AI has become part of the background noise in our industry. It’s in every conference panel, most headlines, and more than a few strategy decks.
But what I find more interesting than the hype is how it’s quietly changing things beneath the surface. Not necessarily in big, dramatic ways. More in the subtle shifts that affect how people find information, what platforms they trust, and who shows up in the conversation.
No one has a clear answer on where this is heading, but staying still doesn’t feel like the right move either. It’s okay to not be the expert (I mean, isn’t that what AI is here for?)
Here are a few that have come up recently, and what we’re doing or thinking about in response.
How do we make sure smaller operators and lesser-known destinations aren’t left behind?
A lot of smaller businesses and communities don’t have the time, budget, or technical infrastructure to optimize for AI. That’s not going to change overnight.
At Travel Manitoba, we’ve been looking at how to structure the content we already have in ways that AI tools can use. FAQs, clear listings, content that reflects real traveler questions. It’s not flashy, but it helps.
We’re also checking how tools like ChatGPT or Gemini respond to prompts about Manitoba. If the right stories and businesses aren’t showing up, we’re digging into why that might be and how we can improve the signal.
It’s not the full answer, but it’s something we can work on now while pushing for broader investment in digital inclusion.
Also – we’re paying attention to where these LLMs are finding information from. It’s not all about our website anymore. It’s time to pay attention to the brands that already have the authority, and look at new ways of partnership with them. I truly believe the value of travel media has never been more important than it is right now.
How do we rethink traditional KPIs when fewer people are landing on our websites
If people are getting their answers before they ever land on our site, metrics like pageviews, referrals and sessions start to lose their meaning.
There are some great attribution tools like Adara, Tourism Economics and Sojern that understand reach and influence beyond the click and measure actual bookings/visitation.
We’re also starting to look at how our website is showing up when partners are mentioned in generative search results. If an LLM references one of our tourism partners, is our content among the top sources being cited? THAT is the new referral traffic.
Destination organizations still have immense value, and now is the time to shift the story of our impact to future-proof us against dated KPIs.
How do we make sure AI reflects the people and places we actually represent?
Bias in technology isn’t new. It’s been there for decades, and AI is amplifying it.
We’ve been focusing more on how we tell stories and who gets to tell them. That includes whose voices we feature, how we structure our content, and whether the information we’re putting out reflects the communities behind it.
Authenticity isn’t a tone. It comes from letting communities lead their own narratives. That should apply whether we’re building campaigns, briefing media, or thinking about how we show up in AI responses.
What does success look like if traditional visibility is no longer the goal?
This is one of the biggest shifts I’ve been thinking about.
We still track what’s working through traditional reporting and attribution, but we’re also adding new layers. Our travel media team is focused on building strong editorial relationships, and we’re watching how those placements feed into the sources AI models rely on.
We’re also starting to measure how often our content is cited or reflected in AI-generated responses. Even if it doesn’t result in a click, it’s still influence.
This isn’t about replacing metrics. It’s about expanding what we count.
No perfect answers, but a lot worth paying attention to
There is so much out there and it’s frankly overwhelming to keep up. Some of the sources I love to learn from are:
Daily newsletters: The Neuron, Tech Brew and The Hustle
Podcasts: Hard Fork, AI Applied, Search Engine and Your Undivided Attention (there are many others but I find these ones I consistently go back to and don’t miss).
People and companies to follow and watch:
Destination Canada
,
Destinations International
,
Miles Partnership
,
Travel Manitoba
,
Perplexity
,
BrandRank.AI
,
Scrunch AI
,
OpenAI
, Conor Grennan,
Scott Galloway
,
Dr. Joy Buolamwini
,
Neil Hoyne
,
Greg Oates
,
Janette Roush
,
Gloria Loree
,
Meaghan Ferrigno
,
Peter de Rama
,
Clare Tidby
Thank you to everyone for the inspiration, discussions and insightful learning. These help me stay grounded, curious, and just informed enough to not feel lost.
