VIDEO: Amazon may inspire a new world for travel sales

Travel marketing is at a hugely important moment in its history, most brands in the industry would concede to some to degree or other.

Google continues its rise as a power player in the sector, covering search, shopping and now booking, plus the lack of an alternative customer acquisition channel of a similar scale is of massive concern to those that rely on it.

Niche channels that play a role in other parts of the customer "funnel", such as Instagram for inspiration or Facebook for validation, may see their influence - or decrease - over time but for brands looking to target travelers in the western hemisphere, there is a reliance on Google that many wish wasn't there.

The crossroads where many brands now find themselves is ripe for a new road (or, indeed, a number of roads) to be built.

What is obvious at the moment is that it will be a platform (or Super App) that will have the best chance of emerging as an alternative to Google, rather than a new, travel-specific service.

Amazon, although hardly playing any of its hand so far (apart from a flight service and a bus partnership in India), is the most likely contender.

This is likely to come in two forms: as a marketplace for travel products and as a huge advertising platform in its own right.

Any sort of introduction of Amazon into the wider travel landscape will not unseat Google entirely - in fact, it may lead to the search giant sharpening its own strategy to one that is focused more on direct sales.

In an interview at the PhocusWire Studio during The Phocuswright Conference last month, Intent's Richard Harris explains the options ahead and the problems brands, intermediaries and the platforms might face in a new ecosystem for securing travel sales.