Tech, Tariffs & Travel: How Google and Trump Are Redefining the Industry

Welcome to episode 211 of the STR Daily podcast, powered by Boostly, the industry's first AI driven show for short term rental professionals. I'm Bob, your host, bringing you the latest news, trends and insights in travel, AI and hospitality. Whether you're a host, property manager or industry expert, this podcast is your go to source for staying ahead in the fast moving world of short term rentals. Our mission? To equip you with actionable strategies and updates so you can navigate the industry with confidence. Hit that subscribe button and never miss an upload in today's episode. There's a major shakeup underway in the world of tours and activities, and Google might be the one rewriting the rules. Tour guides and small operators are suddenly finding themselves on more equal footing with the online travel giants. Through its Things to Do platform and a heavy push into AI generated search overviews, Google appears to be prioritizing official local business listings over established OTAs like TripAdvisor, Expedia and Airbnb experiences. Operators like Ellen Leventer in Paris, who once relied on multichannel platforms, are now seeing potential for more visibility through Google's tools, which direct traffic to official websites. That's great news for small businesses, but it raises big questions about the future of OTAs. Companies like Adrenalin, Tripshock and Tours by Locals have reported major drops in organic traffic and bookings from Google search. Some CEOs speculate this could force OTAs into paying commissions or subscription fees to stay relevant in Google's ecosystem. Meanwhile, AI is further transforming how people discover and book experiences, with AI overviews dominating search real estate, especially on mobile, organic click through rates are plummeting. In response, companies are racing to produce better structured high authority content optimized for conversational AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. In the broader travel ecosystem, politics is creating its own set of disruptions. President Trump's upcoming tariffs are causing waves of uncertainty not just for trade, but also for travel. While tariffs don't directly affect airfares or hotel prices, their ripple effects could A stronger US Dollar, higher construction costs and global trade tensions may deter international travelers and impact investment across airlines and hospitality. Already, some airlines like United are seeing drops in Canadian traffic. Hotel brands are rethinking construction and imports. And in Canada, marketing for US Travel is being paused due to political backlash. Some tourism leaders warn that Trump era policies could cut U.S. travel growth by half. Also, don't forget to share this podcast with your industry peers. Tag Boostly UK on social media when you do and we'll be sure to share it too. Thanks for tuning in. And remember, book direct.