Travel brands must adapt fast or risk losing clicks, warns Civitatis

As Google expands AI Overviews in Europe

Last week, Google announced the expansion of its AI Overviews tool in its search engine to nine European countries.

The new-AI powered feature first launched in the US in May 2024 and quickly rolled out to key markets such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, and the UK. 

Now, its European expansion includes Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.

It alters how users engage with the traditional search engine. Civitatis, the leading platform for carefully selected Spanish-language tours and activities worldwide, has analysed the impact of AI Overviews on organic traffic and how it could affect company strategies.

It warns travel brands must adapt fast or risk losing clicks because of it.

Raúl Valencia, VP of CRO & SEO at Civitatis, said: “Google is redefining how users find information. With AI Overviews, many answers will be provided directly by the search engine’s AI, potentially reducing traffic to websites that previously received visits from Google. 

"For the tourism industry, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity to adapt and strengthen strategies.”

Each month, millions of travellers use Google to plan their trips, from choosing destinations to booking experiences. With the introduction of AI Overviews, users are likely to find more answers directly without needing to click on traditional links. 

To remain competitive in this changing digital landscape, travel brands should take immediate action, advises Civitatis.

Prioritise high-quality, in-depth content. It recommends that website content goes beyond basic information, offering unique insights, expert opinions, and up-to-date recommendations that AI cannot easily replicate.

Optimise for conversational and long-tail search queries. AI Overviews prioritize natural language questions, so businesses should adjust their SEO strategies to focus on answering detailed and specific user queries.

Finally, diversify traffic sources by investing in social media engagement, email marketing, and partnerships to reduce reliance on search engine-generated traffic.

“SEO is still alive, but it’s constantly evolving. At Civitatis, we see this change as an opportunity to continue innovating and providing our travelers with unique experiences and the best possible information,” said Valencia.