If you’ve relied on urgency to drive direct bookings, there’s a new challenge on the horizon. With its latest update to Google Hotels, Google is introducing hotel-level price tracking – a feature that allows travellers to follow a specific property and receive alerts when prices drop.
NB: This is an article from Userguest, one of our Expert Partners
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At first glance, it looks like a helpful tool for travellers.
In reality, it changes something much bigger: when and how guests decide to book.
The Shift: From “Book Now” to “Wait and See”
For years, the booking journey followed a relatively predictable path:
Search → Compare → Book
Now, Google is inserting a new step:
Search → Compare → Track → Wait → Book
Travellers no longer need to make a decision in the moment. Instead, they can “subscribe” to a hotel and let the algorithm tell them when it’s the right time to book.
This creates what can only be described as a waiting game.
And for hotels, that has real consequences.
What This Means for Hotels
- Demand Becomes More Volatile
Instead of converting immediately, users delay their decision. Bookings become less predictable, with spikes tied to price drops rather than steady demand. - Price Becomes More Visible (and Comparable)
When users track multiple hotels, your rate is no longer viewed in isolation. It’s constantly benchmarked against competitors. - OTAs Gain Even More Leverage
If the deciding factor becomes “who drops price first”, OTAs, already strong on pricing, are in a powerful position to win that booking. - Your Window to Influence Shrinks
By the time a price alert is triggered, the decision is already heavily influenced. The consideration phase happens earlier—and often outside your control.
The Real Risk: Losing the Consideration Phase
Most hotels focus heavily on conversion, optimising the booking engine, improving rates, and tweaking offers.
But this new behaviour shift moves the battleground earlier.
The real question becomes:
Did the guest decide they wanted your hotel before they started tracking prices?
Because if they didn’t, you’re now competing in a race you can only win by discounting.
