AI-Driven Personalization: The Future of Travel in 2025
In today’s travel market, success for winter destinations isn’t just about natural beauty or great facilities – it’s about delivering personalized experiences that make guests willing to spend more. Whether you’re managing a ski resort, a mountain destination, or a winter tourism region, HBX’s “Travel Trends 2025” study shows your visitors are ready to pay up to 67% more for superior experiences. This aligns with McKinsey’s recent findings that 71% of customers expect personalized interactions from the brands they choose.
Google Continues to Dominate Traffic Generation
Working with Salzburgerland’s tourism (SLT) board over our multi-year partnership, we’ve seen how a Knowledge Graph along with other digital marketing activities across nine languages can transform online presence during peak interest periods.
In collaboration with Salzburgerland Tourismus, we have developed a centralized data hub powered by a Knowledge Graph. For more insights you can read this article (in German) “Knowledge Graph: Touristisches Wissen für Google & Co“. This platform connects various partners in the region—hotels, restaurants, and ski resorts—offering them a suite of advanced digital tools. Through this hub, local businesses gain access to SEO automation for precise entity annotations, AI-driven content generation with Agent WordLift, and powerful marketing automation services. By leveraging this shared infrastructure, Salzburgerland Tourismus empowers its partners to enhance their online presence and visibility, ultimately boosting tourism and driving revenue growth across the region.
As search interest in skiing has grown significantly – with Google Trends showing record interest peaks in December 2024 – SLT’s digital presence has delivered remarkable results on Google’s SERP:
- 36.2% increase in clicks from search results
- 22.2% improvement in click-through rates
- Consistent top 12 average positions across highly competitive ski-related terms
- 22.5% growth in visibility for their core German-language ski content
Yet here’s the challenge every destination faces: how do you capitalize on this growing interest when your team is caught in the daily grind of updating conditions, facilities, and activities across all your channels? The solution lies in leveraging structured data for hyper-local personalization. Imagine automatically updating your Google Business Profile based on real-time conditions, or delivering personalized content to visitors based on their interests and the current state of your destination. This is now possible by connecting your Knowledge Graph to automation tools – something that, according to the World Travel Market 2024 report, fewer than 15% of tour operators currently offer. The result? Your marketing team can focus on what really matters: creating those premium experiences that today’s travelers are willing to pay more for, whether they’re hitting the slopes, exploring winter hiking trails, or enjoying mountain wellness experiences.
Search is becoming increasingly more conversational
As we analyzed search data from Google Search Console we can see clearly that search queries grow increasingly conversational, reflecting how people naturally ask questions or seek advice, destinations like SalzburgerLand are uniquely positioned to benefit. Over the past year, our analysis shows a marked increase in query complexity, diversity and length, indicating a shift in user behavior toward asking more detailed, personalized questions. This trend is bolstered by conversational AI tools and evolving search algorithms, which encourage users to interact with search engines as if speaking to a guide.
For tourism boards, this shift presents an opportunity to connect with travelers more meaningfully. By crafting content that mirrors these conversational patterns and leveraging structured data to serve dynamic, localized responses, winter destinations can enhance their visibility while meeting the growing demand for tailored, human-like search experiences.
Building Blocks for Success
When travelers search for winter destinations today, they’re not just getting a list of blue links anymore. Google, Bing, and other search engines are providing rich, detailed information directly in their results – from real-time slope conditions to facility details and upcoming events. But there’s an even bigger shift happening: the rise of AI-powered search is changing how people discover and plan their winter trips.
Our work with Salzburgerland shows what’s possible when you get the foundation right. By organizing their destination data in a Knowledge Graph that both search engines and AI systems can understand, they’re seeing their content appear in new and powerful ways:
- Their ski resorts show up in rich results with live snow conditions and facility status
- Their content is being used to answer direct questions in Google’s AI-powered search (AI Overview)
- Their ski touring options appear in Bing’s AI-generated travel planning suggestions
- Their slopes and facilities data powers interactive features in search results
Comparative Analysis: Digital Strategies of Obertauern vs. Bardonecchia (An Unfair Comparison)
Let’s delve into a comparative analysis of two prominent ski resorts: Obertauern in Salzburgland, Austria, and Bardonecchia in Piedmont, Italy. Both destinations boast approximately 100 kilometers of slopes, offering a unique opportunity to explore how digital strategies and personalization impact their visibility and appeal.
| BARDONECCHIA – ITALY 🇮🇹 | OBERTAUERN – AUSTRIA 🇦🇹 |
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| Google Rich Result SEO Optimization: Obertauern’s results on Google highlight a robust digital strategy with direct control over the narrative and enhanced user engagement features. Bardonecchia appears to lack this level of optimization, relying heavily on third-party reviews. User Intent Fulfillment: Obertauern’s search results are more aligned with common ski trip planning needs (e.g., maps, lift prices), whereas Bardonecchia focuses on general reviews without actionable links. Engagement Potential: Obertauern’s integration of rich search features likely drives higher click-through rates, contrasting with Bardonecchia’s less dynamic results. |
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| Google AI-Search (from USA 🇺🇸) Personalization: Salzburgerland’s results on Google AI Overview cater directly to family skiing, emphasizing resorts, while Piedmont lacks a specific AI layer for contextual results. Engagement: Salzburgerland’s AI-driven panel enhances the user journey by combining visuals, summaries, and links, whereas Piedmont’s results remain text-heavy and static.Salzburgerland demonstrates a superior, AI-enhanced approach for Google searchers using AI Overview. |
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| Bing & Copilot Search Results Brand Positioning: Obertauern’s results on Bing are better aligned with tourism and skiing activities, whereas Bardonecchia’s results lack a strong tourism-focused identity. Relevance of Suggestions: Obertauern provides search suggestions that cater more directly to ski-related queries, improving user intent fulfillment. Content Depth: Obertauern’s panel includes snow-specific data, a critical feature for ski enthusiasts, giving it a competitive edge in terms of usability and engagement. Bardonecchia’s panel, while functional, is more generic. Copilot: Both answers are valuable in this case. It’s encouraging to see Salzburgerland Tourismus, a governmental agency, recognized as the authoritative source for queries like this one. |
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This isn’t just about better search rankings – it’s about being present wherever and however people are planning their winter trips. While other destinations scramble to maintain basic listings, structured data puts you steps ahead. When someone asks an AI search engine “Where can I go skiing with my family next weekend?“, your destination can be recommended with specific, current information about family-friendly slopes, ski activities, and conditions.
Building the Digital Backbone of Ski Tourism
The Knowledge Graph Foundation: A Historical Perspective
The journey toward structured ski resort data began in 2016 when the fantastic team at STI Innsbruck (at the time still coordinated by the brilliant Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dieter Fensel who recently passed away 😢) proposed the SkiResort schema to schema.org. This initiative marked a major shift in how winter sports destinations are represented in the digital ecosystem, moving beyond mere technical specifications to redefine digital engagement.
The Evolution of Ski Resort Data that began as a simple proposal in GitHub has been eventually expanded (also with our feedback during the course of our research initiatives) into a robust framework for ski destination representation.
Annotating Ski Resorts with Schema.org
The schema introduced a pivotal new class, SkiResort, representing both a local business and a sports activity location. This class, with its extensive properties, quickly became a foundational model for representing ski resort entities in knowledge graphs across alpine regions in Europe and globally. In collaboration with partners such as SalzburgerLand Tourismus, we extended this foundation to address real-world complexities and integrate real-time operational data. This includes snow conditions, slope difficulty levels, lift status, grooming information, and cross-country tracks.
Building on the original schema.org specification, our implementation for SalzburgerLand enhances the core SkiResort type by embedding properties that support hybrid queries using SEOntology (our shared vocabulary for SEO). We also integrated additional marketing-relevant attributes to enrich the graph while ensuring adherence to standard practices.
Now, every partner in the region can instantly access up-to-date data from each of the 52 ski areas through schema.org and SLT’s Knowledge Graph, enabling them to enhance their marketing efforts and develop innovative new AI-powered services.
This query exemplifies how semantic search combines structured data and embeddings to deliver precise and contextually relevant information, such as family-friendly ski options or real-time slope conditions, to partners of SalzburgLand tourism.
From Data to Action: Automating Winter Tourism with Zapier
The structured data revolution in winter tourism isn’t just about organizing information – it’s about putting that data to work. Through WordLift’s new Zapier integration, we can now help ski resorts transform the central Knowledge Graph into a dynamic engine powering their digital presence. Let me show you.
Take Katschberg-Aineck’s morning updates, for example. Every day at 6 AM, their system automatically queries the Knowledge Graph for current conditions, lift status, and trail information. This data flows through Google’s Gemini AI (or any LLM of their preference), which crafts natural, engaging updates tailored for different platforms. The result? By the time early-bird skiers check Google Maps or their social media, they could see fresh, accurate conditions across every channel.
The magic can happen in really just three steps. First, our GraphQL (a query language for APIs) interface pulls precise, structured data about everything from snow conditions to lift operations about any of the 52 ski areas. Then, Gemini transforms the semantic data into engaging, natural language updates.
Finally, Zapier distributes these updates across more than 6,000 possible integrations – from Google Business Profile to social media platforms, mobile apps, and even internal communication channels (the image above is only an example from the webhook.site to showcase this functionality).
This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about accuracy and reach. Every 15 minutes the data is updated in the Knowledge Graph and instantly cascades across their entire digital ecosystem. A single snowfall report can potentially automatically update Google Maps, refreshes social media profiles, and even triggers targeted emails to guests – all while maintaining perfect consistency across channels.
For the marketing teams operating in the region, this automation can be transformative and it is provided by the Salzburgerland Tourismus using semantic web technologies.
They’re no longer just centrally managing data; they can orchestrate a symphony of updates that keep digital travelers informed and engaged across every touchpoint. And with winter tourism becoming increasingly digital-first, it’s crucial for staying competitive in 2025 and beyond.
Conclusions
As we step into 2025, the future of winter tourism is being shaped by the seamless integration of structured data, AI-driven personalization, and automation. For destination managers and tourism operators, the message is clear: to remain competitive and relevant, your digital strategy must evolve.
By leveraging Knowledge Graphs, tools like Zapier, and AI systems, destinations can automate real-time updates, deliver personalized experiences, and meet the rising expectations of today’s travelers. This isn’t just about staying visible in search results or LLMs—it’s about being the trusted guide at every step of the traveler’s journey, from inspiration to booking and beyond.
With travelers willing to pay 67% more for personalized experiences, the ROI is clear. Semantic data can transform your destination into a dynamic digital presence that not only informs but inspires. It’s time to harness this power, not just to enhance efficiency, but to create the premium, personalized experiences that travelers are increasingly willing to pay for.
The call to action is clear: embrace the tools, build your Knowledge Graph, and take control of your digital narrative. Whether you’re a ski resort, a tourism board, or a tour operator, now is the time to set the standard for winter tourism in the digital age. The slopes are ready, the data is waiting—lead the way! Let’s keep the conversation going—reach out today!
Questions & Answers
How can AI-driven personalization enhance the travel experience in winter destinations by 2025?
AI-driven personalization is transforming the travel industry by enabling winter destinations to offer tailored experiences that enhance guest satisfaction and willingness to spend more. According to HBX’s “Travel Trends 2025” study, visitors are willing to pay up to 67% more for personalized experiences. This aligns with McKinsey’s findings that 71% of customers expect personalized interactions from brands. For more insights on AI’s role in marketing, you can explore our article on AI Disrupting Content Marketing.
How can travel brands utilize Zapier to automate their digital marketing efforts?
Travel brands can leverage Zapier to automate their digital marketing efforts by integrating their Knowledge Graph with various platforms to streamline content updates and distribution. For instance, by using WordLift’s Zapier integration, brands can automate the flow of real-time data such as conditions, facilities, and activities across multiple channels. This ensures that their digital presence is consistently updated and engaging, enhancing both efficiency and reach. To learn more about how Zapier can be utilized in digital marketing, you can explore our Zapier Introduction Guide.
Does schema markup influences LLMs/AI?
Schema markup, or structured data, doesn’t directly influence the responses of large language models (LLMs). However, it plays a crucial role in shaping AI search engines by:
- Enhancing Training Data: Structured data contributes to the datasets used to train AI models, helping them recognize and categorize entities such as products, locations, and organizations.
- Improving Entity Understanding: By defining clear relationships between different data points, schema markup aids AI systems in understanding and responding to specific queries, especially those related to local businesses and products.
- Facilitating Search Engine Integration: Platforms like Bing Copilot and Google Gemini utilize structured data to provide enhanced search results, demonstrating the value of entity-based understanding. Our post on Schema.org Markup and SEO delves into why schema is crucial for SEO.
In summary, while schema markup doesn’t directly affect LLM outputs, it significantly contributes to the ecosystem that trains and informs these models, thereby indirectly impacting their performance.
References:
The Future Of Marketing Automation [White paper]
WordLift’s Zapier Integration and the app on Zapier’s website
