Google is taking action on sustainability issues related to travel with two new initiatives.
Beginning this week, hotels that have met sustainability standards from certain independent organizations, such as Green Key or EarthCheck, will have an eco-certified badge next to their name in searches on google.com/travel.
Google is also joining Travalyst, a sustainable travel coalition launched in 2019 by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, in partnership with Booking.com, Skyscanner, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor and Visa.
“Addressing the challenge of climate change requires us to find solutions at scale, and this is especially true when it comes to travel and tourism,” says Kate Brandt, chief sustainability officer at Google.
“By working with Travalyst and our industry partners, we aim to build tools and technology that enable travelers and businesses around the world to prioritize sustainability.”
In separate news, Google is confirming updates to its search and bookings functions for tours, activities and attractions.
“The new Google Things to Do program truly levels the playing field for all operators of attractions, tours and activities. From an operator perspective, finding options to participate meaningfully in the Google ecosystem has previously been challenging, particularly for medium to smaller operators which could not compete with the large budgets of others in this space”, says Livn founder and CCO Steve Martinez.
The search engine is also introducing a new ad format for Things to Do, which includes details about pricing, images and reviews.
In a blog post sharing the updates, Google vice president of product management for travel Richard Holden says the new ads will help partners stand out and “drive additional revenue and bookings as recovery continues.”
Sign In