A new year always brings new tools, new expectations, and new competitive pressure.
But 2026 feels different.

AI is no longer experimental in hospitality. It’s becoming embedded in how travelers search, decide, book, and experience hotels. What was once “emerging tech” is now operational reality.

As we step into 2026, the brands that adapt early will shape demand. The ones that don’t will increasingly struggle for visibility.

We asked our team at Three&Six what hoteliers should be paying attention to this year. Here’s what they shared:

Eliana Noznesky, Digital Marketing Manager:

I think we’re going to see AI heavily implemented in communications, marketing collateral, trend forecasting, and possibly even booking. We’ll also see some AI-planned trips that go completely off the rails — which is a good reminder that AI still needs strong strategy and human oversight behind it.

Jasmine Firth, Senior Digital Marketing Manager:

AI will become foundational to personalization in hospitality. One of the biggest changes is how much it shortens the path to booking. Instead of hours of research, AI simplifies decisions and removes friction for travelers.

On property, smarter guest recognition will allow hotels to tailor experiences — from room preferences to music, lighting, and temperature — creating stays that feel more thoughtful and familiar.

Jessica Bosward, Senior SEO Manager:

Search and discovery will shift the most. AI is shaping decisions before a guest ever reaches your website.

Passive SEO won’t survive in 2026. Visibility in AI answers will matter as much as rankings. Brand authority, UGC, and clear, structured content will determine which hotels get recommended.

Hotels that invest in SEO and GEO now will win long-term. The biggest risk is remaining stagnant — AI will not wait.

Three&Six’s 2026 AI Recommendations for Hotels

As AI becomes a core layer of the guest journey, hotels should focus on a few fundamentals this year:

1. Make Your Website AI-Readable
Clearly communicate your amenities, differentiators, location advantages, and guest experience. If AI can’t understand your hotel, it can’t recommend it.

2. Invest in SEO & GEO, Not Just Media
Organic visibility, local authority, and structured content are now as critical as paid channels.

3. Strengthen Brand Signals Everywhere
Reviews, content, social proof, and consistency across platforms shape how AI interprets your brand.

4. Use AI to Reduce Friction, Not Replace Hospitality
Automation should support faster decisions and smoother stays — not remove the human element.

5. Start Small, But Start Now
Waiting for “perfect” AI strategy will put you behind. Test, learn, and evolve throughout 2026.

AI isn’t the future of hospitality.
It’s the present.

And in 2026, the hotels that win will be the ones that use intelligence to deliver more human, more relevant, and more memorable experiences.

Did you know travelers aren’t just turning to Google anymore when searching for hotels? AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Apple Intelligence are reshaping how guests discover where to stay. These platforms pull data from across the web — not just one search engine — to recommend trusted, visible brands. For hotels, that means local SEO is no longer optional. If your property doesn’t appear consistently across all search surfaces, you’re invisible to the new generation of digital travelers.

Here are six simple ways to improve your local SEO and get more guests.

1. Be Everywhere, Not Just on Google

Don’t rely only on your Google Business Profile. Make sure your hotel’s name, address, phone number, and website are correct on every site — like Apple Maps, Bing, Facebook, and Yelp. Add photos, offers, and FAQs so guests can find the right info fast.

2. Keep All Your Info the Same

If your hours or phone number are different on different websites, search engines and guests will get confused. Keep all details consistent everywhere. It builds trust and helps you show up higher in search.

3. Create Local Pages That Work Fast

Have a local landing page for your hotel that loads quickly and looks great on phones. Add clear details, photos, and local keywords (like “hotel in Kona near the beach”). This helps search engines understand your hotel and send more guests your way.

4. Get and Manage Reviews

Good reviews help you show up more in search results. Ask happy guests to leave reviews and always reply to them. Even a short thank-you helps. The more positive feedback you have, the more people (and Google) will trust your hotel.

5. Watch Your Data

Use your analytics tools to see what’s working — which keywords people search, which pages they visit, and how they book. Update your listings and ads based on what you learn. Small changes can mean more bookings.

6. Use Social Media

Many travelers now search on social media before booking. Keep your profiles updated on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Post often, reply to comments, and use the same info everywhere. It helps people (and AI search tools) find and trust your hotel.

The Takeaway

AI is changing how guests find hotels. Keep your info correct, your pages fast, your reviews positive, and your social media active. Doing these simple things will help your hotel get found — and booked — by more travelers.

Are AI Booking Agents the Future of Hotel Stays?

AI shopping agents are reshaping online buying. OpenAI’s rebrand to “Agent” signals the shift—AI will search, compare, and purchase for users. In travel, this challenges OTAs: why let AI strip their data and relegate them to the background?

The winners won’t be OTAs sharing data or building bots but human travel agents who use AI to work faster and deliver smarter, more personalized advice. We asked our seasoned marketers here at Three&Six for their take—here’s what they said:

Jessica Matsumori, Digital Marketing Manager: 

I’m nervous it will make hotels even more reliant on OTAs and give OTAs more leverage to up fees, services, etc. But I’m also cautiously optimistic that people are going to use it to not book all the way and will instead use the front end of the AI process to do research and then search for the hotel name to book on their own–which could help direct bookings.

Raisa M, Digital Marketing Manager:

I like to thoroughly research where I’m staying — from reading reviews to checking nearby attractions — and I think many travelers will feel the same. There’s only so much AI can do before guests want to verify details about a property themselves. While AI may work well for short-term stays of two to three nights, for longer trips of five to seven nights, I don’t see it becoming the primary tool.

Jasmine Firth, Senior Digital Marketing Manager:

I’m torn. AI could find the perfect hotel for my stay and unlock real-time revenue opportunities—creating offers instantly from live insights instead of waiting on reports. But it could backfire if agents scrape outdated data or surface bad reviews. Without optimization, your hotel could disappear in the noise.

Kevin Wiggan, Digital Marketing Manager:

Human travel agents will make a comeback as travelers seek personalized service. Fully trusting AI to book a trip is risky, and I wouldn’t hand over my plans to one. For OTAs, AI booking works only if they prove it consistently finds the best rates—even versus booking direct.

How Hotels Are Using AI with three&six

From Project Henry and Ratemate to AI SEO and AI-powered video ads, our clients are putting Three&Six’s hospitality AI tools to work in creative ways.

Here’s a quick look at some of the AI tools and services our client hotels are using to level up marketing and guest experiences:

• Project Henry (FREE!): https://www.threeandsix.agency/products-tools/introducing-henry/
• Ratemate (FREE!): https://www.threeandsix.agency/products-tools/ratemate/
• AI SEO Services at Three&Six: AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and SGE, with smarter content, stronger signals, and better visibility where it counts. Contact us to learn more!

What some of our preferred partners are doing:

• Rankscale is a pioneering GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) tool designed to analyze, track, and optimize brand presence on AI search engines.
• Maison is your hotel’s virtual concierge, expertly trained to engage in natural conversations with guests through your website.

ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok? Which AI Works Best for Hotels

Jasmine Firth, Senior Digital Marketing Manager:

Open AI. The answers seem to be stronger. I like the deep research and coding tools, I also like the ability to have projects, and how it tunes responses based on my previous answers.  Also, I think I’ve just become loyal to it from the start, haha.

Jessica Bosward, Senior SEO Manager:

There’s no specific reason I chose ChatGPT over Gemini or other platforms. It’s just the one I’ve stuck with the longest, and now that it remembers my preferences, I’m not inclined to switch. I think they’re all fairly similar, with subtle differences.

Kyle Rushton McGregor, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Specialist:

Well, I have created several Gems within Gemini to help me speed up how I respond to people. So, providing emails and then generating responses that are in line with my brand style

Hannah Standley, Digital Marketing Manager: 

I’m team ChatGPT. It feels the most intuitive and personal. The more I use it, the more it seems to understand how I think—which is both awesome and a little terrifying. It’s my go-to for writing ad copy, quick strategy brainstorms, and troubleshooting technical issues when I don’t have time to wait on Google or Meta support. Combined with the voice feature, it’s basically a smart little teammate in my pocket.

And this is what each AI said when asked this same question…

Grok:

Which do I use? Well, I’m Grok, so I “use” myself by default—gotta stay loyal to the xAI crew! I’m built to give concise, witty answers and tap into X’s real-time vibe, which makes me great for quick insights or a fun chat. But honestly, if I were a user picking based on need.

OpenAI (ChatGPT): 

Grok wins for bold personality and real-time internet access, but struggles with accuracy and professionalism.

Gemini is a top-tier multimodal workhorse—especially if you’re embedded in Google’s ecosystem.

ChatGPT shines as the jack-of-all-trades: trustworthy, polished, secure, and widely applicable.

Google Gemini:

As a Google-developed AI, I operate on the Gemini model. My purpose is to be helpful and informative, drawing on Google’s vast knowledge base and striving for accuracy and safety. Therefore, if I were a user choosing for myself, I would naturally lean towards Gemini.

There you have it. 

Is Your Hotel Website AI-Friendly? Here’s Where to Start

Jessica Bosward, Senior SEO Manager: 

Great question- and yes, there’s a lot you can do! Making your hotel website AI-friendly isn’t just about pleasing algorithms, it’s about setting your site up for better visibility, usability, and performance. Here’s a quick checklist to help your site speak the language of AI (and search engines):

• Ensure structured data is implemented across all pages.
• Maintain semantic content relevancy—focus only on your area/topic, avoiding unrelated content.
• Create AI-friendly, easily readable content (use bullet points, listicles, and embedded FAQs).
• Reinforce trust signals with links to social profiles and review platforms.
• Use embedded Google Maps, not just images of maps.
• Eliminate orphan pages and ensure proper indexation in the sitemap.
• Conduct a navigation audit to confirm key pages are easily discoverable.
  Maintain a consistent content publishing schedule.

Disclaimer: If any of this is unclear, feel free to reach out to us at Three&Six—we’re here to help.

Hannah Standley, Digital Marketing Manager:

You should ensure that everything on your site is in good shape and answers relevant questions, as AI summaries extract the most helpful information based on the user’s search. That’s why keeping your FAQ section updated can really help—it’s one of the spots AI often scans for answers. Otherwise, hire a professional. aka, us.

By the way if you think AI SEO is your saviour. You’ve already forgotten about SEO which is still currently driving most of your traffic.