How to Grow Your Local SEO with Google’s “Things to Do” Program

Local tourism operators, tour guides, and attraction owners face an evolving digital storefront every single day. Standing out in a crowded market requires more than traditional search strategies; it demands an active approach to direct booking visibility. Google’s “Things to Do” program offers eligible experience providers an opportunity to reach travelers as they research attractions and prepare to book. By making your offerings easier to discover through Google’s travel and search experiences, you can strengthen brand visibility, encourage direct reservations, and support your broader local marketing strategy.

In recent years, consumer interest in memorable experiences has created opportunities for businesses offering tours, attractions, and local activities. Travelers are looking for experiences that help them connect with the places they visit, whether that’s an outdoor adventure, a historical tour, or an afternoon exploring a local attraction.

This interest in the “experience economy” creates an opportunity for tour guides, attraction owners, and local experience providers. By making your activities easier to discover and book, you can reach travelers actively searching for things to do in your community. Google’s “Things to Do” program can become one useful component of a broader local SEO strategy.

Understanding the Basics: What Is Google’s “Things to Do” Program?

People are looking for fun activities that align with their interests in the communities where they live and the destinations they visit. The challenge is helping them discover those activities and making it easy to purchase tickets. Google’s “Things to Do” program helps eligible tourism and attraction businesses display information about their experiences, ticket options, and booking opportunities across supported Google surfaces.

When potential guests search for attractions or activities in a destination, Google may display ticket information, prices, booking links, and other details associated with eligible experiences. Depending on the search and the type of activity, travelers may encounter options from official attraction websites alongside listings from online travel agencies (OTAs) and other ticket sellers.

For operators that support direct reservations, this creates an opportunity to make their own booking options more visible rather than relying exclusively on third-party marketplaces.

Participating businesses generally provide their product information through a supported booking or connectivity provider. Google’s Connectivity Partners can help businesses submit the required product and booking information. Direct technical integrations may also be possible for organizations with the necessary development resources and program eligibility.

Google’s Things to Do experiences can include several types of placements, depending on eligibility, product type, and available Google features:

• Attraction Ticket Information: Eligible attractions may display admission options, prices, and booking links in relevant Google experiences.
• Tour and Activity Listings: Specific tours, guided experiences, and activities may appear with product information and links to booking pages.
• Official Site Booking Options: Eligible operators may have the opportunity to display official booking links alongside those of other ticket providers.

Not every tour or activity qualifies for every placement, and participation does not guarantee that a listing will appear for a particular search.

Why Google’s “Things to Do” Matters for Local SEO

Participating in Google’s “Things to Do” program can complement your broader local search strategy by making eligible attractions and experiences easier to discover. However, participation should not be confused with a direct improvement in organic search rankings. Google does not establish that joining Things to Do automatically improves your position in local search results.

Instead, the program provides another opportunity to connect with potential customers. Combined with a well-maintained Google Business Profile, useful website content, and accurate business information, it can help create a more complete online presence.

Here are four ways the program can support your tourism marketing efforts:

1. Captures High-Intent Search Traffic

Travelers searching for specific attractions, tours, or activities may already be comparing options and preparing to make reservations. Displaying relevant product information and direct booking opportunities can help qualified visitors find the experience they’re looking for.

When someone arrives on your website from a specific tour or ticket listing, the landing page should continue that experience with clear information, accurate pricing, and an obvious path to purchase. This is an important part of converting website visitors into customers.

While relevant traffic can increase your chances of generating bookings, lower bounce rates and longer visits should not be treated as guaranteed improvements inGoogle’ss organic rankings.

2. Reclaim Profit Margins from OTAs

Many tour and attraction operators rely on online travel agencies to reach travelers and manage reservations. These platforms can provide valuable exposure, but their commissions also affect profitability.

Google’s “Things to Do” program can give eligible operators opportunities to display official booking links alongside third-party sellers. When travelers choose to reserve directly, businesses may avoid some third-party marketplace commissions, depending on their booking technology and payment arrangements.

Direct reservations also create opportunities to build stronger customer relationships, communicate important details before an experience, and encourage future visits. The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate OTAs, but to create a healthier balance between third-party discovery and bookings through your own website.

3. Strengthens Your Overall Google Presence

Local visibility relies on accurate, consistent information across your website and Google’s business and travel experiences. Maintaining a complete Google Business Profile remains an important part of that process.

Things to Do listings can complement your business information by providing details on eligible tickets and activities through supported Google surfaces. However, these listings do not automatically improve your Google Business Profile ranking or guarantee better placement in local map results.

Keeping business details, operating hours, activity descriptions, and booking information accurate helps customers make informed decisions. It also supports the broader principles of local SEO by creating a more consistent and useful experience across your digital presence.

4. Supports Clearer Information Across Search Experiences

As search continues to evolve through AI-assisted results and conversational discovery, businesses benefit from maintaining clear, accurate, and accessible information about their offerings.

Google’s Things to Do program uses structured product information to support eligible travel and booking experiences. Maintaining accurate descriptions, locations, prices, and booking links can help Google display relevant information within supported features.

However, participation does not guarantee inclusion in Google AI Overviews or other AI-generated answers. Those systems operate through separate processes, and businesses should avoid treating any single product feed as a shortcut to AI visibility.

For a broader perspective on how traditional search and AI-driven discovery differ, explore our article on SEO vs. AIO.

The 4D Engine to Deploy Google’s “Things to Do”

Sustainable digital growth comes from a consistent, structured strategy. To help you evaluate and deploy Google’s “Things to Do” program effectively, we use our operational framework: Decide, Define, Design, Deploy.

Best Practices to Maximize Your Program Performance

Joining the program is only the first step. To maintain a strong presence and create a better experience for potential guests, follow these practical standards:

• Maintain Accurate Pricing: Ensure that the prices and booking details submitted to Google match the offers available on your landing pages. Review applicable pricing and eligibility requirements with your connectivity provider.
• Optimize Your Business Images: Use high-quality, original photography that accurately represents your attractions and experiences. Images featuring real people enjoying your activities can help potential visitors understand what makes your offering special.
• Encourage Genuine Guest Reviews: Google reviews help prospective customers evaluate your business and can contribute to local prominence. Create a consistent follow-up process that invites customers to share honest feedback without offering incentives or selectively requesting positive reviews.
• Refine Your Technical SEO: Ensure your website loads efficiently, works well on mobile devices, and uses HTTPS. These improvements support a better booking experience, although they do not create a separate Things to Do quality score or guarantee preferential placement.

Accelerate Your Local Reach with Paradux Media Group

Navigating the changing landscape of local SEO requires clarity, focus, and a steady strategic hand. Tools and platforms provide opportunities, but long-term growth requires understanding your customers and implementing the right strategies.

At Paradux Media Group, we help local businesses build sustainable visibility through integrated marketing strategies that connect their online presence with real business goals.

Ready to clarify your strategy and get your ducks in a row? Schedule a strategy session with our team to build a practical roadmap for growing your local presence.