Travelers want true and transparent choice when searching for travel options: results based on relevance. However, consumers are presented with a curated display of Google’s owned and monetized products on Google instead. Google is a general search engine that leverages its position in general search to favor its own vertical search product. In doing so, it increases costs and undermines both consumer choice and innovation in the travel technology sector.
The U.S. Department of Justice vs. Google decision rendered in August 2024, which found that Google is a monopolist, is a crucial turning point in addressing the company’s long-standing abuse of its dominance in general search. However, the decision does not specifically address its self-preferencing practices. Travel Tech is hopeful that the potential remedies under consideration by the court will prevent Google’s overall ability to favor its own travel vertical search products.
While the remedies and appeal of the decision by Google move through the court system, Travel Tech will continue to educate policymakers on how existing antitrust law allows the largest search platforms like Google to self-preference their own tools to the detriment of consumer choice and innovation in the travel technology sector.
