Plot twist: The biggest threat to Google’s travel dominance isn’t another search engine 🤯
It’s platforms like Skyscanner turning themselves into AI-powered travel advisors. While everyone’s obsessing over SEO and Google Ads, Skyscanner quietly built something more valuable: direct relationships.
75% of their traffic now skips Google entirely. 1.2 million new accounts every month. They’ve cracked the code that most travel brands are still figuring out.
Their secret weapon? Thinking beyond transactions. CPO Piero Sierra revealed they’re using AI to become “trusted travel platforms” – not just flight finders, but comprehensive trip planners that understand context and intent.
Here’s what gets me excited: they’re building B2B partnerships where AI agents collaborate across brands. Imagine booking a flight on Skyscanner and having it automatically sync with hotel recommendations, local experiences, and real-time travel updates.
This is social commerce thinking applied to travel search. Instead of optimising for keywords, they’re optimising for relationships and trust. Fits perfectly in a world where people are looking for authenticity and guidance when seeking travel out.
For travel brands watching from the sidelines: the window is closing. Direct relationships beat algorithmic visibility every time 🚀
The future belongs to platforms that travellers choose, not ones they stumble upon.
