5W Launches AI Visibility Index for Airlines and Hotels
5W Public Relations has released its Airlines & Hotels AI Visibility Index 2026, a study that measures how often major travel brands are cited in AI-generated answers across platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The research analyzed more than 60 travel-related prompts spanning leisure, business, luxury, family, and budget travel to determine which brands are most visible when consumers turn to AI for recommendations.
One of the report’s key findings is that brand size does not necessarily translate to AI visibility. While some companies lead their industries in capacity or property count, AI platforms more frequently surfaced brands such as Delta Air Lines, Marriott International, and Hilton. According to the study, factors such as earned media coverage, brand authority, and trusted third-party sources appear to have a greater impact on AI citation share than scale alone.
The report highlights what 5W calls a growing shift in consumer discovery behavior, as travelers increasingly use AI tools during the research and planning process. The firm argues that AI visibility is becoming an important marketing metric, with brands that are frequently cited by AI systems gaining a stronger position in consumers’ consideration sets. The study also underscores the emerging role of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), a strategy focused on increasing a brand’s presence within AI-generated answers rather than traditional search rankings.
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CVS Health Expands AI-Powered Call Center Personalization
CVS Health is expanding its partnership with Salesforce to enhance the call center experience for millions of members and 1.5 million providers. The company will implement Salesforce’s Agentforce Health platform across its Aetna and CVS Caremark businesses, using AI-powered agents to help customer service representatives resolve inquiries faster and provide more personalized support.
The new platform will connect relevant member data across CVS Health’s businesses, giving representatives a more complete view of a customer’s healthcare journey. By combining AI-driven insights with human oversight, CVS aims to reduce friction during interactions, address issues more efficiently, and create a more seamless experience for members seeking assistance.
The announcement builds on a decade-long collaboration between CVS Health and Salesforce and represents Salesforce’s largest Agentforce deal in a regulated industry to date. In addition to improving service quality, the technology is expected to automate routine tasks, allowing customer care teams to focus on more complex needs and spend more meaningful time supporting members.
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Marriott Bonvoy, Outside Expand Adventure Travel Rewards
Marriott Bonvoy and Outside Interactive have expanded their partnership to reward travelers for outdoor activities during their stays at participating Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors properties across the U.S. and Canada. Guests who link their Marriott Bonvoy and Outside accounts can now earn Marriott Bonvoy points by recording activities such as hiking, running, and biking through Outside’s mapping and fitness apps while staying at eligible properties. The initiative spans more than 350 hotels and accommodations, including Postcard Cabins and Trailborn Hotels.
The program also includes a range of introductory incentives. New users who connect their accounts by August 11, 2026, receive a complimentary 14-day Outside+ Adventure Pass trial with access to premium trail maps and offline navigation. Existing Outside+ subscribers earn bonus Marriott Bonvoy points simply for linking accounts, while all participating members can accumulate up to 5,000 points annually by tracking activities during eligible stays. Travelers who upgrade to a full Outside+ subscription can unlock additional point bonuses.
Beyond earning rewards, the partnership is introducing exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments focused on outdoor experiences, including guided fly-fishing adventures in Wyoming and dark-sky tours in Arizona. The collaboration builds on Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors, a platform launched in 2025 that helps travelers discover destinations based on activities such as hiking, biking, skiing, and paddling. Together, Marriott and Outside aim to create more immersive, experience-driven travel opportunities that connect loyalty rewards with adventure and exploration.
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