As we head into the summer holidays, Google is announcing a set of travel updates that firmly position it in the travel planning process and give it a heck of a lot more insight into purchasing intent in the travel sector.

First, Google said Wednesday, it's rolling out an update to its Search Generative Experience (SGE) that will let users build travel itineraries and trip ideas using AI.

It involves ideas from websites around the web, along with reviews, photos and other details people have submitted to Google about places around the world. The new feature-it is currently available only in English, in the United States, to users in Search Labs, the company's program that lets users test out early-stage Google Search experiences and share feedback with it-draws on ideas from websites around the web, along with reviews, photos and other details that people have submitted to Google about places around the world.

If, for instance, a user types in something like "plan me a three-day trip to Philadelphia that's all about history," they will get a sample itinerary detailing such things as the attractions and restaurants they should visit and an overview of options when it comes to flights and hotels, broken up by times of day.

The itineraries are just that for now: There are no on-the-spot options to buy services or experiences. You can export your itinerary to Gmail, Docs, or Maps when you're happy with your choices.

Google wouldn't comment on when-or if-it might roll this out more broadly. But it points to how the company is experimenting with where and how it can apply its AI engine. This could easily position the industry to attract a lot of players in travel services in the coming years and be eyed with a mixture of wariness and excitement. Even now, however, for example, startups like Mindtrip and Layya are working on what can only seem like near-future development of granting users access to AI assistants designed to help you plan your trips.

With this new update, however, Google is taking on such a startup while collecting data about travel-purchasing intent-very helpful for its larger ad business-and learning what kind of appetite its users may have in such services.

Google is also making it easier to find lists of recommendations in Google Maps in select cities in the United States and Canada. You will now see lists of recommendations from publishers like The Infatuation as you search for cities in Maps, as well as from other users. You will also see curated lists of top, trending, and hidden gem restaurants in 40+ U.S. cities.

In addition to this, the company adds more new tools to enable you to customize the lists that you create so that you can better organize your travel plans or share those favorite spots with friends and family. You're now able to determine the order in which places appear on a list, so you could probably list them by top favorite, or chronologically like an itinerary. And you can link to content from your social channels.