Visitors Now Expect You to Know What They Want Before They Ask
There is a shift happening in what travellers expect when they visit a tourism website, and it is moving faster than most independent operators realise. A few years ago, a clean website with good photos and an easy booking process was enough. Today, visitors arrive expecting something more — a website that feels like it understands them, recommends the right things, and makes the path to booking feel effortless.
This is AI personalisation, and it is no longer just for the big players. New research published this week by Arival found that businesses using AI-powered personalisation are reporting up to 25–30% increases in booking conversions. The tools driving this are increasingly accessible to independent operators — and some of the most effective ones can be added to an existing website in under an hour.
The most straightforward version of this is an AI trip-planning widget. Instead of a static page listing your experiences, a visitor can type in natural language — 'I'm visiting with two kids aged 6 and 9, we love animals and being outdoors' — and receive a personalised recommendation instantly. Tools like Elfsight's ChatGPT plugin make this possible without any technical knowledge or coding.
At the more sophisticated end, platforms like Trip.com are using AI to build itineraries that update in real time as a traveller makes choices — adjusting recommendations based on what they have already booked, what the weather is doing, and what is trending in the destination right now. Their AI customer service platform has seen a 10-percentage-point increase in resolution rates, meaning fewer frustrated customers and fewer calls to your front desk.
The underlying message is simple: the bar for what a 'good' digital experience looks like has risen. Visitors who have used AI-powered tools elsewhere will notice when your website feels static and generic by comparison. The operators who close that gap now will have a meaningful advantage.
What this means for your business
For visitor attractions, farm experiences, and independent hotels, AI personalisation does not have to mean a complete website rebuild or a significant technology investment. It can start with one small addition — a widget, a chatbot, a personalised email sequence — that makes the experience feel more tailored and responsive.
The bigger strategic point is about the relationship between your digital presence and your physical experience. The best tourism businesses are ones where the quality of the experience starts before the guest arrives. A personalised recommendation on your website, a pre-visit email that feels relevant and helpful, a booking confirmation that tells them exactly what to expect — these are the moments that build anticipation, reduce no-shows, and generate the kind of enthusiasm that turns into reviews and word-of-mouth.
Your action this week
Visit elfsight.com this week and look at their ChatGPT Website Assistant widget. It takes under an hour to add to most websites and allows visitors to ask questions and get personalised recommendations in natural language. Even a basic version — one that can answer 'what's on this weekend?' or 'is this suitable for a 5-year-old?' — will immediately improve the experience for visitors who arrive with questions and currently find nothing but a static FAQ page.