BY MEGAN MARTIN
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
For generations, Anna Maria Island has built its identity through local character, family-owned businesses, personal recommendations and the kind of word-of-mouth that travels from one visitor to the next.
A favorite restaurant is shared with friends. A trusted fishing charter becomes part of an annual tradition. A small shop earns loyal customers because someone said, “You have to stop there.”
But the way visitors discover local businesses is changing. Increasingly, travelers are asking artificial intelligence (AI) tools questions such as: “Where should we eat on Anna Maria Island? What is the best family-friendly restaurant near the beach? Which fishing charter should we book? Where can we find live music, local shopping or the best sunset view?”
The answers they receive may influence their plans before they ever cross one of the Island bridges. That creates a new challenge for Anna Maria Island businesses. A company may have years of positive reviews, a strong local reputation and generations of loyal customers, yet still be left out of an artificial intelligence recommendation.
It may also be described incorrectly. A restaurant could appear with outdated hours. A shop may be listed as closed when it is open. A rental company could be associated with the wrong location. A business known for one specialty may be described as offering something completely different.
To the visitor, the answer can still sound confident and complete. That is what makes this shift important.
Traditional online searches usually present people with a list of options. Artificial intelligence often provides a direct answer. Instead of reviewing 10 businesses, the traveler may see three recommendations and choose one immediately.
For a small Island business, being absent from that answer can matter. Anna Maria Island depends heavily on visitor decisions. Travelers choose where to stay, eat, shop and spend based on limited time and limited information. Many make those decisions from another city or state, relying on digital tools to guide them.
A business can lose that opportunity without ever knowing it happened. There is no missed call, no canceled reservation and no website report showing that the customer considered the business. The visitor simply receives another recommendation.
The concern is not that artificial intelligence is intentionally unfair. These systems interpret information from websites, business listings, reviews, articles and other online sources. When that information is inconsistent, outdated or unclear, the result may not reflect the business accurately.
This is especially significant for Anna Maria Island, where local conditions can change quickly. Hours may shift seasonally. Businesses may reopen after storms or renovations. Menus, services and ownership may change. Outdated information can remain online long after the business itself has moved forward.
Business owners should begin checking how artificial intelligence describes them. They should ask:
Does AI understand what our business actually offers? Does it recognize that we are located on Anna Maria Island? Are our hours, services and contact information accurate?
Are we recommended for the questions visitors are most likely to ask? Which nearby competitors appear instead?
These are no longer theoretical questions. Artificial intelligence is becoming part of travel planning, just as review sites, maps and social media once became essential tools for visitors. The businesses that pay attention early will have a better chance of correcting inaccurate information and protecting their visibility.
This does not mean Anna Maria Island should lose the personal character that makes it special. In fact, the opposite is true. Local businesses should make sure the digital world reflects the real experience they have spent years creating. The warmth, history and personality of the Island should not be reduced to incomplete or outdated information.
Anna Maria Island businesses have always depended on reputation. Now that reputation is being interpreted by machines before many customers ever experience it in person. The next visitor may already be asking artificial intelligence where to eat, shop, stay or explore. The question is whether the answer truly reflects the best of Anna Maria Island.
Megan Martin is the founder and CEO of Coastline Metrics, a Lakewood Ranch-based AI visibility company that measures how businesses are represented and recommended by artificial intelligence platforms. She has approximately 20 years of experience in business development, healthcare and organizational growth.
