Articles tagged “google”

With another multibillion dollar fine handed down, we might be getting nearer to the European Commission taking a closer look at Google's travel products.

Of course Google could become an online travel agency if it wanted to, but why would it want to jeopardize such a lucrative revenue stream in terms of ad dollars it receives from booking sites?

Disruption in the travel industry is a universal constant, and we can certainly expect Amazon and Google to continue that tradition. An even more interesting question to ask ourselves for the moment: Why aren't Google and Apple doing more to get their smart devices into hotel rooms like Amazon is?

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, along with his fellow hotel CEOs are right: It's not the "disruptors" like Airbnb that are the biggest threat, but the already established tech giants like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent, Alibaba, and others that are the real competition for the hotel industry.

While Airbnb has been brashly adding independent hotels, HomeAway has been quietly doing the same — although it has been using an entirely different business model given its ties to parent Expedia. Curation may have its place, but all of these companies realize that the more inventory and choice they give consumers, the more likely they are to spend on a stay.

Yelp's efforts to see tighter regulation of Google's business practices could have more success this time around than several years ago, when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission dropped the ball. European Union regulators have really cast the previous U.S. effort in a shameful light, and the Trump team may be more sympathetic than the Obama administration.

Yelp's efforts to see tighter regulation of Google's business practices could have more success this time around than several years ago, when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission dropped the ball. European Union regulators have really cast the previous U.S. effort in a shameful light, and the Trump team may be more sympathetic than the Obama administration.

We come in peace, a top Google executive essentially said while addressing the travel industry on Thursday at Skift Forum Europe in Berlin. One possible industry response might be: "Trust, but verify."

Is Google on the road toward becoming an online travel agency? Color us skeptical on that one. How will voice-based search change the game? Google's Rob Torres will certainly express his views on these topics at Skift Forum Europe.

It will be interesting to see how much energy The Infatuation devotes to Zagat and how loyal the older brand's readers will be following years of neglect compounded by radically changed consumer habits and a slew of more savvy competition.