Visual-first search may be the future of travel

Snap, the messaging app, bets it can leap into becoming a platform for discovering places and hotels. Odds are against the company but in favor of visual-first search becoming widespread. Snap will work with Bookatable, Foursquare, Lyft, Michelin Guides, OpenTable, Resy, TripAdvisor, and Uber on a new tool called “context cards.” The cards let its mobile app users swipe up to get more details about points-of-interest within photos and videos. Within a few flicks of a thumb, a user can see maps with appealing attractions nearby, make reservation or hotel reservations, and hail a ride to get to these places. For example, context cards may let hotels and other travel destinations receive some additional marketing impressions based on existing guests sharing their “snaps,” or image-based stories.