As search trends indicate a renewed interest in travel, Google is introducing new features to assist people in planning their next trip.
Google reports that searches for hotels reached a 10-year high in April 2021, along with searches for “where can I travel” and “travel restrictions by country.”
To address these questions and keep people informed about travel advisories, Google is launching three new features within search results.
New Travel-Related Features in Google Search Results
Today’s updates to Google Search are designed to help people stay informed about the latest travel guidance and explore potential destinations.
Latest Travel Guidance
When users search for travel information like flights, hotels, or activities, Google currently informs them if there are COVID-19 related travel advisories or restrictions for their chosen destination.
Google is expanding the details provided on travel restrictions, including whether travelers need to quarantine upon arrival or present test results or immunization records.
Users can track travel advisories or restrictions for a potential destination and opt to receive email updates. While viewing a travel advisory, an option to “Receive an email if this guidance changes” will be available.
Selecting this option will allow users to receive notifications when restrictions are added, lifted, or reduced. These updates are country-specific, with state-specific information available in the United States.
Destination Ideas
Google has updated its Explore feature to assist users in finding their next travel destination. Google Flights users may be familiar with the Explore map, which shows flight prices for various destinations, allowing flexibility in travel plans.
Explore now has its own tab on Google’s travel platform, redesigned to help users browse more options beyond flights.
The map now displays more destinations, including smaller cities and national parks. If users have specific trip preferences, they can filter destinations by interests such as outdoor activities, beaches, or skiing.
Recommendations can be refined by the method of travel. For example, selecting "flights only" in Travel Mode will show only cities with an airport.
When a destination is chosen, Google will indicate if there’s a travel advisory or restriction. Besides flights, users will see additional useful information for trip planning, such as hotels, activities, the best time to visit, and more.
Plan Road Trips With Ease
For users planning a road trip, Google Maps can now suggest stops along the route.
When using Google Maps on a desktop computer, enter the starting point and final destination, and various types of stops, such as hotels, parks, campgrounds, and rest stops, will appear at the top of the map.
Specific locations can be selected and added as stops. Once the journey is planned, directions can be sent to the user’s phone via text, email, or the Google Maps app.
If plans change during the trip, the journey can be updated from the user’s phone. Swipe up while navigating to find new stops or to remove previously scheduled stops.
These features are available now.
