Livada Observatory — what AI actually answers when you search in the Verdon

When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for "a hotel in Castellane", "a spa in the Verdon", "where to camp near the Gorges" — who does the AI cite? We asked the question, for real, with real data. Here's what we found.

The finding

By default, AI answers with directories and platforms: trivago, KAYAK, Petit Futé, tourist offices, Gîtes de France, campingfrance. Not because these businesses are better — because they're the sources the AI finds best prepared. The independent business, meanwhile, is often absent from the answer. The customer won't even know it exists.

What we measured (first data, June 2026)

On the precise "category + location" query, three businesses in the Castellane area prepared with Livada SEO come out in first position — and the AI cites their own site as the source:

A telling detail: for "spa in Castellane", the only other address the AI reaches for is a hotel spa 50 km away (Gréoux-les-Bains) — for lack of a better-prepared local alternative.

The flip side: invisible as soon as you broaden the query

Ask a generic question and the picture flips. For "hotel near the Gorges du Verdon", the AI surfaces only platforms and regional brands — no business from within Castellane itself. Even a hotel cited #1 on its precise query disappears on the broad one. That's the exact gap the preparation work closes.

The takeaway

AI cites directories and platforms by default — unless your site gives it something better. When it does, the AI features you and cites your site as the source. This is new ground, still barely explored. Those who get in early build a lead that's hard to catch up to.

Is your business cited by AI?

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Want the live, data-driven barometer for the region? Head to the Verdon AI Observatory →

Indicative measurement. Data collected via Perplexity Sonar; AI answers vary and are personalized. This is a trend snapshot, not an exact count.
Competitors cited = public observation data (a record of what the AI answers; these businesses are not Livada customers).
No guarantee of results: AI visibility depends on third-party factors. Livada prepares the site and measures; it does not promise a ranking.
Honest depth: "category" data per site (1 query in preview, up to 4 in client-key mode). Evolving observatory — more sites and queries will be added.