Google Enhances Travel Planning with AI-Powered Updates Across Maps, Search & Hotels
Google is rolling out a new set of AI-driven travel tools across Maps, Search, and Hotels, making trip planning more seamless than ever. According to 9to5Google, these updates integrate Gemini-powered capabilities to help users organize vacations effortlessly within Google’s ecosystem.
Google Maps Introduces Screenshot Recognition
A major upgrade is coming to Google Maps, enabling the app to detect locations mentioned in saved screenshots on a user’s device. Instead of manually searching for places seen in travel inspiration images, Google’s Gemini AI will scan screenshots for visible text, identify locations, and display them directly on the map.
Read more: Google Revises AI Ethics Guidelines, Removes Harm Prohibition
Key Features:
- Automatically detects text-based locations in saved screenshots
- Allows users to review, save, and organize places into shareable lists
- Initially available on iOS (US, English); Android support coming soon
AI Overviews in Search Now Offer Personalized Itineraries
Google Search is expanding its AI Overview capabilities to provide custom travel itineraries for entire countries and regions. Users can now ask queries like:
“Create a vacation itinerary for Italy with a focus on food”
The AI will generate a tailored trip plan that includes:
- Maps
- Reviews
- Photos
- Save and export options (Docs and Gmail)
Availability: US users on desktop and mobile
Google Lens Adds Support for More Languages
The AI Overview feature within Google Lens, which analyzes surroundings via a smartphone camera, will soon support six new languages:
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Spanish
This expansion enhances Google Lens’ usability for international travelers.
Global Hotel Price Tracking Now Available
Google is extending its hotel price tracking feature, similar to Google Flights, enabling users to:
- Track price drops for specific hotels and destinations
- Receive email alerts when hotel rates decrease significantly
Availability: Global rollout on desktop and mobile
Google’s AI Revolution in Travel Planning
These AI-powered updates reinforce Google’s commitment to streamlining travel planning, allowing users to:
- Discover destinations
- Create and manage itineraries
- Monitor hotel price trends
- Save locations and share plans effortlessly
By integrating AI-powered tools into Maps, Search, and Hotels, Google is centralizing trip planning into a one-stop travel hub, reducing the need for multiple apps.
With these upgrades, vacation planning just got smarter.
