Next month Google is changing its pay-per-click policy and allowing any online advertiser to bid for trademarked keywords on its British and Irish search sites. The decision has angered a number of the leading online travel brands in the UK that believe that the reverse in the policy will rocket their costs. In order to prevent hiking their digital marketing spend, a number of UK travel companies are discussing the agreement to avoid an extremely costly bidding war.

A number of UK travel companies would consider “gentleman’s agreements” to prevent escalating keyword costs as a result of Google’s decision to scrap trademark protection.

Travolution has learned that discussions have already taken place between major travel companies from a variety of sectors after Google reversed a long-standing policy to protect bidding on company brand names.

It is feared that a sudden open playing field will produce an extremely costly bidding war between major players in the industry.

As a result, it is believed that informal discussions have taken place behind the scenes between rival companies to agree not to bid on one another’s brand names.

Other senior executives across the industry contacted by Travolution have confirmed they would be interested in an informal arrangement to prevent escalating keyword costs.

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