SEO News - February 2026

1. Organic search traffic is declining as AI features expand

Recent industry data shows that organic search traffic is beginning to decline as AI-powered features become more common in search results.

Analysis of more than 40,000 websites found that organic traffic fell by around 2.5% year on year. AI Overviews now appear on roughly 30% of search results pages and can reduce click-through rates by up to 35% when they are present.

For travel brands, this is particularly important because many planning searches such as ‘best time to visit Rome’ or ‘things to do in Reykjavik’ are now answered directly within search results.

This means travellers are increasingly getting the information they need without visiting multiple websites.

As a result, travel marketers should focus on:

• Creating content that is valuable enough to encourage deeper engagement beyond quick answers.
• Optimising for visibility within AI summaries and featured results.
• Tracking performance using broader metrics such as assisted conversions and branded search growth.

In 2026, success in travel SEO is no longer just about ranking first. It is about remaining visible and influential across an AI-driven search journey.

2. Experience-led content and E-E-A-T are more important than ever

Search engines are continuing to prioritise Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). In 2026, demonstrating real-world experience is becoming just as important as technical optimisation, particularly in competitive sectors such as travel.

For travel brands, this means placing greater emphasis on content created by people with genuine destination knowledge, supported by first-hand insights, practical itineraries and local recommendations. Author credentials, verified travel expertise and trusted reviews also play an increasingly important role in establishing credibility and trust.

As a result, generic destination pages and mass-produced travel guides are struggling to compete with more detailed, experience-led content. Search engines are increasingly rewarding brands that clearly demonstrate a deep understanding of the places, services and experiences they promote.

3. Answer Engine Optimisation is growing alongside traditional SEO

Answer Engine Optimisation, often referred to as AEO, focuses on optimising content for AI assistants and conversational search platforms rather than just traditional search results.

Instead of ranking for keywords alone, AEO aims to provide clear, direct answers to user questions that can be used by AI systems.

For travel SEO, this includes:

• Optimising FAQ sections
• Writing conversational content
• Structuring pages around common traveller questions
• Using natural language rather than keyword-heavy phrasing

Examples include:

• ‘What is the best time to visit Iceland?’
• ‘How do you travel between Greek islands?’
• ‘Where are the best family resorts in Tenerife?’

By anticipating how travellers phrase questions, brands can improve their visibility in AI-driven discovery platforms.

4. Ongoing search volatility rewards agile SEO strategies

Google continues to enhance Search Console, giving travel brands new ways to track and optimise site performance. If you haven’t already, setting up a Search Console account is essential for monitoring how your content appears in search results.

In December, new features included:

• AI-powered reporting – Generate custom reports simply by describing the data you need, with filters, metrics and date ranges applied automatically.

• Social channel insights – Adds visibility data from a site’s social networks (currently limited testing) to the Insights report.

• Weekly and monthly views – Performance graphs can now display weekly or monthly data, making trend analysis easier.

This builds on previous updates we covered in our December 2025 SEO news roundup, including custom annotations, which let travel brands log key events such as: new holiday destinations, seasonal offers, cruise routes or major campaigns. Combining these tools makes it far easier to analyse performance changes against promotions, seasonal trends and Google updates, helping you refine your strategy for 2026.

That's all for now - see you next month!