AI Myth:
AI search has taken over travel discovery

Introduction / Myth #1: AI Search is Replacing Google

Over the past year, a familiar idea has started showing up everywhere. It comes up at conferences, appears in AI for Marketing articles, and works its way into everyday conversations with peers. Travelers are supposedly abandoning AI Search alternatives like Google Search and moving entirely toward AI for Travel tools.

You hear this idea a lot when people talk about AI for Travel and AI for Marketing. Headlines and trend reports often frame AI Search as a settled replacement instead of a developing layer. When that message repeats often enough, it can start to feel accepted, even if the data tells a more nuanced story. This is how many AI Myths begin to take root in the industry.

This has become one of the most persistent AI myths shaping how brands think about visibility today. The issue isn’t that AI Search exists or that it influences discovery. It clearly does. The risk comes from assuming behavior has shifted more than the evidence actually supports.

Conversations around AI for Marketing often blur the line between experimentation and actual behavior, especially in travel where discovery and booking don’t always happen in the same place.

At BlackDog Advertising, we spend a lot of time separating meaningful signals from background noise. That means looking beyond headlines and focusing on how travelers are actually finding, evaluating, and booking experiences. When the data is reviewed carefully, the picture of AI for Travel becomes much clearer.

Google Search isn’t being replaced anytime soon. Growth in AI Search tools has been real, but growth rates on their own don’t tell the full story. When something starts from close to zero, year over year percentage increases can look dramatic without reflecting real scale. At BlackDog Advertising, we believe that understanding the ‘why’ behind the data is just as important as the numbers themselves.

Looking at raw volume gives better context. Google Search still processes billions of searches every day and continues to account for the vast majority of global search activity. By comparison, AI search tools and chat-based platforms represent a very small share of overall search-driven traffic. The gap between experimentation and dominant behavior is still significant. At BlackDog Advertising, we believe that understanding the ‘why’ behind the data is just as important as the numbers themselves.

• AI for travel, including tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, often supports early planning, inspiration, and narrowing down options when someone is still exploring ideas. In these early stages, AI recommendations act as a digital concierge for the curious traveler.
• Google Search tends to take over when travelers are ready to validate details, compare choices, and move toward a booking decision.

This pattern shows up consistently in AI for Travel, where inspiration and validation follow different paths.

Booking behavior reflects that shift. When travelers are ready to commit, they usually return to Google Search and direct brand websites. Trust and real-time information matter more at this stage. Local maps, verified reviews, current availability, and direct booking links are still the standard for high-consideration travel purchases. Even if a traveler started with AI Recommendations, they almost always finish with a direct search.

In our work with travel brands at BlackDog Advertising, search is always viewed through the lens of intent. AI Search often shapes the top of the funnel. Booking behavior still lives much closer to traditional search and owned channels. Brands that stay visible where intent peaks are the ones that capture demand.

That doesn’t mean standing still. Search strategy continues to evolve. Strong Search Engine Optimization still matters, and it now works alongside newer layers that support AI Search and AI Overviews. Structuring content so it’s clear, accurate, and easy to interpret helps brands show up across multiple surfaces.

Generative and answer-focused optimization build on the same foundation. Clear experience details, first-party data, and well-structured content make it easier for AI systems to surface AI Recommendations while still supporting performance in Google Search. The brands that win aren’t choosing one path over the other. They’re strengthening the foundation and adapting thoughtfully to Marketing AI.

Search behavior itself hasn’t changed as much as headlines suggest. People are still using Google Search the way they always have. What’s changed is how AI Overviews now shape what appears first.

Over the past year, Google has significantly reshaped the results page by introducing AI Overviews across a large share of queries. These summaries appear at the top of many searches and pull information from multiple sources to answer questions immediately. At BlackDog Advertising, we monitor how these summaries impact click-through rates daily.

In many cases, AI Overviews now appear before traditional organic results and even ahead of paid listings. That shift directly influences which brands surface as AI Recommendations early in the decision process.

This is where many AI Myths around AI Search begin. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini get a lot of attention, but they aren’t where most travelers are regularly encountering AI-powered search results. That experience is increasingly happening inside Google Search itself.

• AI Search isn’t pulling people away from Google at scale
• AI Overviews are changing how Google surfaces answers and recommendations

AI may not be taking meaningful market share from Google Search, but it’s deeply embedded within it. That distinction matters for AI for Marketing. Brands aren’t optimizing for a completely new behavior. They’re adapting to how Google now delivers information.

This perspective reflects how BlackDog Advertising evaluates AI Search changes across real travel brand data. Google didn’t lose its role in discovery. It changed how results are presented through AI Overviews.

As AI Search becomes more visible through AI Overviews, the role of your website matters more than ever. It isn’t just where travelers land. It’s where AI systems look first when deciding which brands appear as AI Recommendations.

A lot of AI Myths come from reacting to headlines instead of looking at how search behavior is actually changing. While new tools and features get attention, the underlying mechanics of how AI systems evaluate information remain consistent. This is a core pillar of any modern AI for Marketing strategy.

The website plays a central role in AI for Marketing and AI for Travel because AI systems rely on content they can consistently access and interpret. When experience details, pricing, and operational information are clear and well structured, AI has something reliable to pull from. When that information is fragmented or outdated, it often gets skipped by systems generating AI Recommendations.

Showing up in AI Overviews starts with making sure your website answers the right questions clearly. If the correct information isn’t easy to find or understand, your brand is far less likely to surface as part of AI Recommendations.

The good news is that AI for Marketing doesn’t require a brand new playbook. The same fundamentals that have supported search performance for years still apply, and they now carry even more weight.

• • Load speed – Fast pages matter for people and for AI systems. A site that loads quickly builds trust early and sends a strong quality signal across Google Search and AI Overviews.

• • High value, customer relevant content – Content should reflect the questions travelers actually ask. Clear experience descriptions, destination guides, and planning resources help establish authority and support AI Search visibility.

• Strong FAQs – Well written FAQs provide direct, concise answers that AI systems can easily reference. These sections often supply the language surfaced inside AI Overviews and influence AI Recommendations.

SEO best practices remain central to this work. The same structure that supports traditional SEO also supports generative and answer focused optimization. A strong foundation makes it easier for your brand to perform across multiple search surfaces without added complexity.

Measurement matters just as much as structure. Search success can’t be evaluated on clicks alone anymore. Tracking impressions helps show how often your brand appears in Google Search and AI Overviews, even when users don’t click right away. That visibility provides a clearer picture of how AI Search is influencing discovery over time.

This is how BlackDog Advertising helps brands make smart adjustments without overreacting.