Google-ITA Acquisition: What Lies Ahead?
On July 1, 2010, Google officially—and finally—announced the acquisition
of ITA Software, a leading provider of airfare shopping technology, for
US$700 million. Subject to regulatory approval, the acquisition has
raised a multitude of questions—and opposition—across the travel
industry.
What form will Google and ITA take, and what does this mean for online travel? Will this be another metasearch, competing head-to-head with Kayak and Bing Travel? Does Google plan to enter the OTA fray and get transactional? Is this the end of travel SEM and SEO as we know it? How will travel search change? And what scenarios should travel companies be planning for?
Comments