Google to revolutionise travel search through ITA acquisition

Based on a video presentation at EyeforTravel's Travel Distribution Summit Asia 2011 in Singapore yesterday, the future of Google’s online search will not just generate links to airlines and travel websites, but show flight details, exact prices and quick links to suppliers. This makes it convenient for consumers to make an informed purchase. 

Google is also banking on the new product to revolutionise hotel search results via its online search engine. Ali Yilmaz, Google's head of travel, APAC, told TTG Asia e-daily on the sidelines of the summit: “Now, in countries where there is a local domain, consumers can see room rates of hotels shown on Google Maps. The future product will be able to generate hotel details drawn from advertisers or travel suppliers.” 

So far, a definite timeline has not been set for product completion and launch, said Yilmaz. 

Yilmaz added that Google’s acquisition of ITA Software would not affect its existing customers, which include travel search providers and websites such as Microsoft's Bing Travel, Orbitz and Kayak.com. 

“Google has guaranteed the US Department of Justice that it will respect the agreements with ITA Software's customers till 2016,” he said

(Source: TTG Asia)