The way people plan and book their holidays is changing – fast. AI Mode ‘enables dynamic, multi-step conversations’

As many as 60% of travellers are now seeing AI-generated responses when researching their next trip on Google, according to early data and anecdotal evidence from within the travel sector. And with Google’s new AI Mode, search is becoming less about typing in keywords — and more about having a natural, two-way conversation.

For UK holiday parks, this shift represents one of the biggest changes in search behaviour since mobile-first indexing.

Search becomes conversation — not clicks

In Google’s new AI Mode, a user no longer sees a list of blue links when searching for something like “family-friendly caravan parks near the Lake District”.

Instead, the AI provides a conversational summary – perhaps highlighting parks with on-site entertainment, pet-friendly options, or lodges with hot tubs – and can respond to follow-up questions such as “which ones have availability in August?” or “are there any near walking trails?”

This mimics the experience of talking to a digital travel assistant — and it’s happening directly within Google’s search results.

Why this matters for holiday parks

Many holiday parks still rely on traditional SEO and paid search to drive top-of-funnel awareness: blogs, destination pages, and Google Ads that attract visitors before retargeting them with booking offers or ownership messages.

AI Mode is disrupting that model. Search results are no longer focused on links to websites – instead, Google’s AI delivers recommendations directly in its own interface, powered by content it understands and trusts.

That means visibility now depends less on rankings, and more on how often your park appears in AI-generated answers – a new metric known as share of answer.”

Five AI search trends reshaping the holiday park sector

Five key shifts that also have major implications for holiday parks:

1. Generative AI is the new OTA competitor
Early testing shows that under 10% of AI Mode bookings are routed through online travel agents, compared with over 50% direct to brands. For holiday parks, this could accelerate the push toward **direct bookings and ownership enquiries**, reducing dependency on OTA commission.

2. Your Google Business Profile is your new homepage
Google integrates Business Profiles directly into AI responses — surfacing photos, reviews, pricing, and descriptions ahead of your website.

This makes an optimised Google Business Profile essential for visibility and conversion. Think of it as your new digital shopfront – where first impressions now happen.

3. AI recommendations build instant trust
Users trust what AI suggests. Parks featured in AI Mode are often perceived as “verified by Google,” enjoying higher review scores (on TripAdvisor and Trust Pilot) and improved enquiry rates. Appearing in AI summaries could therefore become a powerful new form of social proof.

4. Inline mentions outperform search listings
In AI Mode, users are more likely to click on inline text links within Google’s summary than on traditional listings or citations. Optimising for inclusion within those paragraphs – where your park name appears naturally in the AI narrative – is key to maintaining visibility as AI-driven search expands.

5. Conversations replace keywords
Search phrases are getting longer and more conversational – from “holiday parks Cornwall” to “quiet holiday parks in Cornwall with sea views and dog-friendly lodges.”
Parks need content that answers natural-language queries, not just keyword matches, if they want to appear in AI Mode results.

What holiday parks should do next

Google’s AI Mode changes how guests plan, compare, and book. It also changes how holiday park operators should think about their online presence.

To stay visible and drive conversions, every element of your park’s digital ecosystem – from your website and booking system integration, to your Google Business Profile, digital signage, and AI chatbot interactions – should be structured around how guests now ask questions, not how they search for keywords.

That means:

• Building AEO-optimised content (Answer Engine Optimisation) that feeds AI results with clear, structured, trustworthy data
• Keeping your Google Business Profile accurate and updated with seasonal offers, photos, and pricing.
• Encouraging positive reviews and responding to them regularly.

Content across owned channels, business profiles, and media needs to be structured and written to match real user questions. The right data and insights can help parks capture more direct bookings – even as search behaviour becomes increasingly AI-driven.”

Key takeaway

Google’s new AI Mode isn’t just a search update – it’s a shift in how guests discover, trust, and choose where to stay.

For holiday parks that adapt early, it offers an opportunity to appear front and centre in the next generation of travel discovery – where every conversation could lead directly to a booking or a new holiday home owner.