ChatGPT as a next-generation receptionist

Wyndham, which operates brands such as Ramada, Days Inn, and Super 8, introduced a native app at the beginning of May 2026 integrated directly into OpenAI's ChatGPT. A traveler can use natural language — in Czech or any other language — to describe their requirements: "I'm looking for a hotel in the center of Prague with parking and a pool for up to CZK 3,000 per night." Based on Wyndham's data, ChatGPT will offer specific options, display them on a map, and redirect them to complete the booking on the hotel chain's website.

Scott Strickland, Wyndham's Chief Commercial Officer, says: "Conversational AI is changing the way travelers discover hotels and book them. With this app, we are helping our hotels stay ahead — building on years of AI investments to connect with guests in new ways."

This is not the brand's first step into the world of large language models. Wyndham already became the first hotel chain integrated into Anthropic Claude back in 2025, and according to Michael Mahar, head of commercial technology, integration with Google AI Mode (the Gemini search feature) is already in the works. The strategy is clear: be everywhere the traveler asks.

Three layers of visibility: Why being on Google is no longer enough

Hotel marketing experts are starting to talk about the so-called three layers of AI visibility. The first is discoverability: when a user asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude for a hotel recommendation, does your brand appear in the answer? The second is trustworthiness: what sources does the AI draw information about your hotel from, and is it consistent? The third is transactional capability: can the AI not only recommend but also complete the booking?

Stephanie Smith, CEO of Cogwheel Marketing, sums it up unequivocally: "If you're not discoverable, the guest never gets to the next step. Distribution doesn't start in the hotel's booking system but at the AI recommendation. If your hotel isn't part of the answer the AI gives, you're not competing on price — you're fighting for your very existence in the consideration set."

Unlike traditional SEO, where backlinks play a key role, large language models make decisions based on consistent mentions across trusted sources — your own website, local blogs, media, social networks, reviews, and structured data. If this information is incomplete or contradictory, the AI may either ignore the hotel entirely or "fill in the blanks" — which in AI language means hallucinating.

Why this matters for Czech hoteliers too

Currently, major hotel AI integrations mainly involve American giants, but the trend will spread quickly. The European Union, through the AI Act, is creating a regulatory framework that will likely support AI deployment in tourism — transparent rules will increase consumer trust in AI recommendations. For Czech hoteliers, this means two things.

First: ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude already routinely respond in Czech, and Czech travelers use them to plan holidays and business trips. A hotel that is not present in these responses is losing a growing segment of customers — especially the younger generation, for whom conversing with AI is more natural than browsing comparison sites.

Second: even smaller hotels can actively build their AI visibility. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) — optimization for generative AI — relies on several specific steps: maintaining current and structured data on your own website, being present on trusted industry platforms, gaining consistent mentions in media and reviews, and using schema markup for better machine processing of content.

Numbers that speak for themselves

Wyndham has invested over 450 million dollars (roughly CZK 10 billion) in technology modernization since 2018. The results were not long in coming: AI tools in the call center reduced average call time by 7%, the Wyndham Connect platform generates over USD 60,000 in incremental revenue annually (approximately CZK 1.4 million) for the most active hotels, with the most successful property surpassing the USD 200,000 mark (CZK 4.6 million).

Marriott has already confirmed it is working on natural language search on its website. Choice Hotels has deployed AI tools for group booking management and revenue management. Hilton is testing a generative AI concierge for trip planning. The race for AI visibility is in full swing.

What this means for the everyday traveler

For the end user, the main change is the end of the era of clicking through dozens of tabs on comparison sites. Instead, you write one sentence — and within seconds, AI offers you a personalized selection. At the same time, however, the risk grows that the AI assistant will become another intermediary, creating another layer between you and the hotel — much like Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Booking.com once did.

The key question will be whether AI platforms introduce an advertising model that could — similarly to Google Search — influence which hotels appear in the top positions. For now, everything is in flux and the rules of the game are being written on the fly.