Google makes new push to bolster travel-related searches

In the online travel world, Google isn’t a go-to destination like Expedia, Priceline and TripAdvisor. Aiming to change that, Google will launch a more unified travel product to integrate flight and hotel search functions, while organising people’s travel plans and saving research. The new offerings, which were rolled out last year on smartphones and are now available on desktops, will be hosted at google.com/travel. Google also plans to “surface” more travel data on Google Maps, and incorporate hotel and restaurant reservations for customers who are logged on. Google made the announcement Tuesday. Google’s moves to bolster its position in travel is designed to drive further searches and potential “higher-qualified leads” for its partner companies, such as airlines and hotels. <br/>