Approaching the summer holidays, Google unveils a series of travel enhancements, firmly positioning itself within the travel planning sphere and gaining deeper insights into purchasing intentions within the travel industry.
One of the key updates is to its Search Generative Experience (SGE), enabling users to craft travel itineraries and trip concepts using AI. This feature, currently accessible in English within the U.S. for participants in Search Labs, leverages input from various websites, user reviews, photos, and other data available on Google about global destinations.
Upon requesting a customized itinerary, such as “plan a three-day historical trip to Philadelphia,” users receive sample itineraries featuring attractions, dining options, and flight and accommodation suggestions, segmented by time of day.
Presently, these itineraries are solely for reference, lacking the capability for immediate booking of services or experiences. Once satisfied with the itinerary, users can export it to Gmail, Docs, or Maps.
Google has not disclosed plans for a broader rollout but showcases its experimentation with AI integration. This move pits Google against startups like Mindtrip and Layla, which offer AI-driven trip-planning services. However, with this update, Google not only competes with these startups but also gathers valuable data on travel purchasing behavior for its advertising endeavors and gauges user interest in such services.
