Google has said that mobile visits to travel sites now represent 40 percent of total travel traffic. Responding to this shift in consumer behavior, Google is introducing a range of new mobile hotel and flight search tools.
Google will now let mobile users filter hotel search results by price or rating (I captured the screens below this morning). In addition, Google says that hotel search will respond to more precise queries such as, “Pet-friendly hotels in San Francisco under $200.”
Mobile users will also see new deal labels when a room rate is below traditional price levels. This is similar to a feature that Google previously offered with desktop hotel search results. The company will also provide money-saving “hotel tips.” They appear to be based on travel date flexibility:
We may show Tips to people when they could save money or find better availability by moving their dates slightly. For example, you may see a Tip like, “Save $105 if you stay Wed, Jul 13 – Fri, Jul 15.“
Finally, Google will now offer airfare price tracking. Users can track fare changes on specific routes, airlines and dates. Travel searchers will then receive email alerts and Google Now notifications when prices “either increase or decrease significantly.”
Starting now, these changes will roll out first in the US and later across international markets.
