There is no doubt that consumer interest in travel is high –
Google has the data to prove it.
The search giant says there has been an increase in queries around the world
related to travel in the last year. For example, searches for “cheaper
countries to visit” rose 7,000% between February 22 and April 22 this year
compared to the same period in 2021. Between December 28, 2021 and February 25,
2022, searches for “entry requirements” increased by 600% and searches for “booking a
flight” rose 70% over the same period last year.
In last week‘s second-quarter earnings report from the parent company
Alphabet, Google Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer Philipp
Schindler said searches for places to visit in the summer increased in the second
quarter 2X globally year-over-year and searches for last minute hotel deals were
up to 50%.
For Google, the increase in search activity translates into
revenue, which increased 14% in the second quarter to $40.7 billion “driven by travel and
retail,” according to Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat.
