Articles tagged “google”

In this week’s news roundup, we start with a look at who the biggest player is in tours, activities, and experiences.

Ranking for city-specific experiences search terms is fiercely competitive and an expensive part of performance marketing that tends to favors online travel agencies with big budgets. A new carousel in Google's Things To Do adds an interesting shift in search display.

The fine print would ultimately determine the financial impact of the Digital Markets Act. But the fact that Booking Holdings filed a statement from Booking.com with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about it this week means it believes the repercussions could be material to its operations.

The European Commission's logic appears to be that any strengthening of Booking.com — even in its flights business — would bolster its grip on the hotel business. Deal or no deal, Booking is committed to expanding in flights.

The tit-for-tat in generative AI one-upmanship has begun with both Booking.com and Expedia having ChatGPT apps. This will go on for many years.

Accessing carbon emissions data for flights will one day be standard fare across the travel industry. These implementations are a sign of more to come.

Travel bargain hunters are a fickle bunch, visiting more than two dozen websites on average before they book. Booking.com and its rivals spend billions annually to woo those travelers who wouldn't otherwise click over to their platforms.

Frenemy relationships have a storied history in the push and pull of the travel industry. Tripadvisor's relationship with Google seems to have improved, and there are probably several areas where they might collaborate further.

Google faces a tougher hill to climb than Booking, although the European Commission's statement of objections puts Booking's Etraveli acquisition in doubt.

Unlike Booking and Expedia, which continue to spend to acquire customers from Google – not dare bite the hand that feeds them – Hopper doesn’t list on any search platform. It gets more of its customers through direct channels.