Google AI Mode Announced 22nd Aug 2025 Launch for NZ & OZ – What It Means for Your Tourism Business

On the 22nd of August, Google announced that AI Mode was launching in New Zealand and Australia. That’s big news for us in tourism and hospitality. But as of the 27th of August, it’s still not actually live. Every time I test, I still get the message that AI Mode is not available on this device or account.

So, it’s launched — but not really. While we wait for it to properly roll out, I want to walk you through what’s coming, why it matters, and how it could affect your business. Once it’s live, I’ll be back with a full walkthrough so you can see exactly how it works.

• What AI Mode is – Instead of just typing a query and scrolling through blue links, people can now ask up to 10 questions at once. Google sends out multiple AI “agents” to find the answers, then presents them in a chat-style window, very similar to ChatGPT or Perplexity.

• How it differs from AI Overviews – AI Overviews show a short snapshot at the top of search results. AI Mode is interactive, letting users ask follow-up questions just like they would with a concierge or travel agent.

• Multimodal search – People can search by typing, speaking, or uploading images and video, for example by using Google Lens or other equivalent tools.

• Why this matters for your tourism business

  • Blue links are pushed further down, meaning less visibility and fewer direct clicks.

  • OTAs like Booking.com and TripAdvisor are already being favoured.

  • Google is testing AI-only mode, which could reduce results to just 4–10 options. If you’re not in that shortlist, you won’t get found.

• What you can do now – This is where AI Optimisation comes in (also called GEO or Generative Engine Optimisation). It goes beyond SEO and ensures your business shows up in AI, voice, and visual search results.

I know this all feels like a big shift, and it is. But the businesses that move first will be rewarded. Google has always favoured early adopters, and I can’t see that changing.

👉 If you want to learn how to get cited in AI search results and start using AI Optimisation for your tourism or hospitality business, why not join The Ai Marketing Club?