CTO News

Digital Discovery: How Travelers Are Actually Choosing Destinations Now

From Inspiration to Interrogation: Why Real-Time Conversation Is the New Frontier for Destination Marketing

Travelers don’t “search” for destinations anymore. They interrogate them.

Between AI assistants, conversational ads, and content that talks back, the path from curiosity to booking hasn’t just changed—it’s been redefined. For destinations competing for attention, that shift isn’t a threat. It’s an opening. And it’s already happening.

The First Signal: Bermuda Tourism

A recent campaign for Bermuda Tourism across 15 U.S. feeder markets offers a clear read on what’s happening.

Over three months, an AI-powered travel chat—embedded within premium travel content—generated 235,000 impressions, an 11.2% click-through rate, and nearly 40,000 high-intent engagements.

But the real signal isn’t just performance. It’s progression.

CTR didn’t spike—it climbed: 9.0% → 11.0% → 12.1%. Every month. No drop-off.

The takeaway is simple: the more travelers engage with conversational formats, the more they trust them.

But performance isn’t the headline. Behavior is.

When travelers leaned in, their questions clustered fast:

• What can I do there? (~67%)
• Where will I stay? (~35%)
• How do I get there? (~28%)
• What will I eat? (~16%)

No one is asking if it’s sunny. No one is asking if it’s beautiful. That decision is already made. They’re not discovering anymore—they’re planning.

A Second Proof Point: Visit Tampa Bay

This isn’t isolated.

In a campaign with Visit Tampa Bay, the same pattern emerged—this time with deeper insight across the UK and Germany.

Across 1,992 real traveler interactions:

• 53% focused on things to do
• Lodging searches jumped from 25% to 38% as travelers moved closer to booking
• 21% centered on food and local culture

Different markets. Same behavior.

But here’s the shift: Tampa Bay didn’t just get campaign performance—they got real-time research.

Through Tiki’s Envoy platform, they captured insights traditional methods can’t match:

• Scale: thousands of real interactions vs. limited survey panels
• Quality: actual travelers actively planning trips
• Speed: 3 weeks vs. 3–6 months

And most importantly—real questions, asked at the exact moment decisions are being made.

Questions like: “Where exactly is Tampa Bay?” and “Is it still worth visiting?”

That’s not data you analyze months later. That’s direction you act on now.

What This Means

The takeaway is clear:

• Lead with experiences — that’s where travelers start
• Simplify lodging and logistics — that’s where they go next
• Use food and culture to differentiate — that’s what they remember
• Show up when the question is asked — that delivers on their expectations.

Closing Thought

Travelers are telling us exactly what they want. Not in reports, or in surveys, but in questions. The destinations that listen and respond in the moment will close the gap between inspiration and booking faster than the rest.

Scott Schult
VP Destination Strategy, Tiki

Scott is a travel technology strategist focused on digital transformation, AI strategy, and marketing innovation. He is known as a thought leader in the tech space, often sharing insights on the intersection of leadership, technology, and tourism strategy.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrschult/    
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/tikitravels/     
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmamber/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-claudio-3b809725/