Imagine someone opens ChatGPT and asks, "Plan a 10-day honeymoon in Greece for $5,000." The AI instantly generates a detailed itinerary, suggests hotels, and lists tour operators.
So why do some travel brands appear in these AI-generated plans while others don’t?
The answer is prompt engineering, or more specifically, reverse prompt engineering. It’s about understanding the questions travellers are asking, how AI interprets content, and structuring your website and materials so your brand naturally appears as the recommended option.
What is reverse prompt engineering?
Traditional prompt engineering is the art of writing better instructions to get better results from an AI. Reverse prompt engineering, therefore, is the art of optimising your brand online so that when an AI is asked a question, your brand is the most logical, authoritative, and relevant answer it can find.
In other words, you are “engineering” your website and content so that when someone asks:
- “What’s the best eco-lodge in Costa Rica for couples?”
- “Plan a foodie trip to Japan.”
- “Where should a family stay in Bali near the beach but away from party areas?”
…your brand is a natural candidate to appear.
Why AI needs structured, clear information
The critical change is this: AI doesn't browse websites the way humans do. It processes text-based information that's been indexed and structured. If your brand information isn't clear, comprehensive, and widely available in the right format, AI simply doesn't know enough about you to recommend you.
To appear in recommendations, you need to provide the specific "tokens" (the building blocks of AI language) that match the traveller’s intent.
Think in traveller prompts
Many travel websites still rely on broad promotional language. AI systems, however, respond far better to natural, question-driven language that reflects how people actually plan trips.
Instead of leading with slogans, start by thinking about real traveller prompts. These often sound like:
- Is this destination good for kids?
- What’s the best time to visit?
- Is it walkable?
- How expensive is it?
- Is it safe for solo travellers?
But travellers also ask broader, planning-focused questions. They look for destination ideas (“best places for solo travel,” “most romantic cities,” “family-friendly beaches”), activity suggestions (“best scuba diving spots for beginners,” “authentic food tours,” “hiking trails near town”), and full itineraries (“plan a 2-week road trip,” “create a 5-day itinerary with kids”).
Many prompts are business-specific, too: people ask for boutique hotels under a certain budget, eco-friendly stays, or tour operators with strong safety reputations. Others compare options, weighing one destination against another for honeymoons, backpacking, or nightlife.
Your content should answer these kinds of questions directly and clearly.
A practical way to start is by reviewing your client queries, guest reviews, and customer emails. These sources often contain the exact phrasing travellers use. Turning those real questions into headings and straightforward answers makes it easier for AI systems to understand when your brand is relevant.
Each clear answer you publish increases the chances that, when a traveller asks a similar question, your business fits the response.
Use scenario-based prompts and map traveller intent
Thinking in traveller prompts is the first step. The next step is going deeper: understanding the situations behind those prompts and the intent driving them.
Travellers rarely ask AI random questions. Most prompts come from a real context or problem they’re trying to solve. This is where scenario-based thinking and intent mapping become powerful.
A scenario-based prompt reflects a real-life moment. For example:
- “We have three kids under 10 and want a relaxing beach holiday.”
- “I have one week off and want nature, not big cities.”
- “We’re visiting in July and want to avoid extreme heat.”
- “I’m travelling alone and want somewhere social but safe.”
These combine needs, constraints, and goals. AI weighs these details carefully when generating recommendations. To appear in these answers, you need to create content that mirrors these scenarios. This is called intent mapping, and it looks at why the traveller is asking. Are they dreaming, comparing, or ready to book?
A broad prompt like “best islands in Greece” often signals early inspiration. A detailed one like “family-friendly resorts in Crete with kids clubs in September” signals stronger booking intent.
Your content should support each stage. Inspiration pieces help with discovery. Practical guides help planners. Detailed product and destination pages help decision-makers.
When you pair prompt-focused writing with scenario and intent thinking, your content becomes easier for AI to understand and recommend.
Build authority and show real expertise
Understanding traveller intent helps you match the right message to the right moment. But to be chosen by AI, your content also needs authority and credible expertise behind it.
AI systems are designed to favour reliable information. When deciding what to recommend, they look for signals that your content is trustworthy, informed, and grounded in real experience.
Citations and reputable sources
One strong signal is citations. Consider including hard data and statistics. Instead of saying "Our tours are popular," say "92% of our 2025 guests reported that our local guide expertise was the highlight of their trip."
You can also opt to cite reputable sources such as tourism boards, official statistics, conservation groups, or recognised industry data. This helps position your content as well-supported rather than purely promotional.
Personal experience and insight
First-hand experience matters just as much. Content shaped by real visits, local knowledge, and on-the-ground insight carries more weight than generic summaries. Details like seasonal nuances, practical tips, or honest pros and cons show that a human expert is behind the content.
Reviews as trust signals
Reviews and testimonials also reinforce authority. Consistent positive feedback, especially when it mentions specific strengths, gives AI more context about what you’re known for.
Finally, clarity and accuracy are non-negotiable. Outdated or vague information weakens trust signals. Regular updates and fact-checking keep your content dependable.
When authority and expertise support your intent-focused content, AI has both the context and the confidence to recommend your brand.
Answer comparison questions
Authority builds trust, but comparison content helps AI choose you. Many prompts ask AI to compare options: "Compare safari operators in Tanzania" or "Best boutique vs luxury hotels in Paris." AI looks for clear differentiators.
To show up here, your content needs to address comparisons openly. That doesn’t mean always declaring yourself the winner. Balanced, honest comparisons build more credibility and give AI richer context. Explain who each option suits, the trade-offs, and the scenarios where one works better than the other.
Types of comparison content
This content can take many forms. Dedicated blog and articles that cover comparisons are useful because they let you go deep on differences, pricing, experiences, and suitability. But comparison signals shouldn’t live only in blog content. Core website pages matter too. “Why choose us,” “How we’re different,” and “Who this trip is for” pages clearly position your brand against alternatives. They help AI understand your unique value and when to recommend you.
Structured formats work well for comparisons. Side-by-side breakdowns, pros and cons, and “best for” summaries make it easier for AI to extract insights. Clear headings phrased as real questions also help.
This approach reinforces your authority. When you confidently explain differences, costs, timing, and suitability, you demonstrate expertise rather than sales pressure.
Support your content with strong technical foundations
Technical optimisation helps AI understand what you are, where you operate, and how your information connects. Without that foundation, even great content can be overlooked.
Start with structured data (schema markup). This is the layer that labels your content for machines. It tells AI which pages are about destinations, products, reviews, prices, or FAQs. When your content is marked up properly, AI can confidently pull details like location, amenities, ratings, and inclusions into its answers.
Consistency also matters. Your business name, locations, and service descriptions should match across your website, listings, and third-party platforms. AI models cross-reference sources. If your details vary, confidence drops. If they align, trust increases.
Site structure plays a role, too. Logical navigation, clear page hierarchies, and descriptive headings help AI map relationships between topics. For example, linking a blog to your core service pages and destination guides strengthens contextual understanding.
Then there’s performance. Fast-loading, mobile-friendly sites are easier for both search engines and AI crawlers to access and process. Technical health isn’t just an SEO box to tick; it directly affects how often your content is surfaced.
Finally, and very importantly, keep content updated. Prices, inclusions, and travel details change. Fresh, accurate information signals reliability. AI systems favour sources that appear maintained and current.
Next steps
Appearing in AI recommendations isn't about gaming the system. It's about being genuinely helpful, clearly communicating what you offer, building a strong reputation, and making information easily accessible.
Start today by auditing your online presence. Is your information complete, consistent, and compelling across every platform? Are you answering the questions your ideal customers are asking AI? Are you building the authority signals that increase AI confidence?
If you need help with this, partner with Boost Brands to craft content and technical strategies that position your travel business in front of the right prompts.
