What to expect with Google's new positioning in travel?
Digital Marketing in Hospitality
— 14 experts shared their view



A great question to pose and one that I will take a slightly different view on. Yes, it is obvious that Google is moving deeper into the travel space, but let's not forget their track record of monetizing consumer-led products and services is not exactly stellar. They will have to battle big-brother concerns as well as address the loyalty/rewards landscape, however, their 75% mobile OS penetration will help put their travel experience in nearly every pocket.
Amazon and Alibaba however, are the larger tech titans that I frankly have my eye on. For Amazon, their one-click checkout and superior recommendation engines are ripe for quick commoditization of the brands, as well as their attribute-based buying experience, strong existing capabilities to cater to small business owners (think boutique hotels and Airbnb), leading data capabilities and voice search through Alexa, and their ready-made loyalty rewards marketplace.
All this means Amazon has a better immediate capability to directly sell rooms and experiences. Furthermore, Amazon enjoys a better-perceived consumer position and the financial means to leverage it, whereas Alibaba owns the online shopping and significant travel services in China and beyond. Watch this space.