MCP vs UCP. Why Tourism Businesses Need Both to Be Found and Booked in AI Search

Ai search is no longer just about visibility. It’s rapidly moving toward action.

For tourism, hospitality, and travel businesses, that means two things now matter equally:

• Being discovered by AI

• Being bookable by AI

This is where MCP and UCP come in.

If you’ve heard these terms floating around and wondered what they actually mean for your business, this article breaks it down clearly, without jargon.

📌 In This Article

• What MCP is and why it matters

• What UCP is and where it fits

• The key differences between MCP and UCP

• Why tourism businesses need both

• How this affects direct bookings and OTAs

• Real-world tourism examples

• FAQs

What Is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) helps AI systems understand your business.

Think of MCP as the discovery and understanding layer.

MCP enables AI platforms like Google AI Search, Gemini, and other large language models to: -

• Understand who you are

• Interpret your content accurately

• Know what you offer

• Reference your business in AI answers

For tourism businesses, MCP is supported through: -

• Clear website structure

• Accurate content

• Schema and structured data

• Consistent information across platforms

• Reviews, FAQs, and contextual signals.

In simple terms

MCP helps AI answer the question:
“What is this business and should I recommend it?”

What Is UCP?

UCP (Universal Commerce Protocol) is about transactions.

UCP allows AI systems to move beyond recommendations and help complete actions such as:

• Checking availability

• Understanding pricing and policies

• Facilitating secure transactions. 

UCP is currently being trialled with large global players and is not yet available to most small or medium tourism businesses. However, it clearly signals where commerce is heading.

In simple terms

UCP helps AI answer the question:
“Can I help complete this booking?”

They are not competitors. They are complementary.

Why Tourism Businesses Need Both MCP and UCP

Tourism decisions are rarely instant. Guests: -

• Research

• Compare

• Ask follow-up questions

• Look for reassurance

• Then book.

MCP ensures your business appears in those early AI-led discovery moments.

UCP supports what comes next, allowing AI systems to guide guests toward booking without friction.

Without MCP, you may not be found.
Without UCP, the booking opportunity may be passed elsewhere.

What Does This Mean for Direct Bookings and OTAs?

This shift does not remove OTAs overnight.

However, it does increase the likelihood of AI-assisted direct bookings when:

• Your business is easy for AI to understand

• Your availability, policies, and pricing are clear

• Your booking systems are compatible with modern AI-led workflows

Over time, businesses that prepare for MCP and UCP are better positioned to reduce dependency on OTAs, rather than relying on them by default.

Real-World Tourism Uses Case Examples

Accommodation

A traveller asks an AI assistant for lakefront accommodation with specific amenities. MCP helps the AI understand which properties match. UCP supports the next step, checking availability and guiding the guest toward booking.

Tours and Activities

A user planning a trip asks for wildlife safari that fits their dates and budget. MCP surfaces relevant operators. UCP enables AI to help confirm availability and pricing.

Restaurants

AI summarises reviews, menus, and dress codes through MCP. In the future, UCP supports table bookings or reservations directly from conversational search.

When Is UCP Coming for SMEs?

Right now, UCP is being trialled with large platforms.

That does not mean small tourism businesses should wait. Prepare now by: -

• Improving content quality

• Structuring data correctly

• Using modern booking systems

• Ensuring consistency across platforms

This puts you in a much stronger position when broader access rolls out.

FAQs

Do I need to build MCP or UCP myself?

No. These are protocols used by AI platforms. Your role is to ensure your data, content, and systems support them.

Is MCP relevant now?

Yes. MCP affects AI search visibility today.

Is UCP replacing booking engines?

No. UCP is about enabling AI to interact with booking systems, not replacing them.

Will this remove OTAs?

Not immediately. But it increases the chance of AI-led direct bookings over time.

What should tourism businesses focus on first?

MCP. Being clearly understood by AI is the foundation for everything else.

Final Thoughts

AI search is evolving quickly, but the fundamentals remain clear.

Tourism businesses that: -

• Are easy for AI to understand

• Are ready for AI-assisted booking workflows

will be better positioned as AI moves from answers to action.

If you want to understand how MCP and UCP apply specifically to your business and how to prepare for AI search and AI-led bookings, you’re welcome to reach out for a no-obligation conversation just reach out via the contact page - https://www.theaimarketingclub.com/contact

Author Bio 

Victoria Ludemann is the founder of The AI Marketing Club and a leading specialist in AI search and marketing for tourism and hospitality businesses.

She is an AI Training Partner for Hospitality New Zealand, an AI Training Affiliate for Africa’s Eden Travel Group, and a Certified Regional Business Partner Network Provider, working closely with accommodation providers, activity operators, restaurants, and travel organisations across New Zealand, Australia, and Southern Africa.

Victoria regularly consults with tourism organisations to design, build, and implement AI agents and digital co-workers, helping teams reduce manual workload, streamline operations, and increase output without increasing headcount. Her work focuses on practical AI adoption that saves time, reduces marketing overwhelm, and improves how businesses are found and booked in AI-driven search environments.

She is a regular keynote speaker for industry events and organisations including HNZ and Speight’s Ale House, and is the host of the AI for Tourism podcast, where she explores how AI, search, and emerging technologies are reshaping the future of travel marketing and bookings.