BTIG gets market reaction over Google AI travel search, sees risk as overstated

BTIG analyst Jake Fuller says that talk this afternoon of agentic travel booking capabilities in Google’s (GOOG) AI Mode has added to investor concern over Online Travel Agency disintermediation risk. In a post about a new AI travel planning tool and the ability to make restaurant reservations in AI Mode, Google also noted that it plans to bring the ability to book flights and hotels into AI Mode in the future. BTIG also highlights that Google is working with partners and specifically pointed to Booking Holdings (BKNG), Expedia (EXPE) as well as four major hotel chains. The firm “gets the market’s reaction,” but sees the risk as “overstated.” Google has always worked with the major chains, but chains are a significant minority of global accommodation supply, BTIG adds.