Google is making a major change to the way it manages hotel booking links - adding an organic list that enables hotels, online travel agencies and other booking sites to get visibility for free, provides more extensive booking options for consumers and potentially makes Google an even more competitive player in the metasearch space.

Prior to this change, hotel booking links in Google.com/travel were paid ads, ranked by the traditional advertiser bidding model.

Beginning March 9, when a traveler searches for accommodations in a specific destination and then clicks on a particular hotel, within the booking module - which appears on the "overview tab" - there will be two new organic slots, in addition to up to four ad slots. Clicking on the "prices" tab will display those same (up to four) ads plus an unlimited number of organic, free booking links from all "eligible partners."

Google says any hotel or travel company is eligible to participate via its Hotel Center account.

Read the full article at Phocuswire