Reserve with Google now lets you book museum tickets and other activities without leaving Google

Google has officially expanded its Reserve with Google service to cover more activities, as the company continues on its mission to make Google itself the first and last stop for all your online booking needs.

The internet giant first piloted Reserve with Google way back in 2016 in a handful of U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco, though initially it was limited to fitness classes. It allowed users to book nearby classes through Google Maps and Google Search. The company launched the service nationwide last March, and then expanded the scope to include other health and wellness experiences including spas. In October, Google indicated it was experimenting with restaurant bookings too, and conveyed that it was opening to businesses in more markets including Europe.

Moving forward, those searching the internet for museums, or an outdoor activity such as kayaking, may be presented with an option to book through Google by hitting the “Find Tickets” option.

Google has been quietly rolling out this expanded Reserve with Google for a while, but the company has given little formal indication as to when it may be ready for prime time. In a blog post today, Google said that it has integrated with activity marketplaces such as Peek and ticketing platforms such as Tiqets, while it is in the process of adding support for more third-party services such as TripAdvisor Experiences, Accesso, Checkfront, CourseHorse, and others.

Friction

The general concept behind Reserve with Google is that those searching the internet for things to do nearby can book directly from Google Search and Google Maps — which means less friction and less opportunity for a user to change their mind. To opt into the initiative, business owners log into their Google My Business account, which is a free tool they can use to edit and update their business-related information, and register with a scheduling partner through hitting the “Sign up for bookings” option.

But it’s also worth noting that this service also supports Google Assistant, meaning that this will also serve as a potentially useful interface for businesses to open up their activities and events to voice-based bookings through a smart speaker such as Google Home.