Where can I find it?
TOURCMS>CONFIGURATION > SYSTEM & SETUP > Google Things to Do
What does it mean?
Introduction
The Google Things to Do platform enables qualifying partners to show travel activity-related items on Google-owned surfaces. The Things to Do data feed is used for advertising campaigns in Things to Do ads as well as powering various Things to Do search experiences.
Google TTD is a feature in Google Search that helps users find and book activities in their area by linking these activities to a Google Business Profile (GBP) or a Google Point of Interest (POI).
Google TTD has three modules that allow to list of tours and activities and depending on where the tours have to be listed the set-up will differ in TourCMS:
Operator Business Module (OBM), for operators to list their tours/activities under their GBP
Attraction Business Module (ABM), for attractions to list their admission ticket as Official Ticket under their POI/GBP
Experiences Business Module (EBM), for operators to list tours/activities related to an eligible POI under this Google POI.
How do we offer it to our customers?
Here's a brief overview of what we offer:
Listing Tours and Activities: You can list your tours and activities under your Google Business Profile (up to a maximum of 10 tours).
Language and Channel Requirements: Currently, each account supports a single-channel connection to one Google Business Profile (GBP). Tour listings will appear on Google only when the user’s browser language matches the language defined in the TourCMS channel setup.
Website Linkage: The channel to be connected must be related to your website, as the link displayed on Google will redirect users there.
TourCMS Permissions: Certain permissions need to be enabled for the tours in TourCMS to be listed, but this is a straightforward process.
Google Form: All necessary steps and information are requested and explained in a Google Form, which can be completed quickly.
Here's an example of how tours are displayed on Google TTD within a Google Business Profile, visible both in the main browser search results and on Google Maps:
Additionally, tours that include an admission ticket to a Google-eligible Point of Interest (POI) can be featured in the 'Tours & Activities' section of that specific POI listing. However, this process is more complex as Google's algorithm considers several factors such as price, ratings, and the quality of descriptions and pictures. Even with these features enabled, there is no guarantee that the tours will appear under POIs.
Modules
1. Attractions Module
- Admission
- Experiences
2. Operator Module
Examples:
What should I do?
With this straightforward process, you can easily set up your TourCMS account with Google TTD and enjoy the benefits of increased exposure and bookings.
TourCMS Integration: We will connect your TourCMS account to Google TTD as an option 2 - Affiliates within the Market Place. An invitation code will be required for this process.
Traffic Redirection: All traffic generated through Google TTD will be directed to either Grayline.com or your own Gray Line Licensee Website.
Seamless Set-Up: We will handle the TourCMS set-up for you at both the channel and product levels. You can select the specific products you wish to feature, and we will ensure they are whitelisted for optimal visibility.
To set up the Google Operator Module, we kindly request the following information from you:
● TourCMS Channel Details:
Please provide us with the Channel ID of your licensee Gray Line website or Grayline.com channel in TourCMS. Ensure that the phone number in the channel follows the format:
00+country code+phone number (no spaces).
● Tours & Experiences:
From the tours listed in the channel mentioned above, please provide us with a list of 10 TourCMS Tour IDs that are exclusively your own operations and listed on your Gray Line Licensee Website or Grayline.com. Please exclude any tours considered as restricted business/services (we will provide you with this information separately).
● Google Business Profile (GBP):
We require the GBP Name as it appears in Google search results. Additionally, ensure that all information in your GBP is up to date (phone, address, etc.). If you wish to use the Tour Operator Module, please disable the "Products section" in your GBP. The 10 tours provided will appear as the official site for these tours.
By providing us with these details, we can efficiently set up the Google Operator Module for your TourCMS account, allowing you to showcase your tours and experiences effectively.
● Admissions
What we need from you to set up the Google Attractions Module for admissions:
If you sell tickets solely for attractions or venues, please provide us with the Tour IDs corresponding to those tickets. We will link your tours/tickets to the respective Point of Interest (POI) and configure them as self-guided with admission granted.
These products will be categorised accordingly in TourCMS.
What we need from you to set up the Google Attractions Module for experiences:
● When uploading a tour or product in TourCMS, please make sure to add related Points of Interest (POIs) by including Midpoints and indicating if any ticket is granted or not. You can find this section in the descriptions and images of each tour.
● To optimise the visibility of your tours under each POI, we recommend adding as many Midpoints as possible to each tour. This will provide more options for your tours to appear when users search for specific attractions or venues.
Summary of actions
General Settings:
1. Update the phone number at the Channel level with the correct format (00+country code+phone number, no spaces).
2. Send us the Channel ID that needs to be connected to Google.
Operator Module:
1. Provide a selection of your top 10 Tour IDs that are listed as "distributed" on your Gray Line Licensee Website or Grayline.com. Tours must be operated by your company not by a third party
2. Inform us about the GBP Name as it appears in Google search and results.
3. Disable the "Products" section in your GBP if it is currently enabled.
4. Verify that you have selected one of the following categories in your GBP: Tour Operator, Travel Agency, or Tour Agency.
Attraction Module:
Admissions
1. Share a complete list of Tour IDs for all your ticket-only products related to a Point of Interest (POI).
Experiences
1. Provide a list of Tour IDs for all products that have a Midpoint set up, indicating whether admission is granted into the POI. Please specify if it is a guided tour or a self-drive/only ticket product.
Feefo Account:
1. In case you have a Feefo Account - please provide with your Merchant ID - It will help to show your reviews in the feed
* We will send you a spreadsheet where to insert all that information needed. Please, write to distribution@palisis.com Subject: Licensee Name + Google TTD