketing, and provide 100% transparency on costs and results through monthly reports. Clients value our quick communication, fixed contact person, and services that match their identity and goals.

To go deeper on our approach, explore our FAQ and recent articles on our Blog for AI-driven marketing in the leisure sector.

Conclusion: Move beyond ads—and stay discoverable everywhere

Google Ads remain important, but the next wave of direct bookings will come from being the obvious answer wherever travelers ask. By organizing your hotel facts, aligning content to real intent, keeping signals consistent across channels, and running data-driven campaigns with continuous AI optimizations, you help AI assistants choose your property with confidence.

Ready to protect and grow your direct bookings by Getting Your Hotel Found in ChatGPT and Perplexity? Plan an appointment and let’s start with an AI scan and strategy plan tailored to your property. You can contact us via phone, email, our website contact form, or WhatsApp:

• Email: info@netstar.nl
• Phone (NL): +31 20 2050 243

We support accommodations across 22 countries, with 1,300+ properties served and more than 93% continuing after two years. Let’s make your hotel the clear choice—everywhere guests search.