Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at New York City’s new tourism challenges, AI-powered Google Maps, and an old solution to selling travel.
"Conversational search is about to get wildly useful and cleverly orchestrated across maps, points of interest, personalization, geo-location and enriched content."
Paying Google to increase direct bookings seems like a contradiction in terms unless it is for brand advertising on YouTube that truly brings guests direct to the hotel website for the next trip.
When it comes to running mainstream tours to popular attractions, booking sites can't hope to compete with the online user experience that Google provides. Off-the-beaten track activities, though, may be more fruitful.
Superapps and connected trips would take a hit if Google were forced to self-immolate. However, competition would flourish if authorities curtail Google bias.
The Quarantine Atlas and its 65 homemade renderings is a powerful chronicle of the collective pause we went through as a planet. What better way than through maps to remind the travel industry of what was lost, and how to chart a best, and hopeful, course forward.
Pressure from regulators and maybe disgruntled partners prompted Google to add free booking links in search results and Maps in travel. Google certainly hasn't leveled the proverbial playing field among advertisers and non-advertisers, but hotels and smaller online travel agencies may see some benefit.
Airbnb has been a savvy public relations practitioner throughout the years, and the volume of press releases the company churns out annually is legion. Brian Chesky's yearlong digital nomad stint aligns with the company's brand narrative and marketing strategy.
In Skift's top stories this week, Marriott indicates W Hotels will get a makeover, Google Maps was the most downloaded travel app in 2021, and Omicron batters European hotels.