Booking vs. Google in Travel AI
Google plans to focus on travel advertising and will not venture into bookings, where Booking holds a natural edge
Booking CFO David Goulden was asked Wednesday at an investor conference about the risk that Google could eventually release a “next-gen travel assistant.” Would travelers use that first before Booking’s own tools?
Key takeaways
- Goulden is confident Google will monetize search for major clients like Booking, emphasizing their evolving collaboration as Booking introduces travel assistant tools.
- Goulden advocated for Booking's inherent strengths, stating, "We believe that by integrating our travel assistant with our proprietary data and granting access to public data, we can create a truly distinctive travel offering;"
- Another point favoring Booking is that over half of its website traffic originates directly on its own websites and apps, without relying on paid ads from Google.
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