New AI Search and Planning Features
Google announced five major updates to its travel planning ecosystem.
Expanded AI Overviews
Google has enhanced its AI Overviews in Search to generate travel recommendations for entire countries and regions, not just cities.
You can now request specialized itineraries by entering queries like “create an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature.”
The feature includes visual elements and the ability to export recommendations to various Google products.
Image Credit: Google
Price Monitoring for Hotels
Following its flight price tracking implementation, Google has extended similar functionality to accommodations.
When browsing google.com/hotels, you can now toggle price tracking to receive alerts when hotel rates decrease for selected dates and destinations.
The system factors in applied filters include amenity preferences and star ratings.
Image Credit: Google
Screenshot Recognition in Maps
A new Google Maps feature can help organize travel plans by automatically identifying places mentioned in screenshots.
Using Gemini AI capabilities, the system recognizes venues from saved images and allows users to add them to dedicated lists.
The feature is launching first on iOS in English, with Android rollout planned.
Gemini Travel Assistance
Google’s Gemini AI assistant now offers enhanced travel planning support, allowing users to create “Gems” – customized AI assistants for specific travel needs.
Now available at no cost, these specialized assistants can help with destination selection, local recommendations, and trip logistics.
Expanded Lens Capabilities
Google Lens continues evolving, offering enhanced AI-powered information delivery when pointing your camera at landmarks or objects.
The feature is expanding beyond English to include Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish, complementing its existing translation capabilities.
Image Credit: Google
Travel Search Trends
According to Google’s Flights and Search data analysis, travelers are increasingly drawn to coastal destinations for the Summer of 2025.
Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico, Curacao, and St. Lucia, are seeing significant search growth, along with other beach destinations like Rio de Janeiro, Maui, and Nantucket.
The data also reveals continued momentum for outdoor adventure travel within the U.S.:
- Cities with proximity to nature experiences (Billings, Montana; Juneau, Alaska; and Bangor, Maine) are experiencing higher search volume
- “Cabins” has emerged as the top accommodation search for romantic getaways
- Family travelers are increasingly searching for “dude ranch” vacations
- Weekend getaway searches concentrate on natural destinations, including upstate New York, Joshua Tree National Park, and Sedona.
An unexpected trend in luggage preferences was also noted, with “checked bags” queries now exceeding historically dominant “carry on” searches.
Supporting this shift, space-saving solutions like vacuum bags and compression packing cubes have become top trending travel accessory searches.
Implications for SEO and Travel Content
These updates signal Google’s continued investment in controlling the travel research journey within its own ecosystem.
The expansion of AI-generated itineraries and information potentially reduces the need for users to visit traditional travel content sites during the planning phase.
Travel brands and publishers may need to adapt their SEO and content strategies to account for these changes, focusing more on unique experiences and in-depth content beyond what Google’s AI tools can generate.
The trend data also provides valuable insights for travel-related keyword targeting and content development as summer vacation planning begins for many consumers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google’s latest updates to its travel planning tools and AI-powered features aim to provide users with a more streamlined and personalized experience. As the travel industry continues to evolve, it will be essential for travel brands and publishers to stay ahead of the curve by adapting their SEO and content strategies to meet the changing needs of travelers.
FAQs
Q: What new features has Google announced for its travel planning tools?
A: Google has announced five major updates, including expanded AI Overviews, price monitoring for hotels, screenshot recognition in Maps, Gemini travel assistance, and expanded Lens capabilities.
Q: What are the implications for SEO and travel content?
A: The updates signal Google’s continued investment in controlling the travel research journey within its own ecosystem, potentially reducing the need for users to visit traditional travel content sites. Travel brands and publishers may need to adapt their SEO and content strategies to account for these changes.
Q: What are the top travel trends for the Summer of 2025, according to Google’s data analysis?
A: Travelers are increasingly drawn to coastal destinations, with significant search growth in Caribbean islands, beach destinations, and outdoor adventure travel within the U.S. Luggage preferences are also shifting towards checked bags, with space-saving solutions becoming top trending travel accessory searches.
