Google Search, Zero-Click Results & the Fight for Travel Visibility

Search behavior is constantly evolving, and its implications are especially relevant for the tourism industry. A growing share of travel-related queries are now answered within Google’s ecosystem, often without sending users to external websites. For destination marketers, understanding how this trend emerged offers important context for today’s visibility challenges.

The shift toward zero-click results didn’t happen all at once. It developed gradually, shaped by changing user habits and a series of updates within Google Search.

But what exactly is a zero-click search?

It’s when travelers find what they need without clicking any links. Instead of visiting a website, they get the answer straight from the search results. Whether it’s a quick fact, opening hours, or nearby spots, the interaction ends right there on the page. From a user’s perspective, it feels seamless, just one query, and the answer appears. But for destinations, it means less traffic and fewer chances to engage.

The trend started between 2012 and 2014, when Google introduced Instant Answers and the Knowledge Graph. Instant Answers showed quick facts, like time or weather, directly in the search results. Meanwhile, Knowledge Graph connected related topics to give users richer, more structured information at a glance.

At the same time, voice assistants like Siri (2012) and Alexa (2014) changed how people searched. Instead of typing, users asked questions out loud and received short, spoken answers.

This trained people to expect fast and direct results. Johnsen (2024) refers to this as the first step toward AI-driven search, where the system interprets intent and responds without offering a list of links. By 2017, Google began showing featured snippets, which are short summaries that appear above regular results. These allowed users to get information without visiting a website. This model has since evolved. Today, AI-generated summaries, such as those from Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Gemini, go even further by generating full responses based on search intent.

As a result, visibility depends not just on ranking but on how destinations are presented within the Google ecosystem and AI-driven answers.

Today’s travelers often decide where to go, eat, or stay without ever clicking through to a website. Search results now provide everything from photos and reviews to opening hours and location details. For many users, this is enough to make a decision. Google has become more than a search tool. It is where travel choices are made.

That’s why Google Business Profiles function as digital front desks for destinations. Incomplete listings do more than reduce clicks. They reduce trust and leave destinations out of the conversation entirely.

These expectations are not only shaped by travelers. Travel platforms also rely on the same visibility to power their results. Wanderlog, for example, pulls live data directly from Google Maps, including photos, hours, and reviews. ChatGPT, on the other hand, works differently. In its regular mode, it answers based on a pre-trained dataset built from public web content.

When using the new Agent Mode, it retrieves live information through Bing, Microsoft’s search engine. To appear in both types of tools, destinations need accurate, structured content that is visible across both ecosystems. (You can read more in our article on zero-effort search.)

And unlike human travelers, AI tools do not respond to visuals, atmosphere, or brand loyalty.

They prioritize clarity, structure, and accessibility. What gets included in their answers depends on how well the content is written, up-to-date, and easy to process, not how it looks, but how easily it can be understood.

Meanwhile, human travelers are influenced by more than just structured data. They rely on visual cues, emotional connection, and perceived credibility when making decisions. 

On mobile devices especially, users tend to scan, eye-catching photos, star ratings, and clear, concise details play a key role in shaping that first impression.

This behavior is reflected in the NextGen Travellers report (2024), co-authored by Google and Deloitte, which notes that most trip research now begins with a search, particularly on smartphones. In emerging markets, around 60% of travel-related searches are expected to happen online, especially with phones, highlighting a global shift toward digital-first planning (Travel 2040).

Moreover, future growth will come from regions where travelers look for trust and reassurance in the content they find. People expect clear information, fresh photos, and credible reviews before they book.

What stands out to the human eye might not even register for an AI. That difference makes digital clarity just as important as creativity when aiming to reach both audiences.

Incomplete or Outdated Listings Undermine Trust

Whether it’s a human traveler or an AI assistant making suggestions, one thing remains true: incomplete or outdated content breaks trust.

So, how can destinations stay up-to-date and visible? It’s easy to assume that digital ads are the main driver of visibility, but the reality is more layered. According to the recent Sojern report, 85% of DMOs are maintaining or increasing their digital ad budgets in 2025. Even so, the report emphasizes that organic visibility continues to shape discovery, especially early in the planning phase. Search engines remain a top entry point for travelers researching destinations.

From queries like “quiet beach towns in Portugal” to “cycling routes in Garda,” it’s the destinations with strong SEO foundations that appear first.

These results are not just about keywords. They reflect investments in structured content, accurate listings, and optimized images.

Features like 360-degree photos and Google Street View give travelers a feel for the place before they arrive. These assets offer clarity and reduce hesitation, helping users imagine their future experience with confidence.

But when these digital environments are incomplete or outdated, trust and interest start to erode. Just like in Whistler, Canada, large areas of the resort town were not properly represented on Google Maps. As reported by Pique Magazine, this led to confusion for travelers and gave a skewed impression of the destination, despite its popularity on the ground.

From Planning to Arrival: Search Doesn’t Stop

Visibility doesn’t end once the traveler arrives. Many travel decisions are made locally, in the moment. Travelers no longer plan every detail. They plan as they go, using their phones to search for cafés, museums, or viewpoints while already on the move.

Numerous studies highlight that a significant portion of travel-related decisions happen spontaneously on location, as travelers explore their surroundings. Smartphones are the bridge between intention and action. If the destination’s digital footprint is weak in those moments, the opportunity is lost. And these decisions are increasingly filtered by proximity.

By the time a traveler is searching “near me,” the planning phase is already behind them. They’re on foot, mid-journey, looking for something that fits the moment. What appears on their screen isn’t just information: it becomes the shortlist. In that instant, proximity, presentation, and presence carry more weight than brand names or travel guides.

This is why local SEO matters. It's not just about rankings in broad destination research. It's about showing up when travelers are nearby and ready to act. Accurate business hours, high-quality images, real-time updates, and verified reviews all influence how a place is perceived at that moment.

Conclusion

This blog is meant as an introduction to some of the visibility challenges we've observed while working with DMOs and tourism partners across the industry. From shifting search behavior to rising traveler expectations, the landscape is evolving rapidly.

If you’d like to explore these issues further, check out the sources we’ve linked throughout this post. If anything here raises a question or sparks an idea, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to start a conversation and hear how visibility is showing up in your destination’s story.