Just in time for summer vacation, Google is releasing a slew of new travel search tools and planning capabilities.
Richard Holden, VP of Travel Products, detailed some of the new travel search tools accessible to travelers in a blog post published earlier this month, including notifications for when airline ticket prices drop and new capabilities for locating the best hotel, restaurant, and attractions within a short walking distance.
Google Flights, a popular service among today’s travelers, allows users to follow airfares between two locations for specified days by simply searching for their destination and signing in for email notifications when prices drop significantly for those periods.
Users may now check pricing to locate savings for any dates, and they’ll receive an email if Google identifies lower-than-average fares for flights departing in the next three-six months.
The Explore tool, which includes criteria for things like price and trip length, makes it easy to browse attractions within driving distance. Users of Explore will now see a pink dot and a bubble that says “Explore nearby” which they can press to filter their search to locations within a few hours’ travel. Simply choose a location to see average hotel pricing, current weather, and other useful data.
When it comes to locating the perfect lodging, visitors can go to google.com/travel and search for accommodations within walking or driving distance of a specific landmark or address by typing it into the hotels search field. A map boundary will reveal which hotels are close by. On the map, users may pinpoint the ideal neighborhood for dining, shopping, sightseeing, and other activities.
A bookmark icon for properties has also been launched by Google as a new way to keep track of establishments that tourists are interested in during the planning phase. Users can access their saved properties by going to the Saved tab on their mobile device or the right-hand panel on their desktop.
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