Reserve with Google to be Discontinued From Next Month

Reserve with Google was launched in 2017 allowing users to book an appointment or reservation with nearby service providers directly from the search engine. 

Restricted to the fitness industry in its early phase, it facilitated bookings only for spas, studios and gyms. With time however, Google incorporated more services and industries. The Travel industry organically occupied the stage along with Entertainment, Food and the Beauty industry. To lucidly underline Google&rsquos role as the mediator between travellers and related service providers, Reserve with Google basically enabled tours and activities operators to harbour traffic directly through search engine. It eliminated navigating and surveying through multiple often redundant tabs and windows. The service benefitted both service providers and consumers. With less chaos and fewer clicks, the conversion rate for operating partners was estimated to be higher. Simultaneously, providing consumers with quality offers and deals coupled with indispensable ethical factors of  transparency and reliability rendered the services attractive more often than not. 

Sadly enough, the aforementioned services will be retracted next month as a result of a newfangled strategy to achieve consistency across its various products to appropriate Google&rsquos monetary prospects. Google will now, instead, extend advertisements and free links for tours and activities. Incidentally, this withdrawal comes at a time when monetisation from the travel sector remains almost stagnant. 

&ldquoWe intend to pilot the introduction of ticket booking links on Google Search, so users can easily compare options for visiting their favorite attractions,&rdquo a Google spokesperson stated, reaffirming their hold, although altered with alleviated intensity. 

Consumers will now be able to start at Google search and book services on the attractions&rsquo website or from online travel agency partners, for which Google won&rsquot have to be compensated for initially. This withdrawal will certainly prove advantageous for OTA&rsquos. 

In hindsight, even if Google blew up as an all encompassing travel agency, it would have to risk its alliance with the massive travel advertising businesses and compete with established groups like Expedia. 

Hence, the decision of scaling down in this domain stands justified and seems beneficial keeping in mind the company&rsquos mercantile concerns. 

&ldquoPlease also keep in mind that as our new product offerings continue to scale up, in particular the tickets search feature for Attractions, it is likely that Reserve with Google traffic will continue to decrease in the final month it is live," Google informed tour operators and partners.