Why Agentic Search Is Quietly Rewriting the Rules and How to Keep Up
When group leads start to dry up, most hotel teams scramble to tweak their RFP process, refresh their offers, or blame seasonality.
But what if the real problem isn’t internal … it’s invisible?
On a recent episode of The InnSync Show, Cory Falter and Christine Malfair unpacked what they call the “silent hotel sales killer,” and trust me, it’s not something most teams are even aware of yet.
Spoiler: It’s not about your comp set or the economy.
It’s about agentic search, and if that phrase doesn’t ring any bells yet, buckle up.
So What Is Agentic Search?
Christine, founder of Malfair Marketing and one of the sharpest minds in hospitality marketing, broke it down simply: “Once upon a time, we searched in Google. Now we prompt in ChatGPT.”
Search behavior is shifting from keywords to conversational queries, from browsers to bots, and hotels that don’t adapt are already seeing the cracks: a drop in website traffic, fewer inbound inquiries, and sluggish RFP flow.
Search Behavior Is Changing Fast
The data doesn’t lie. Traditional search is declining, and AI prompt-based tools are gaining traction fast. As guests and planners shift from Google to tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, the way your hotel is discovered (or ignored) is evolving with it.
Cory’s group side take? “The faucet has begun to really stop for the first time in a long time… and many sales teams don’t even know why.”
As someone who works closely with hotel sales teams and vendors, I can tell you: if you’re waiting for leads to trickle back in the way they used to, you’re going to be waiting a long time.
Marketing & Sales Can’t Sit at Separate Tables Anymore
In most industries, marketing and sales collaborate closely. Not so in hospitality.
Cory said, “In hospitality, they’ve been sitting at different locations at the hotel.”
This disconnect is precisely why so many hotels are unprepared for the shift in guest and planner behavior.
Agentic search requires a new level of alignment between your sales strategy and your marketing content, because today, your website is no longer a brochure.
It’s your best salesperson.
Your Website: From Booking Funnel to Digital Concierge
Christine made a compelling case for rethinking how we view our websites. “It’s not just a booking tool,” she said. “It needs to be a repository of goodness. A concierge. A destination guide. A trust signal.”
Cory took it further: “You never want to build your online visibility on rented real estate. The website is more important now than ever.”
That doesn’t mean you need to blow up your current strategy.
In fact, Christine encourages hotels to start small. Use what you already have: your FAQs, guest reviews, keyword data, and just get it on the page in new ways that answer real questions.
The “High Fives” of Group Sales Content
One of my favorite parts of the episode was when Cory outlined our “High Fives,” the five easiest, most impactful ways group sales teams can align with this shift and stand out to both human planners and AI agents.
- FAQs: Not buried on a single page. Placed throughout your site where they matter—especially on group and meeting pages.
- Team Page: Planners want to know who they’re working with. Photos, bios, friendly intros. Show us the people behind the pitch.
- Testimonials: Especially video testimonials. “Nothing sells your property better than someone else’s experience,” Cory said.
- Pricing Snapshots: Not rate cards—just ballpark figures for different group sizes and types to reduce friction and increase form fills.
- Short Forms: Please stop making assistants wade through multi-step RFPs to ask a simple question. Make it easy to raise a hand.
Implementing these doesn’t just improve the guest journey—it sends signals to AI agents about your trustworthiness, expertise, and relevance (hello, EEAT).
The Bigger Picture: Why Now?
The barrier to entry is low, but the window to act is closing.
“It’s a lot easier to win today than it’s going to be at the end of the year,” Cory says.
He’s not wrong.
Whether you’re marketing to a solo traveler or an enterprise-level planning team, one truth remains: you can’t afford to be invisible in the next era of search.
This isn’t just a content problem or a tech trend, it’s a visibility crisis.
The good news? You have the tools. You have the team. You just need a new roadmap.
And that starts with asking one question:
Are we showing up where our future guests and planners are looking?
Because if the answer is no, the silence you’re hearing in your inbox might just get louder.
Curious about how your group sales page can become agentic-relevant AND human-friendly? Check out The WINS Method™ >>
About Lure Agency
Lure Agency is renowned for its passion for R&R – Relationships and Revenue. This Hospitality B2B marketing agency stands out for its unique «Science and Soul» approach, expertly fusing data-driven strategies with creative flair. Specializing in helping independent resorts, tech companies, and suppliers and vendors in the hospitality industry.
Lure Agency crafts success stories by balancing human connection with tailored strategies. Their work goes beyond mere business transactions; it’s a journey of collaboration and innovation.
Lure Agency is committed to concocting success stories and inviting interested parties to learn more at www.lureagency.com.
