What is an XML sitemap?
Updated By Akkrev
An XML sitemap lists a website's pages for search engines and AI crawlers, with optional last-updated dates. It helps new and deep pages get found.
An XML sitemap is a file, usually at /sitemap.xml or listed in robots.txt, that lists the pages on a website, often with the date each was last changed. Search engines and AI crawlers use it to find pages they might otherwise miss, especially deep pages not linked from the main menu.
Why it matters for hotels
Hotel sites often have important pages, such as individual rooms, offers, accessibility and policies, a few clicks deep. A sitemap makes sure crawlers know they exist. Accurate last-updated dates help crawlers prioritise what changed, for example new rates pages or updated policies.
Good practice
- Include every page you want found, and nothing you don’t (such as booking confirmation pages).
- Only set a last-updated date when the page really changed; dates that change on every build tend to be ignored.
- Submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and notify engines of changes with IndexNow.
Why it matters for AI visibility
A sitemap helps crawlers, including AI crawlers, find all your pages, including the ones that answer guests’ questions.