Are Google’s AI Travel Outcomes Uncovering More Hidden Gems? [Data Study]

Google’s AI-generated outcomes reshape how individuals search, and Google has stated that web sites ought to anticipate visitors fluctuations and that prior success in natural Search doesn’t assure future success within the new ecosystem.

This is an enormous declare, and it’s been debated whether or not “Hidden Gems” are getting extra visibility in trendy Search and I’m doing my finest to work by way of as a lot knowledge as attainable to establish if the claims from Google above have substance.

Google’s Hidden Gems initiative is its effort to spotlight real, first‑hand content material from smaller corners of the net.

It was first revealed in May 2023 and absolutely built-in into the core algorithm later that 12 months, with official acknowledgment in mid-November 2023.

It targets posts with first-hand information, private insights, and distinctive experiences normally discovered on boards, blogs, social platforms, and area of interest websites.

Rather than favoring solely high-authority domains, it now surfaces these missed “gems” as a result of they provide real and sensible views from creators and types, not powered by the standard search engine marketing metrics and massive model budgets.

Hidden Gems has the target of:

Improving how we (Google) rank ends in Search general, with a larger give attention to content material with distinctive experience and expertise.

This brings me to the journey sector and the notion of Hidden Gems.

It has been a long-held perception within the journey sector that Google favors larger journey manufacturers. When I labored in regional businesses that had journey purchasers, this was nearly a celebration line when pitching SME and challenger journey web sites.

Now search is evolving, and we’re seeing an increasing number of Search options both powered by or immediately interfacing with AI, is that this now a possibility for challenger journey manufacturers to realize additional visibility inside Google’s Search ecosystem?

Methodology

To examine, we analyzed a dataset of 5,824 URLs surfaced in Google’s AI-generated outcomes for travel-related queries.

As a part of the methodology, we additionally reviewed conventional search engine marketing metrics resembling estimated website visitors, area ranking, and whole variety of area key phrases to validate a qualitative assessment of whether or not a website capabilities as a strong journey model or a challenger model.

Each URL was manually reviewed and tagged based mostly on whether or not Google recognized it as a Hidden Gem. We in contrast their visibility, area authority, and the way usually they appeared in AI outcomes.

Quantity Vs. Frequency

The dataset revealed a nuanced dynamic: While Hidden Gems had been extra numerous, they weren’t extra dominant.

From the 5,824 cited URLs, we recognized 1,371 distinctive domains. We categorised 590 of those as Hidden Gem domains in comparison with 781 established domains.

However, these 781 established domains appeared 4,576 instances in whole, a a lot greater return price than the 1,248 whole appearances of the Hidden Gems.

This means that whereas AI mode is surfacing all kinds of lesser-known sources, it nonetheless leans closely on established manufacturers for repeated visibility.

As you’d anticipate, domains we recognized as not being “Hidden Gems” had a larger weighting of upper DR than not.

Image from writer, August 2025

By distinction, the domains we recognized as being Hidden Gems weren’t weighted in the wrong way, however as an alternative rather more evenly unfold out.

Image from writer, August 2025

In different phrases, Google is sampling extensively from the lengthy tail however serving steadily from the pinnacle of the distribution.

Authority Still Has A Role

While conventional search engine marketing has lengthy positioned emphasis on authority metrics like Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA), our evaluation exhibits that their affect could also be diminishing within the context of AI-led search.

This shift aligns with broader tendencies we’ve noticed in Google’s evolving rating techniques.

Instead of relying closely on link-based authority, AI Overviews and related experiences seem to prioritize content material that demonstrates depth, originality, and powerful alignment with consumer intent.

Authority hasn’t disappeared, however it’s been repositioned. Rather than performing as a gatekeeper for visibility, it’s now certainly one of many components, usually taking a again seat to how nicely a bit of content material anticipates and satisfies the consumer’s informational wants within the second.

What This Means For Travel Brands

Hidden Gems are displaying up in Google’s AI outcomes, however they’re not displacing the giants. They’re showing alongside them, providing extra selection however much less dominance.

For challenger manufacturers, this represents each a possibility and a problem.

First-Hand Content Gains Ground

The alternative is obvious: Content that’s particular, real, and helpful is getting seen, even from smaller or lesser-known websites.

AI-powered outcomes appear to be extra keen to incorporate pages that ship sensible insights, first-hand expertise, and area of interest relevance, even when they lack the standard indicators of authority.

This creates new openings for manufacturers that beforehand struggled to compete on backlinks or model power alone.

Repetition And Recall Still Matter

But the problem is equally clear in that visibility isn’t evenly distributed.

While Google could pattern from a broader vary of sources, the repetition and prominence nonetheless favor the dominant journey manufacturers.

These manufacturers seem extra steadily, profit from larger model recall, and usually tend to be clicked just because they’re acquainted.

So for newer or challenger manufacturers, the query turns into: How do you flip presence into choice?

Where Should I Be Focusing?

Consistency Of Presence

It begins with consistency. One or two appearances in AI Overviews received’t transfer the needle.

Travel manufacturers want to consider sustained visibility, displaying up throughout a spread of subjects, codecs, and moments within the consumer journey.

That means constructing out content material that doesn’t simply reply frequent queries however anticipates nuanced wants, conjures up curiosity, and gives distinctive, first-hand perception.

Clarity Of Voice

Next comes readability of voice. AI techniques are more and more delicate to content material that indicators credibility, expertise, and originality.

Brands that discover and articulate a transparent editorial voice, whether or not that’s luxurious journey with an area twist, gradual journey for sustainability, or journey itineraries from individuals who’ve truly been there, usually tend to stand out.

Intent Understanding

Finally, there’s an intent understanding. Challenger manufacturers should shift from considering in key phrases to considering in moments.

What’s the consumer attempting to think about, plan, clear up, or really feel at this level of their journey? How can your content material communicate on to that?

A New Definition Of Authority

The journey giants nonetheless have scale on their facet, however challenger manufacturers now have a greater probability to earn visibility by way of authenticity and depth. That’s a unique sort of authority, one rooted in relevance and resonance.

For journey SEOs keen to rethink what authority means, and for manufacturers able to put money into significant, user-first content material, AI-powered search is now not only a menace. It’s an invite.

Not to play the identical sport the giants are taking part in, however to play a unique one, and win in numerous methods.

More Resources:

Featured Image: SvetaZi/Shutterstock