Google Things to Do puts your tours, rentals, and activities right in front of travelers searching Google Search and Maps — with 0% commission. Here's how it works, the Google Business Profile checklist, and how ReservZs gets your inventory listed.
No credit card required · Free Google listing · You keep 100% of direct bookings
It's one of the highest-intent, lowest-cost channels available to a rental business — and most operators aren't using it yet.
Google Things to Do is a free Google feature that surfaces tours, activities, attractions, and rentals directly inside Google Search and Google Maps. When a traveler searches something like “jet ski rental near me,” “kayak tours in Clearwater,” or “bike rentals this weekend,” Google can show a carousel of bookable listings — complete with photos, prices, ratings, and a Book button.
For rental and activity operators, this is a rare thing: a distribution channel that is genuinely free. Google does not charge a commission on bookings made through the organic Things to Do listing. Optional paid Google Ads can add visibility, but the free listing itself costs nothing and takes no cut of your revenue.
Compare that to the OTAs. Viator and GetYourGuide typically charge 20–30% commission per booking. Google Things to Do captures the same kind of high-intent traveler — someone actively searching for what you sell — but the booking comes to you directly, at 0% commission. That's why we treat it as the first, fastest win in any distribution strategy.
Four moving parts connect a traveler's search to a booking on your calendar.
Someone searches Google or opens Maps for an activity or rental near your location — exactly the moment they're ready to book.
High intentGoogle displays a Things to Do carousel with your products, photos, prices, and ratings — pulled from your Google Business Profile and structured data.
Search & MapsThey click through to your booking flow with your live availability and pricing, powered by your booking system.
Live availabilityThe reservation lands on your calendar like any direct booking. No OTA in the middle, no commission taken out.
0% commissionA complete, verified Google Business Profile is the foundation. Work through these five steps to become eligible for Things to Do.
Create or claim your Google Business Profile and complete verification. Set your primary category (e.g. “Tour operator,” “Boat rental service,” “Bicycle rental service”), exact address or service area, hours, and phone number.
Upload high-quality photos of your equipment, location, and staff, and link your website. Listings with rich media consistently earn more clicks and bookings.
Google needs structured product, pricing, and availability data plus a booking link. ReservZs is a booking system that publishes exactly that — so your inventory is eligible to appear.
List each rental, tour, or activity with a clear name, description, duration, image, and real-time availability so Google can display accurate prices and bookable time slots.
Keep availability, pricing, and hours current, respond to reviews, and add new photos regularly. Accuracy and review volume strongly influence how often you appear.
Once you're listed for free, you can layer optional paid Google Ads on top for extra visibility. The organic listing stays free — Ads are entirely your choice.
Google Things to Do isn't a form you fill in once — it's a data feed. Here's what has to be true.
| Requirement | With ReservZs | Without a booking system |
|---|---|---|
| Verified Google Business Profile | We walk you through it | You do it yourself |
| Structured product data | Auto-generated from your inventory | Manual / not possible |
| Live pricing & availability | Synced in real time | Static, goes stale |
| Booking link / action | Direct to your checkout | Homepage at best |
| Commission on bookings | $0 | $0 |
| Ongoing maintenance | Automatic | Manual, error-prone |
Google Things to Do eligibility and display are controlled by Google and may change. We help you meet the technical requirements; we can't guarantee placement.
Getting on Google Things to Do is a data problem, not a marketing problem. ReservZs solves the data problem.
Every product, option, price, and time slot you already manage in ReservZs is the raw material Google needs. No double entry.
Zero extra workWe emit the Product and Offer structured data (schema.org) Google reads, including availability and a booking action — so listings can show prices and a Book button.
schema.orgWhen you block a slot or take a booking, availability updates automatically — so Google never shows a slot you can't actually sell.
Real-time syncTravelers book through your own checkout. It's a direct booking — $0 commission, your customer, your data.
$0 commissionTrack bookings and revenue by channel so you know exactly what Google Things to Do is contributing — no black box.
Channel reportingWe don't own an OTA and we don't steer you to one. Google is one channel you can switch on — on your terms.
No lock-inThey're complementary, not either/or. Here's the honest breakdown.
| Channel | Google Things to Do | Viator | GetYourGuide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission | 0% (free) | ~20–30% | 20–30% |
| Where travelers find you | Google Search & Maps | Viator & Tripadvisor | GetYourGuide |
| Who owns the customer | You | Viator | GetYourGuide |
| Cost to get started | Free | Application + certification | Tiered partner program |
| Best for | Direct, commission-free bookings | Extra reach & brand discovery | Extra reach in Europe |
Google Things to Do is a free Google feature that surfaces tours, activities, attractions, and rentals directly in Google Search and Google Maps. When a traveler searches for something like “jet ski rental near me” or “kayak tours in Clearwater,” Google can show bookable listings with prices and a booking link. Operators pay 0% commission to be listed.
No. Google Things to Do listings are free — Google does not take a commission on bookings made through the free listing. Optional paid Google Ads are available if you want extra visibility, but the organic Things to Do listing itself costs nothing.
You need a verified Google Business Profile and a supported booking system that can send your product and availability data to Google. ReservZs handles the structured data and booking links so your inventory is eligible to appear in Google Things to Do.
Your Google Business Profile is the free listing that controls how your business appears in Google Search and Maps — your name, address, hours, photos, and reviews. A complete, verified profile is the foundation for appearing in Google Things to Do.
To show live availability and take bookings directly, yes — Google works with supported booking systems and connectivity partners. ReservZs is a booking system, so it can feed your product data, pricing, and availability to Google and provide the booking link travelers click.
They serve different purposes. Google Things to Do is free and captures high-intent searches on Google itself with 0% commission. OTAs like Viator and GetYourGuide bring their own demand but charge 20–30% commission. Many operators use both — Google for direct, commission-free bookings and OTAs for extra reach.
Once your Google Business Profile is verified and your inventory is in ReservZs, the technical groundwork is largely automatic. Google controls when and how listings appear, so timing varies — but you can be ready to appear within days, not months.
Get your rentals listed on Google Things to Do at 0% commission. Start free — no credit card required.