India, May 16 -- The mango trees in Fort Kochi are heavy with fruits. A crow lets out a sharp caw from a branch overhead. The skies, bloated with the weight of the southwest monsoon, threaten to burst. In the lanes below, a tourist takes a selfie in front of an old Portuguese house, checks the frame, nods in approval, and walks past. A charming homestay nearby, rich with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and lined with creaky wooden floors, doesn't get a second glance. It wasn't on the list.

This is what the age of algorithmic tourism looks like. It wears the illusion of choice while quietly narrowing the field. In Fort Kochi, the architecture rivals that of coastal towns in the Mediterranean. Terracotta roofs, crumbling facades with co...