Video content sells travel experiences better than almost anything else. But creating professional videos has always been expensive, time-consuming, and required specialised skills. Until now.
Google recently launched Veo 2, their AI video generation tool, to Gemini Advanced subscribers. This tool transforms simple text prompts into eight-second videos in 720p resolution. For travel businesses like yours, this opens up exciting new possibilities to showcase destinations and experiences without breaking the bank.
What is Veo 2 and Why Should Travel Businesses Care?
Veo 2 represents Google's answer to OpenAI's Sora and similar AI video generators. The technology allows anyone to create short videos by simply describing what they want to see. No video editing skills required.
For travel companies, especially smaller operations without dedicated media teams, this tool levels the playing field. You can now create engaging video content for social media, website headers, or email campaigns in minutes rather than days.
How to Access and Use Veo 2
To start creating AI-generated videos with Veo 2, you'll need:
1. A Gemini Advanced subscription (currently priced at $20 per month)
2. Access to the Gemini app on your device
Once you have these basics, the process is straightforward:
1. Open the Gemini app on your device
2. Select the Veo 2 option within the app
3. Type a detailed description of the video you want to create
4. Wait while the AI generates your video (this typically takes a few minutes)
5. Download your completed eight-second video
Google also offers Veo 2 through Whisk, their experimental app that allows you to animate static images into videos. This can be particularly useful if you already have stunning photography of your travel destinations.
Practical Applications for Travel Businesses
At Travelgenix, we see several valuable applications for this technology in the travel sector:
Social Media Content: Create eye-catching video posts that showcase destinations in motion. The eight-second format is perfect for Instagram Reels and TikTok teasers.
Website Enhancement: Replace static header images with subtle video movement to increase engagement and time on page.
Email Marketing: Embed short videos in newsletters to highlight featured destinations or limited-time offers.
Concept Testing: Quickly visualise new travel packages or destination concepts before investing in professional video production.
Important Limitations to Consider
While Veo 2 offers exciting possibilities, be aware of these constraints:
Time Limit: Videos are currently capped at eight seconds, which limits narrative depth but works well for attention-grabbing snippets.
Resolution: The 720p output is good for social media but may not meet standards for large-screen presentations.
Usage Caps: Google currently limits how many videos you can generate monthly, even with a paid subscription.
Watermarking: Each video contains SynthID, Google's digital watermark that identifies the content as AI-generated. This is actually a positive for transparency, but worth noting.
Creative Control: While improving rapidly, AI-generated content still lacks the nuanced creative control of human-directed production.
Getting the Best Results from Veo 2
Through our testing, we've found these approaches yield the best results:
Be Specific: Instead of "beach scene," try "aerial view of turquoise waters and white sand beaches in the Maldives with small waves gently washing ashore."
Include Movement: Describe the motion you want to see, such as "camera slowly panning across the ancient ruins as morning light filters through."
Mention Style: Specify "cinematic," "documentary-style," or "vibrant and colourful" to guide the aesthetic.
Focus on Scenery: Currently, Veo 2 produces more reliable results with landscapes and environments than with people or complex actions.
The Future of AI Video in Travel Marketing
Tools like Veo 2 represent just the beginning of AI's impact on travel marketing. As these technologies evolve, we expect longer videos, higher resolutions, and more precise creative control.
For travel SMEs, this evolution means increasingly powerful tools to compete with larger brands without requiring massive production budgets. The focus remains where it should be: on showcasing amazing travel experiences to your customers.
At Travelgenix, we believe technology should simplify your operations and amplify your unique travel offerings. Veo 2 is another tool that helps level the playing field, allowing smaller travel businesses to create professional-quality content that was previously out of reach.
The most successful travel companies will be those who quickly adapt these new tools while maintaining their authentic voice and deep travel expertise. After all, AI can help create the video, but your knowledge of destinations and understanding of your customers remains the true competitive advantage.
