What's Happening?
Anil Aggarwal, CEO of Milestone Inc., discussed the challenges hotels face in achieving visibility in AI search results at the Skift Data and AI Summit 2026. Aggarwal pointed out that many hotels lose visibility not due to content quality but because
of technical infrastructure issues that prevent AI crawlers from accessing their content. He emphasized the importance of site speed, crawlability, and schema markup as critical factors in ensuring AI search visibility. Aggarwal also noted that even large hotel chains often require specialized tools to manage AI content work effectively, highlighting the complexity of maintaining consistent, AI-readable content across multiple properties.
Why It's Important?
The technical barriers to AI search visibility present a significant challenge for the hospitality industry, as they can limit a hotel's ability to reach potential customers. As AI search becomes more integral to consumer decision-making, hotels must ensure their technical infrastructure supports AI visibility. This may require significant investment in technology and expertise to optimize content for AI search engines. The insights shared by Aggarwal highlight the need for hotels to prioritize technical readiness alongside content quality to remain competitive in the digital marketplace.
What's Next?
Hotels may need to conduct audits of their technical infrastructure to identify and address issues that hinder AI search visibility. This could involve optimizing site speed, improving crawlability, and implementing schema markup. As AI search technology continues to advance, hotels will need to stay informed about best practices and emerging trends to maintain their competitive edge. The ongoing evolution of AI search may also drive further innovation in hotel marketing and customer engagement strategies.
