What Visitors Really Ask AI: Webinar Recording and Transcript

This article is an edited transcript of a webinar for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), presented by Marina Petrova, the CEO & Co‑Founder of Intentful, on August 26, 2025. Please note we tightened phrasing for readability, and preserved the speaker’s meaning.

Marina Petrova: Hello and welcome, everyone! I’m Marina Petrova, the CEO and Co‑Founder of Intentful. Today I’m sharing insights from thousands of real questions visitors ask AI on destination websites, and practical steps DMOs can take to be discoverable and genuinely helpful in this new landscape.

We’ll cover three things today:

• What visitors ask AI on destination sites (based on a sample of 15,000 real queries).
• How AI finds and decides what to answer, explained in plain language.
• Recommendations to make your destination easily discoverable and useful across AI systems.

Context: AI Is Changing How People Seek Information

AI is no longer a niche tool. It’s reshaping how people interact with content, brands, and destinations. While it may feel overwhelming, this change is an opportunity: DMOs can now connect with every visitor one‑to‑one and at scale, at the same time.

Grounded in Practical AI Work

At Intentful, our knowledge comes from practical builds, not theory. Our expertise is built on hands-on experience with how AI systems actually search, retrieve, and interpret information, working directly with APIs, crawlers, retrieval logic, and embedding pipelines. This system-level knowledge powers Intentful’s own products, such as AI-search-driven Assistants and Generative Response Ads, where AI must find and deliver brand-aware answers in real time. 

AI systems evolve daily. For Intentful, adapting to that constant change is built into our DNA. Since 2021, we have worked hands-on with AI discoverability, working in-depth with multiple LLMs, evolving in real time alongside the technology itself. 

Beyond destinations, Intentful is currently supporting organizations across travel, performing arts, consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, and agencies, with an expanding global footprint.

Methodology

• The insights today come from 15,000 anonymized questions asked by real people via Intentful’s technology and one of our products, Intentful AI assistant embedded on DMO websites.
• We never collect any personally identifiable information. We only know the question that was asked, but we don’t know who asked it.
• Some of the visitor questions included here appear exactly as they were asked — typos, grammar slips, and all — to reflect the real, unpolished way people interact with AI.
• Some examples shown here are lightly paraphrased to remove overly sensitive details while preserving intent.

The Big Picture: What Do Visitors Ask?

Short answer: almost anything. From practical logistics (parking, hours, events) to curious human questions ("Is this restaurant haunted?") to highly specific accessibility needs.

As you read these, I encourage you to consider: If a question like this was asked on your destination website, does your website actually contain the answer? If not, AI (and your visitors) can’t find the information they need.

• “Do I need a reservation to enter the park?”
• “Is there overnight parking at the beach?”
• “Who was the mayor in the 1990s”
• “Can I bring my dog on the trolley?”
• “Where should I go thrift shopping?”
• “how much does it cost to add an event”
• “date night ideas”
• “Can you ride your horse on this beach”
• “where can i get a mongolian lobster roll”
• “Did you know that you guys have a grammatical error in your inviting ad on page 45 of the most recent *** magazine, though a way too common mistake, it should be, Lie Back, not Lay Back…”
• “Traffic on 101 south is at a standstill! Why?”
• “What’s the best hike if my husband just had a hip replacement?”
• “Is it haunted?”
• “At what time does the fireworks start”
• “Can you get married in the lighthouse?”

The Tone and Type of Questions: Talking to a Trusted Local

From parking fees to haunted places, from thrift shopping to bike races, from drone shows on July 4th to ADA beach access, from event listings to local history… visitors’ questions cover everything imaginable.

People phrase questions the way they’d talk to a trusted local. Over time, questions have evolved from keyword fragments to full conversational phrases that expect context‑rich answers.

Visitors interact with AI conversationally — joking, testing, even confiding — while fully aware it is not human.

• “Hi there!”
• “Good morning.”
• “Great, thanks!”
• “Thank you, you were helpful.”
• “Cool, appreciate it.”
• “I don’t like you.”
• “Ok bye.”
• “Here is a joke: Why did the computer go to the doctor? Because it got a virus!”

Behind every query is a search for information

Think of the type of information visitors want as these three buckets:

• What do I need to know?
• How do I get what I need?
• Where do I find it here?

Categories of Questions (with Examples)

Basics and Practical Details

• “what are the hours of the shuttle?”
• “Grove? Reservation needed?”
• “What time does the farmers market end at?”
• “Is there public parking at the beaches”
• “What is average cost of a room”
• “Are restroom facilities available at the beach”
• “How late do the stores stay open?”
• “Are there activities that are handicap friendly accessible”
• “Which streets will be closed for the parade today?”
• “Can you rent beach chairs and umbrellas?”
• “What is the elevation there?”
• “When do fall colors peak”
• “Is there a customer service phone number?”

Takeaway: Ensure core logistics (hours, reservations, fees, parking, accessibility, seasonal timing) are clear and current.

Straight‑to‑the‑Point and Transactional

• “I ordered 3 tix for tomorrow.”
• “Tell me about food related events.”
• “How do I sign up?”
• “Hi need form for vendor at May 4 thanks”
• “How much for dinner cruise for 2 people?”
• “Directions.”
• “Cost?”
• “What time does it start?”
• “What’s the address?”
• “Provide me the actual statute numbers please.”
• “How much were tickets for food and wine festival”
• “10 rooms for 03/20 - 03/22 what would the discount be and is breakfast included” 
• “A room December 15 to17  ocean front what will be the price”
• “where can i reserve lake picnic tables”
• “How much to rent a booth”
• “How can I apply to sell my product”
• “Can I get a refund for the ice rink tickets?”
• “How much to reserve a table for 6?”
• “do you sell gift cards for general admission?”
• “Hi! I would like to buy a 2025 poster of the jazz and blues festival.”

Human Curiosity

• “why is chinese camp a ghost town?”
• “Why are you guys having the firework celebration the day before 4th of July instead of on 4th of July”
• “Gold panning area”
• “facts about the lighthouse”
• “I am interested in 2 days along the coast. what do you recommend?”
• “When does fall weather begin”
• “tell me more about ufos”
• “Can you swim outside the sandy beach area”
• “Are there bears”

Takeaway: People want stories, context, and the “why,” not just listings.

Understanding the Details (Post‑Action Checks)

• “Does this hotel have free parking?”
• “How can I get a confirmation for the tickets I purchased on line.”
• “Looking for a shuttle service for MAy 2nd. Group of 60 need to get from ** to *** (can be in waves)”
• “Can I get an email reminder when tickets go on sale?”
• “Do you have to bring your own snorkeling gear”
• “How to enter car show”
• “where can I use my America the beautiful pass?”
• “How do i retrieve my tickets for the comedy show”
• “I submitted an event but it hasn’t posted yet.”
• “What time is check in”

Takeaway: Expect follow‑ups, even for actions completed elsewhere.

Accessibility and Personal Context

Visitors often share meaningful context to get tailored advice:

• “Where should I go with a toddler”
• “Anything free or fun to do for a girls. 21st birthday.”
• “What’s the best hike if my husband just had a hip replacement?”
• “We are coming on 3/29 for the day..about 8 or 10 people.  Looking for a nice place for lunch and to walk around a bit. I do walk a cane.. but the group can go.  I can rest.. read a book. Shady..”
• “Any good restaurants in this area I have food allergy restrictions cannot have dairy soy or wheat”
• “I’m mobility challenged. Low back pain and walk with a cane. What can I enjoy in ***? I’m 74 female”
• “is there enough to do for 5 days? I am a solo female over 60”
• “which ones are romantic for a honeymoon?”
• “Pet friendly adventures”
• “looking for examples of things to do that accommodate visitors with physical or sensory challenges”

Takeaway: Provide accessible routes, equipment details, terrain difficulty, pet policies, and dietary notes where relevant.

Locals Asking Local Questions

Not all visitors are tourists. Locals ask:

• Whether they can walk to an event from their neighborhood
• Where to get forms or confirmations
• How to add a food truck or event

Takeaway: Your site also serves residents and partners; structure content accordingly.

Events and “What’s On” (Usually Near‑Term)

• “whats happening this weekend”
• “Is there a 2025 2026 new years eve fireworks display this year? Please let me know, this is a family tradition for us”
• “Who is playing at music in the park on Wednesday in July”
• “What events are planned for the last week of March?”
• “Can kids come to the car show?”

Takeaway: Keep event data fresh, structured, and filterable by date window.

Food and Drink

• “Best mexican restaurant”
• “Best places to eat for a date night”
• “there is something vegan friendly?”
• “good breakfast spots”
• “where can I find cuban food”

Takeaway: Move beyond listings. Add criteria that help AI (and people) choose (e.g., kid‑friendly, outdoor seating, gluten‑free options).

Lodging, Transportation and Parking

• “what hotels have meeting space?”
• “what hotels are close to the airport”
• “Where’s the best place to stay for a honeymoon?”
• “Looking for an inexpensive but decent motel in a pretty setting.”
• “Rv parking”
• “city parking with an rv”
• “Is there a public bus from the airport to downtown? If so, how often does it run?”
• “Hi is there a parking reservation I need to do I’m planning on going hiking this weekend”
• “Which streets will be closed for the parade?”
• “Where is the parking zone number next to the fort?”

Takeaway: Many users assume you have real‑time answers. Be explicit about what’s real‑time vs. general guidance and link to authoritative sources where needed.

Why This Matters: Trip Planning Isn’t Linear

The funnel is real: dream → plan → book → visit, but travelers don’t follow it like checkpoints.

People don’t plan in one sitting or in a tidy funnel. They jump across topics and return with follow‑ups. Design your content so any page can be the entry point and answers stand on their own.

How AI Decides What to Answer – In Simple Terms

• If information isn’t published, AI won’t know it. Some systems will guess; better systems decline to answer. Either way, missing content = missed opportunities.
• AI reads facts, not your reputation. It doesn’t “know” you’re the official DMO unless your content and markup make it evident. Right now, AI doesn’t care much about reputation and surfaces the information it considers to be clear.
• Retrieval uses context, not just keywords. Text is broken into chunks, embedded as vectors, and matched by meaning.
• Machines prefer structured, accessible pages. Clear headings, lists, tables, schema, sitemaps, and robots settings make content visible and parseable.
• If AI can’t find information it, it moves on. Re‑querying costs compute. Don’t rely on a second chance.

When AI Cannot Find Information: Two Big Failure Modes

• Unreadable (to AI) pages: Poor structure, missing sitemaps/robots issues, inaccessible content.
• Missing/incomplete facts: Beautiful pages with no details about hours, fees, parking, accessibility, etc.

Actionable Recommendations by Intentful

Intentful’s recommendations here reflect both the system-level view — how AI ingests and organizes content — and the human view, informed by 15,000 authentic visitor queries.

1. Balance inspiration with answers. Keep the beautiful imagery, but accompany it with practical information: facts.
2. Add the details AI needs: hours, seasonality, fees, parking, reservations, accessibility, pet‑friendly info, dietary notes, equipment, terrain difficulty, public transit, links to real‑time sources. Update Member pages!
   
3. Structure everything: use semantic headings, bullet lists, tables where appropriate, and applicable schema (events, places, articles). Maintain a clean sitemap and correct robots.txt.
4. Make accessibility a feature, not an afterthought. Accessible pages are not only more inclusive, they are easier for AI to parse.
5. Keep near‑term data current. Many questions are “today/this weekend.” Create an internal process to keep time‑sensitive content updated.
6. Avoid hidden pages. Don’t hide machine‑only content. Instead, keep it human‑visible but de‑emphasized in the layout, and clearly structured for machines.
7. For volatile details (like prices): where manual updates are heavy, consider API feeds or provide ranges with clear links to authoritative sources for the latest.
   

Closing

AI is an opportunity to serve every visitor with precise, contextual answers. Make your site readable by machines, own your story with detailed facts, and create an update cadence for time‑sensitive info. If you’d like to go deeper on discoverability or page structure, we’re happy to help.