- Google Maps now lets users order food and book hotels before starting their trip
- New AI features roll out in over 150 countries including Australia and Mexico
- India gets Hindi language support and Personal Intelligence for travel planning
Google Maps can now do much more than suggest the best routes, and it's going to revolutionise the way you travel and eat out. The latest Google Maps feature can now order your food and book hotels even before you set out on the road.
Ask Google Maps To Find Dinner And Book Your Stay
Imagine you're on holiday abroad but suddenly feel like eating butter chicken or chole bhature. Instead of searching restaurant after restaurant, you can simply 'Ask Maps'. The app looks for eateries along your route that serve the dish you're craving, checks if they're open and even factors in your saved places and dietary preferences while making recommendations. Once you've chosen a restaurant, Ask Maps can add the selected dish directly to your cart.
The same approach applies to hotels as well. Rather than selecting multiple filters one by one, you can simply type a request such as, "Find a budget-friendly, family-friendly hotel near a beach in California with spacious rooms." Google Maps checks live prices, room availability and suggests options that match your requirements.
Planning what to do after checking in also becomes easier. Ask Maps can recommend nearby festivals, concerts and local attractions taking place during your trip, along with links to book tickets.
Google has introduced new AI-powered features under Ask Maps, which are rolling out in more than 150 countries and territories, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico.
In India, the experience has become even more useful.
India Gets Hindi Support And Smarter Travel Features
Indian users are getting a few updates designed specifically for them. The most noticeable one is Hindi language support. You can now ask questions in Hindi instead of English while looking for restaurants, tourist attractions or places to visit.
Google has also introduced Personal Intelligence, an optional feature that can use information from connected Google services, such as Gmail, to make recommendations based on your travel plans. If your hotel booking or flight confirmation is already in your inbox, Ask Maps can use that information to offer suggestions that fit your itinerary.
Another addition is real-time transit information, which provides live updates for buses, metro services, trains and ferries.
Google Maps started as a navigation app. Today, it's gradually taking on many of the small tasks that come with travelling.
