Google and Amazon Enter the Travel Sector: Do They Have the Whole World In Their Hands?

Amazon and Google are officially edging into the world of tourism! Until recently, the tourism industry has been dominated by big names such as TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Kayak. However, with Google and Amazon marking their claims in the travel industry, the world of tourism will never be the same.

Amazon is now offering domestic flight bookings in India, providing yet another form of convenience for their customers. They are also rewarding their customers via Amazon reward money when they book flights. This will ultimately disrupt the tourism industry over time, but for now, Google has found a means of creating a revolutionary impact on the tourism industry today.

Welcome to Google Trips…

People love one-stop-shops, convenience, and personalized experiences. So when a world-renowned company like Google enters into the travel sector, it is easy to see how the industry is affected for good. Google is a company that has “the whole world in their hands.” They hold information about the world in general, as well as detailed information about peoples’ lives. From tracking cookies to organizing and tracking emails, to managing a person’s searches, Google has an edge that previous tourism companies do not have. They have access to data that not many have.

In an attempt to see firsthand how Google Trips functions, I went on a journey to explore the site myself. I opened my Google Chrome (naturally, a Google search engine is my go-to), and typed “google.com/travel” into my browser bar…

Within seconds I was greeted by the familiar white background that defines, with subtle accents in green, blue, red, and yellow. Trips makes it easy for users to explore travel ideas, book flights, hotels, and packages. It also provides potential trip options based on recent search history.

As I scrolled through the site, beyond the “popular destinations” section, I reached the words “past trips” across my screen. Google knew what trips I have taken in the last year or so in the correct order– down to the duration of my stays. Upon further inspection, I realized that Trips knew all of this information based on your previous research and Gmails confirming travel details.

Is Google all-knowing?

When researching a new trip, I was amazed by how seamlessly a trip can be planned– almost all details are covered! Your travel timeline, tracked prices, research, detailed travel articles on the area you plan to explore and so much more! Not to mention, Google has a user-first mindset that helps travelers book their trips at the best rates.

What more could you need than a travel guide, day plans, knowledge of upcoming events, top restaurants, and the weather? Maybe more details on ridesharing, but if working the Lyft of Uber app is a foreign concept, you can Google it!

Did I mention it’s an app too? Both the app and website track your planning progress, so there are no more cringe-worthy moments when you accidentally exit out of your browser with a million carefully selected tabs open. They also send email updates on prices of trips you have planned but not booked… it’s almost too easy!

With a single interface, customers can easily bypass metasearch-engines and book directly through Trips. Thus creating a disruption in the $830 billion travel industry that stretches to all elements of travel, including the world of advertising.

Google’s system allows travelers to book directly with advertisers, meaning that most ad agencies and people will benefit from Google Trips, as it is exceedingly user-friendly. For example, hotel inventory can be directly promoted via Trips. Companies can bid for priority placements, create direct relationships with clients rather than using external booking systems, and become more efficient.

This new technology may be advantageous for advertisers, but for big companies like Kayak or Expedia, it may mean bad news. Why search for multiple sites when booking a trip when you can plan and book all of your trip details in one convenient place while knowing that you are getting the best deal?

Google Trips is convenient, personable, and seemingly futuristic. However, it is here and a part of the world now. Only time will tell us what impact this new technology will have on the travel industry. So buckle up and enjoy the trip!

Don’t forget: If you ever need help navigating Google and Amazon’s progress into the travel sector, we at Ron Foth Advertising are here to help you out!

Sources:

https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/google-spent-years-on-a-secret-plan-to-dominate-this-830-billion-industry-nobody-even-noticed.html

https://skift.com/2019/05/14/google-travel-looks-more-like-an-online-travel-agency-by-putting-all-the-pieces-together/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=72858845&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8hjNO588Zf17P-7L4VlVtA1Q9Qn0UicoCmZNSUZ_iW-XRZhqpgPVvmvyH7lYvOAEiixZ8AEmu5HBF0X2C_u1jbx3d9yg&_hsmi=72858845

https://skift.com/2019/05/17/amazons-travel-strategy-comes-into-focus/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=72805944&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–VQ62M2AW6bM9PQSwCs62iFyMgDKvLFUIKmrjk3vuvusHKMzF4exvhg71rzuqxMwGgsN0k1bX84HNvtfKu9eYEqvmWxQ&_hsmi=72805944

https://www.barrons.com/articles/google-travel-trivago-tripadvisor-expedia-stock-51558365748

https://skift.com/2019/05/16/amazon-launches-flight-bookings-in-india-in-a-superapp-strategy/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=72773544&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-93KIYTECDof8blG9qkmP0Rn0qLqS4zxBSqSpw_US9BJcW3QHrYdK0Kl6aZK7qHlFLtd78PuUxrsk20poJhxWzbEh-tYw&_hsmi=72773544

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-trips-travel-planning/307773/#close

https://www.blog.google/products/flights-hotels/planning-trip-google-can-help/