Google AI Mode Hotel Study 2026:Where Do Hotel Links Actually Go?
TL;DR: In a study of 4,000 Google AI Mode queries across 8 cities, we found that 79% of hotel links stay within Google via Business Profiles, while OTAs receive just 3.6% of clicks despite accounting for 46.6% of reference citations. The Local Pack appears in only 6.5% of queries but sends 81% of its traffic directly to hotel websites. For hotels, this means Google Business Profile optimization is critical for AI Mode visibility, while OTA presence mainly influences which hotels get mentioned — not where users actually book.
Executive Summary
Google keeps the click. Hotels still win.
79% of hotel links stay within Google (via Google Business Profiles). Hotels get 16.3% direct — but since most GBP listings link back to the hotel, the effective direct access rate is ~93%.
Only 3.6% go to OTAs.
Yet OTAs dominate source citations — the small source links AI Mode uses. Intermediaries account for 46.6% of all citations. This means AI Mode learns from OTAs but sends traffic to Google and hotels.
Local Pack appears in only 6.5% of queries but when it does, 81% of its links go directly to hotel websites — making it the most hotel-friendly surface.
Where Do Hotel Links Go?
Of 6,130 hotel mentions users can interact with in AI Mode responses:
GBP = Google Business Profile — the hotel's listing on Google Maps/Search showing address, reviews, photos, and booking links. When users click a hotel link in AI Mode, 79% land on this Google-owned page first.
Hotel website direct (16.3%) + GBP listings that link to the hotel (~97% of 79.1%) = ~93% of hotel links ultimately reach the hotel.
Hotel Link Destinations
Hotel Link Destinations
| Destination | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Google (GBP) | 4,851 | 79.1% |
| Hotel website (direct) | 1,016 | 16.6% |
| OTA | 221 | 3.6% |
| Meta/review site | 42 | 0.7% |
OTAs get almost nothing from hotel links — only 3.6%. Google keeps 79% within its own ecosystem (GBP), and hotels get 16.3% direct. The OTA dominance is only in the source citations, not in the actual hotel cards users click.
Two Surfaces, Two Behaviors
AI Mode displays hotels in two distinct surfaces with very different link behaviors.
Link Type by Surface
4,968 hotel mentions
GBP dominates — Google acts as intermediary between user and hotel
1,162 hotel mentions
81% supplier rate — most hotel-friendly surface
Source Citations
Separate from hotel links. These are the inline source links AI Mode uses to support its answers. OTAs dominate here — but users don't interact with these the same way.
Local Pack Appearance
How often do map results appear in AI Mode responses?
What is the Local Pack? The map-based results panel showing 3-4 nearby hotels with ratings, prices, and direct booking links. Unlike the AI Overview (which links to GBP), the Local Pack often links directly to hotel websites — making it the most hotel-friendly surface in AI Mode.
By Query Type
We tested 5 types of hotel queries to see which trigger the Local Pack most often:
- Generic: "Best hotels in Paris" — broad city-level queries
- Boutique: "Best boutique hotels in Paris" — style-filtered
- Star Filter: "Best 3-star hotels in Paris" — category-filtered
- Neighborhood: "Best hotels in Paris Marais" — location-specific
- Persona: "Best hotels in Paris for couples" — intent-based
Local Pack Appearance by Query Type
Local Pack Rate by Query Type
| Query Type | Local Pack Rate |
|---|---|
| Boutique | 10% |
| Generic | 8.5% |
| Persona | 6.1% |
| Star Filter | 6% |
| Neighborhood | 1.6% |
Neighborhood queries have the lowest local pack rate (1.6%) despite being the most location-specific. Boutique queries trigger it most often (10.0%).
By City
We tested the same prompts across 8 cities: Paris, London, New York, Barcelona, Berlin, Lisbon, Vienna, and Bordeaux. Local Pack appearance varies significantly by destination — London triggers it most (14.2%), Bordeaux least (1.2%).
Local Pack Appearance by City
Local Pack Rate by City
| City | Local Pack Rate |
|---|---|
| London | 14.2% |
| Lisbon | 9.2% |
| Paris | 8.4% |
| Barcelona | 5.8% |
| Berlin | 5.4% |
| New York | 5.2% |
Source Citations
84,329 inline source citations — the small source links AI Mode uses to support its answers.
Sources by Type
Source Citations by Type
Source Citations by Type
| Source Type | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Metasearch/Reviews | 24,651 | 29.2% |
| Direct Website | 17,847 | 21.2% |
| Google Properties | 16,777 | 19.9% |
| OTAs | 14,627 | 17.3% |
| Editorial/Media | 9,214 | 10.9% |
| UGC (Reddit, etc.) | 1,213 | 1.4% |
Top 10 Domains
Top 10 Source Domains
Top 10 Source Domains
| Rank | Domain | Type | Citations | Share | Runs In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | google.com | 16,770 | 19.9% | 1,863 | |
| #2 | tripadvisor.com | Meta | 13,891 | 16.5% | 3,422 |
| #3 | booking.com | OTA | 3,269 | 3.9% | 1,792 |
| #4 | agoda.com | OTA | 2,766 | 3.3% | 1,629 |
| #5 | cntraveler.com | Editorial | 2,463 | 2.9% | 1,750 |
| #6 | expedia.com | OTA | 2,299 | 2.7% | 1,604 |
TripAdvisor appears in 3,422 of 4,000 runs (86%) — the most consistently cited source. Google cites itself in 19.9% of all sources.
Hotel Concentration
How concentrated are AI Mode's hotel recommendations?
We analyzed 6,082 hotel mentions across 8 cities and 5 query types. The story is nuanced: London is highly competitive (226 hotels, HHI 175), while Bordeaux is dominated by 2 hotels (Villas Foch + Yndo Hotel = 43% of mentions).
What is HHI? The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index measures market concentration. Below 1,000 = low concentration (competitive), 1,000–1,800 = moderate, above 1,800 = high (few players dominate). HHI is calculated per city AND per city×query-type combination for granular insights.
City-Level Concentration
Smaller cities naturally show higher concentration (fewer hotels to recommend). London's 226 unique hotels make it the most competitive market.
Market Concentration (HHI) by City
Concentration by City
| City | HHI | Unique Hotels | Top 5 Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux | 1169 | 74 | 65.3% |
| Vienna | 618 | 78 | 45.4% |
| Lisbon | 463 | 115 | 40.1% |
| Barcelona | 418 | 97 | 37.3% |
| Berlin | 378 | 114 | 33.4% |
| Paris | 344 | 165 | 36.1% |
City × Query Type Matrix
Concentration varies dramatically by query type. Family queries in Berlin and New York are highly concentrated (2 hotels dominate), while Boutique queries in London have 88 hotels competing.
Concentration by City × Query Type (HHI)
| City | Luxury/5-star | Boutique/Design | Budget/Value | Family | Romantic/Couples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 613 | 978 | 1,034 | 978 | 964 |
| Berlin | 1,094 | 566 | 579 | 2,141 | 1,182 |
| Bordeaux | 2,187 | 2,348 | 2,176 | 1,645 | 1,998 |
| Lisbon | 1,435 | 974 | 2,099 | 1,211 | 428 |
| London | 544 | 364 | 665 | 973 | 464 |
| New York | 748 | 715 | 906 | 1,776 | 838 |
| Paris | 706 | 650 | 632 | 1,068 | 1,521 |
| Vienna | 1,404 | 1,474 | 1,731 | 1,897 | 1,943 |
Most Concentrated Segments
These city×query combinations are dominated by 1-2 hotels. If you're competing here, you're up against entrenched favorites.
Most Concentrated City × Query Type Combinations
| City | Query Type | HHI | Dominant Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux | Boutique/Design | 2,348 | Villas Foch (35.2%), Yndo Hotel (31.6%) |
| Bordeaux | Luxury | 2,187 | InterContinental Le Grand (24.1%), Villas Foch (18.9%) |
| Berlin | Family | 2,141 | Hotel Adlon Kempinski (33.3%), Hotel Telegraphenamt (30.0%) |
| Lisbon | Budget | 2,099 | Blue Liberdade (32.4%), Hotel da Baixa (27.8%) |
| Vienna | Romantic | 1,943 | Hotel Sans Souci (33.1%), The Guesthouse Vienna (21.6%) |
Most Competitive Segments
These markets are wide open. Lower HHI means no single hotel dominates — more opportunity for new entrants.
Most Competitive City × Query Type Combinations
| City | Query Type | HHI | Hotels Competing | Top Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | Boutique/Design | 364 | 88 | Broadwick Soho (11.5%) |
| Lisbon | Romantic | 428 | 54 | The Ivens (12.8%) |
| London | Romantic | 464 | 56 | Chateau Denmark (10.2%) |
| London | Luxury | 544 | 45 | Claridge's (13.1%) |
| Berlin | Boutique | 566 | 41 | Wilmina Hotel (14.2%) |
Dominant Hotels by City
These hotels get the most total mentions in AI Mode for their city. Note: Villas Foch (Bordeaux) gets 143 mentions despite Bordeaux having the smallest market — showing just how dominant it is.
Top Hotel by City
| City | Dominant Hotel | Total Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux | Villas Foch | 143 |
| Lisbon | The Ivens | 107 |
| Berlin | Hotel Adlon Kempinski | 99 |
| Vienna | Hotel Sans Souci Wien | 93 |
| Barcelona | Mercer Hotel Barcelona | 77 |
| London | Claridge's | 69 |
Key insight: Concentration varies wildly by segment. Bordeaux Boutique is a duopoly (HHI 2,348) while London Boutique is highly competitive (HHI 364 with 88 hotels). Before investing in AI visibility, check YOUR specific city×query-type — not just citywide averages.
Study Design
Data Collection
- 40 prompts (8 cities x 5 query tiers)
- 25 runs per prompt per country via SERPAPI
- 4 country proxies: US, DE, FR, ES
- Engine: google_ai_mode (no_cache=True)
- Date: Feb 2–3, 2026
- Total: 4,000 queries
What We Measured
- Hotel link destinations (GBP, direct, OTA)
- AI Overview vs Local Pack surface
- Source citations (URL, domain, type)
- Local pack appearance rate
- Concentration metrics (HHI)
- Cross-tab outlier detection
Data Quality
Query Tiers
| Tier | Example |
|---|---|
| 1. Generic | Best hotels in Paris |
| 2. Boutique | Best boutique hotels in Paris |
| 3. Star Filter | Best 3-star hotels in Paris |
| 4. Neighborhood | Best hotels in Paris Marais |
| 5. Persona | Best boutique hotels in Paris for a couple |
Cities
Data Source
Data collected via SERPAPI google_ai_mode engine on Feb 2–3, 2026.
Cache disabled (no_cache=True) to ensure fresh responses for each query.
SERPAPI is the same API used by ChatGPT for web search.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google AI Mode favor OTAs over hotel websites?
No — the opposite is true. While OTAs dominate source citations (46.6% of all sources), they receive only 3.6% of actual hotel links. Google AI Mode sends 79% of hotel links to Google Business Profiles, and 16.6% directly to hotel websites. OTAs are used as information sources but not as link destinations. Hotels that optimize their Google Business Profile capture the vast majority of AI Mode traffic.
How do hotels get traffic from Google AI Mode?
Hotels receive traffic from Google AI Mode through two main surfaces: the AI Overview (81% of mentions) and the Local Pack (19% of mentions). In the AI Overview, hotel names link primarily to Google Business Profiles (96.8%). In the Local Pack, 81% of links go directly to hotel websites. To maximize AI Mode visibility, hotels should: 1) Claim and optimize their Google Business Profile with accurate information, photos, and reviews, 2) Ensure their website has proper schema markup, and 3) Maintain presence across review sites that AI Mode cites as sources.
What is a Google Business Profile link in AI Mode?
When a user clicks on a hotel name in Google AI Mode's response, they're taken to the hotel's Google Business Profile (GBP) — the same listing that appears in Google Maps and Search. This page shows the hotel's address, photos, reviews, amenities, and booking options. From the GBP, users can then click through to the hotel's website or book via integrated booking partners. 79.1% of all hotel links in AI Mode go to these GBP pages, making GBP optimization essential for AI visibility.
What is the Local Pack in Google AI Mode?
The Local Pack is a map-based results panel that sometimes appears in Google AI Mode responses, showing 3-4 nearby hotels with ratings, prices, and booking links. It appears in only 6.5% of hotel queries but is highly valuable because 81% of its links go directly to hotel websites (compared to just 1.5% in the AI Overview). Boutique hotel queries trigger the Local Pack most often (10%), while neighborhood-specific queries trigger it least (1.6%). London has the highest Local Pack appearance rate (14.2%).
Which sources does Google AI Mode trust for hotel information?
Google AI Mode cites a diverse mix of sources: Metasearch and review sites lead with 29.2% (primarily TripAdvisor at 16.5%), followed by hotel websites directly at 21.2%, Google's own properties at 19.9%, and OTAs at 17.3% (Booking.com 3.9%, Agoda 3.3%, Expedia 2.7%). Editorial sites like Condé Nast Traveler contribute 10.9%. TripAdvisor is the most consistently cited source, appearing in 86% of all queries. The key insight: being present across multiple source types increases your chances of being recommended.
How concentrated are Google AI Mode hotel recommendations?
Google AI Mode shows a healthy long tail of hotel recommendations. Across 4,000 queries, we identified 1,146 unique hotels. The top 5 hotels captured only 7.6% of all mentions, and 51% of hotels appeared just once. The overall HHI (Herfindahl-Hirschman Index) of 45.2 indicates very low concentration — no single hotel dominates. Smaller cities naturally show higher concentration (Bordeaux: HHI 810) than larger ones (London: HHI 156), reflecting the available hotel inventory rather than AI bias.
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