Google tests new search layout in Europe that could reshape hotel visibility

Digital Markets Act forces Google to give competing travel platforms more prominence in search results

Google is preparing to test a new search results layout in Europe that could change how hotels appear in online travel searches. The move is part of the company’s effort to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to prevent large technology platforms from favoring their own services. The tests will give greater visibility to competing vertical search engines in categories such as hotels, flights, and restaurants. For hotels, the changes could influence how travelers discover and compare accommodation options in Google Search.

Key takeaways

• Regulatory pressure from the EU: Google is modifying its search results display to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which restricts “self-preferencing” by dominant digital platforms.
• More exposure for competing travel platforms: Vertical search engines specializing in hotels, flights, and restaurants will receive more prominent placement alongside Google’s own search results.
• Hotel searches prioritized in early rollout: The first phase of the tests will focus on accommodation searches, with later expansion to flights and other tourism services.
• New structure for travel search results: Google plans to display a list of top-ranked vertical search engines directly within search pages, alongside hotel listings powered by real-time data feeds.
• Potential impact on hotel distribution: Changes in search visibility could influence which platforms travelers use to find and book hotels, affecting traffic to OTAs, metasearch platforms, and direct booking channels.
• Industry criticism driving the change: Online travel companies and European travel tech firms have long argued that Google favors its own travel services in search results.
• High financial stakes for Google: Non-compliance with the DMA could lead to penalties of up to 10% of Google’s global annual revenue.
• Search visibility remains critical for hotels: Placement in top search results strongly influences traveler decisions, making these changes strategically important for hotel marketing and distribution.

Source: Travolution

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