Google’s Conflicted Travel Strategy Pushes Forward

Google has a unique status in the online travel marketplace. On one hand, it acts as a gatekeeper and shopping environment for consumers around the world as they research and plan future trips. On the other, it sells ads to travel companies while encouraging them to pay up to receive preferred placement on its booking tools. As a marketer, dealing with Google is crucial because of the sheer volume of users that use its services. The company's dual role in the sector can cause some trepidation with its partners, who aren't quite sure if its goals as a travel seller are separate from its enormous advertising business. "Our partners say it doesn't seem like it's completely holistic in what you are trying do to," said Rob Torres, managing director of advertising and marketing, travel sector at Google, at Skift Global Forum on Thursday in New York City. "Where are you going, and what are you going to be when you grow up? We want to be the trusted place people go when they mak