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Traditional OTA's Are Doomed ... Doomed I Say

Google and ITA have ceased sniffing butts and have now cemented (consummated?) a relationship.

 
As announced in Google press here and referenced in the Google blog looks like Google and ITA Software have formally tied the knot to the tune of 700MM and probably some change.
 
I think if I were a traditional OTA I'd be scared sh*tless, because ITA is the provider of high end, high volume infrastructure for travel.  A well baked strategy/offering from the Googleplex could really put the hurt on the 2nd tier providers.  Hell, it almost certainly give folks at Bing Travel, who've been innovating like crazy, a run for their money.
 
You want to change the way travel is consumed on the face of the earth?  Watch how this deal, and subsequent merge of technologies, shake out.  I for one am excited as hell (heck).
 
Cool graphic ripped from Google presser:
Online-travel-ecosystem
 

Filed under  //  OTA   doomed   travel  
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Google builds a pack of travel related goodness

Recently I briefed a small piece that Google was sniffing butts with ITA Software.  Well, it looks like the pack might be getting a little bigger. According to this article in VentureBeat, Google as added another puppy to the pack with the acquisition of travel site Ruba. Per VentureBeat, 

Terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed. Cassidy himself tweeted the news, saying “Now I’m a Googler. Very excited!” On Monday, Ruba’s team will move into the Google headquarters.

TechCrunch also had coverage of the acquisition.

Mucho interesting.  Seems as if Google is squirreling away travel technology, one assumes to perhaps combat Bing's recent advances (and accolades) in the same space.  Certainly, access to infrastructure provided by ITA with new and creative ways to search and build itineraries via Ruba would be a compelling start.

Hey, all you OTA's out there ... are you paying attention?  Time to start thinking about how to add value.  A list of hotels in Vegas ain't going to do it anymore here real soon.

Filed under  //  google   ota   travel  
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Google and the 800# gorilla in travel are sniffing butts.

I think if you're in the online travel business, you should start to pay attention.  Google and the 800# Gorilla in travel are sniffing butts.

Now, think about this ... there is now someone in <your vertical niche/> that has more content about <your vertical nice/> than you.  How long would do you think it would take Google to assemble a site specific page that challenges <your site/>?

If I were you, I would start thinking about how to differentiate my site and my service from the single highest traffic site on the face of the earth ... and content ain't going to do it.

Filed under  //  google   ota   travel  
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