Google’s legal department announced this week that the company is testing a stripped-down version of its hotel search in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia. The latest Google Search changes mean that search results will only show basic links without maps or enhanced features.
For those who have taken the vow of Google Abstinence and have not used Google to search for hotels, the current search results show hotels, their reviews, facilities, and prices, as well as a map. Accommodation owners can list their properties for free, or they can advertise to appear at the top. As a traveller, I find this very useful as I can compare accommodations within the area quickly and without having to navigate out of the search results.
For accommodation owners, it means guests can book directly on their website, and they don’t have to pay commission, as they would if a guest booked through a comparison website, which is bad news for the likes of booking.com.
Reading the announcement, it’s clear that Google isn’t happy to be doing this. The subtext in their message is: ‘We’ve done all we can do to comply with DMA, but still you want more. So, fine, we’ll show you what it’s if we remove all that is good. See how you like it.’
According to Google, they’ve made over 20 adjustments to Search, including boosting comparison sites for free in flights, hotels, and shopping categories. Apparently, they’ve also scaled back some features, like flight info and clickable maps, which it claims have a negative impact on user experience. (Personally, I haven’t noticed the difference. Maybe because I don’t use it often enough to get used to the features.)
Google also claimed that small businesses, airlines, and hotel operators are reportedly seeing up to 30% fewer direct bookings, while large comparison sites benefit from increased visibility. This is to be expected, as comparison websites are prioritised over individual hotel listings.
Read the full announcement here.
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