AI Agents, Florida Fishing Guides and the Future of Destination Data

Why DMOs and small operators must act now to stay visible in the era of agentic search.

In my last piece, I explored how AI agents are beginning to reshape the way hotels market themselves and connect with guests. Afterward, a Florida Keys stakeholder asked me a simple but powerful question:

“What does this mean for fishing guides? The primary way people find them is through Google searches,” said Allison Delashmit, Executive Director of the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA).

That question gets right to the heart of the digital disruption we’re all navigating. It’s not just about guides—it’s about how travelers will discover all local operators in the coming AI era.

How Fishing Guides Get Booked Today

For decades, fishing guides in the Keys have depended on:

• Google searches: Travelers type in “Florida Keys tarpon fishing” and click on the first few websites.

• -Search engine optimization (SEO): The captain who shows up on page one usually wins the customer.

• Review platforms: Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and Yelp provide credibility.

• Word-of-mouth referrals: Many repeat visitors come back to the same captain year after year.

It’s a system that works—but it rests heavily on the dominance of Google search.

The Coming Shift: From Search to Agents

As AI agents become mainstream, discovery will look very different:

• No scrolling, just answers. Instead of browsing ten blue links, an AI assistant will instantly recommend one or two fishing guides.

• Data, not websites. AI agents don’t rely only on crawling webpages; they pull structured data from sources they trust.

• New gatekeepers. If those sources are Expedia, Viator, or FishingBooker, then guides not listed there may effectively become invisible.

Imagine asking your AI travel assistant: “Find me a family-friendly half-day reef charter in Key Largo.” If the AI pulls only from OTA databases, a local captain without that listing may not even be an option.

What Fishing Guides Need to Do

Independent operators can’t just rely on a good website and Google ranking anymore.

To remain visible, guides will need to:

• Claim profiles on structured platforms (FishingBooker, TripAdvisor, or DMO databases like we are building at Visit Florida Keys).

• Maintain accurate data: keep prices, availability, and licensing information current.

• Encourage verified reviews: reviews remain a powerful trust signal that AI systems use to rank recommendations.

• Think in “answer engine optimization.” Instead of targeting keywords like “best tarpon charter,” guides should think about how their data helps an AI agent confidently answer a traveler’s query.

What Visit Florida Keys and Other DMOs Need to Do

Guides shouldn’t face this shift alone. This is where DMOs can step up as data stewards:

• Build a structured operator database: A master list of guides and charters, tagged with availability, prices, specialties, and reviews.

• Use open standards like Schema.org so AI can easily parse and trust the data. (More on this in the section below).

• Provide APIs or data feeds so AI agents can directly ingest local, verified information instead of relying on OTAs.

• Educate operators: Offer workshops to help guides understand how discovery is shifting from Google SEO to AI-friendly structured data.

• Form partnerships: Work with AI travel platforms early to ensure that local data sources feed into the global AI ecosystem.

By doing this, Visit Florida Keys can protect small operators, ensure visitors connect with authentic captains, and reduce dependence on commission-driven intermediaries.

What the Heck is Schema.org (and Why It Matters)

Schema.org is a digital dictionary that tells Google — and now AI agents — exactly what a business is and what it offers.

Without Schema, a fishing guide’s website might just say:

“Captain Joe’s Tarpon Charters – half-day trips available.”

With Schema, the same website sends a structured message:

• This is a LocalBusiness

• The business name is Captain Joe’s Tarpon Charters

• The service offered is half-day tarpon trips

• The location is Islamorada, Florida

• The price is $900

• Reviews: 4.8 stars, 220 reviews

Why it matters:

• Search engines and AI assistants look for structured data they can trust.

• Without it, your business risks being skipped over in favor of OTAs (online travel agencies).

• With it, you’re far more likely to appear when someone’s AI asks: “Book me a kid-friendly tarpon trip in Islamorada in May.”

Captains don’t need to code Schema themselves—that’s where website managers, booking platforms, or DMOs like Visit Florida Keys can help. But understanding why it matters is the first step toward future-proofing your visibility.

Why This Matters

The fishing guide question is a microcosm of a much larger shift. AI agents are moving power away from traditional search engines and toward structured data sources.

If operators and DMOs don’t adapt, visibility (and revenue) will flow to whoever owns the most AI-friendly pipeline—not necessarily to the best or most authentic experience. But if destinations like the Florida Keys act now, they can ensure that travelers continue to discover the real captains, the real boats, and the real experiences that make this place unique.

In Case You Missed It: How This Applies to Hotels

Check out my last post, AI Agents and the Future of Hotel Marketing in the Florida Keys for my take on how hotel properties that get ahead now — by improving data quality, rethinking loyalty for the machine age — will be the ones winning tomorrow’s bookings.

Join the Conversation

If you’re a fishing guide—or any independent operator or business in the Keys—how do you see AI affecting your business? Share your thoughts in the comments or email me: kara@fla-keys.com. Your perspective will help shape how we, as a community, prepare for this new era of discovery.