OpenAI launches ChatGPT Search: A major shift for the tourism industry

News that’s causing a stir in the AI world: OpenAI has just integrated live web search into ChatGPT. This new function enables the assistant to access the web directly to provide information in real time.

It’s the continuation of a shift that could become major for the tourism industry. Until yesterday, using ChatGPT to plan tourist activities was like consulting a travel guide from 2022: useful, but not always up to date. By integrating web search capabilities directly into Chat GPT, the new tool becomes (among other things) a true real-time travel assistant.

📱 Summary:

1. Available on the GPT website or chat application
2. Instant answers on tourist attractions, events and activities
3. Source attribution with clickable links
4. Automatic or manual searches via a dedicated icon

🎯 Why is this crucial for your tourism business?

Discoverability is becoming more critical than ever. Here’s why:

Changing behaviors: Travelers are increasingly using AI to plan activities and discover destinations. It’s no longer just Google or TripAdvisor to consider.

Tourism visibility: If your attraction or activity isn’t optimized for these AI tools, you risk missing out on a growing proportion of potential visitors who plan their trips via these new platforms.

Strategic opportunity: Tourist attractions that adapt quickly by optimizing their digital presence for AI will have a significant competitive advantage.

🕵️ A few concrete examples

I did several tests and here are 2 examples of the impact:

Children’s partiesat Voiles en Voiles: I asked about packages for children’s parties at Voiles en Voiles → ChatGPT directly provided a detailed summary of birthday packages, including pirate activities, aerial tours, and catering options, with direct links to the source pages.

What to do in Montreal this weekend: I asked him “What to do in Montreal this weekend” and automatically, he considered the date of the request and came up with a list of activities to do in Montreal based on various articles, including the excellent Tourisme Montréal blog or the cultural calendar of the city of Montreal!

It’s a great feature! No more need to consult 25 different sites and have all the information synthesized in one place!

Although it’s very similar to what Perplexity has been doing up to now, having it directly in ChatGPT demonstrates the importance this type of search will play over the next few years.

💡 The recommendation

For your organizations, make sure that the information available about you online is :

1. Up-to-date on all digital platforms (your website, social networks, etc.)
2. Full practical details (schedules, rates, activities)
3. Easily accessible to AI tools and well structured on your site
4. Try to get as many mentions and references as possible on third-party sites (such as other blogs, reference sites, etc.).

It’s sure to become a crucial element of any tourism marketing strategy, because the number of people using this search method instead of Google is only going to increase!