Google denies Troogle

PING! An email from Google Towers responding to a query about yesterday's speculation in the national press about a new travel product from the search giant.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, pretty much sums up their reaction to a small piece in The Times that suggested a presentation was being planned in London by Google to unveil a "travel vertical" to rival the likes of Expedia and Travelocity.

[Read our post yesterday and The Times story]

According to Google, The Times spotted on advert running in the US for a travel team manager who will "develop our advertising business", based in Seattle.

The paper was wrong to imply that a so-called "travel vertical" automatically equates to a internet travel site, our source suggested.

The presentation in London did not take place either.

In short, Google is denying The Times story per se, but it remains somewhat coy about the Troogle concept in principle.

Thickening of plots. Speculation mounting. Even the mighty Google is struggling to stall the momentum of the rumour mill within the industry for this development.

Kevin May, editor, Travolution