User Experience for Travel Websites

I’ve visited 40+ countries, and one shift feels impossible to miss: Travel is no longer being planned around places. It’s being planned around outcomes. Not “Where should I go?” But “What do I want to feel, do, learn, or experience?” That is a much bigger shift than it looks. Because when travel becomes experience-led, the destination stops being the product. It becomes the setting. You can see it in the data: 63% of travelers are willing to pay more for room upgrades or special extras, 42% say AI helps save time planning, 37% use it for personalized recommendations, and 36% use it to find new destinations. At the same time, word of mouth remains the most influential travel research source at 36%, while user-generated video follows at 26%. That tells us something important: Travel discovery is becoming more personalized, but trust is still deeply human. People are using AI, reels, creator content, Reddit, and recommendations together, not separately. Amadeus calls this “Travel Mixology”, a multi-source planning behavior that blends machine speed with human authenticity. And on the experience side, the shift is just as clear. American Express found that 79% of Millennials and Gen Z are likely to seek out local workshops or destination-specific activities, 76% of global respondents say skills gained on a trip stay with them longer than material souvenirs, and 83% of Millennial and Gen Z travelers prioritize unique, authentic experiences over popular tourist attractions. So the real trend is not just “personalized travel.” It is the redefinition of travel value. Earlier, value meant, more landmarks, better hotels, tighter itineraries. Now, value increasingly means, better stories, local immersion, memorable skills, and trips that feel personally designed. 📍That is why smaller destinations can win. 📍That is why curated itineraries are growing. 📍That is why social discovery matters more. 📍And that is why AI will shape planning, but probably won’t replace human taste. My view: The next phase of travel will belong to brands, creators, and platforms that understand one thing well: People are not buying a destination. They are buying a version of themselves in that destination. What kind of travel do you think is growing faster now, destination-led or experience-led? #TravelTrends #TravelIndustry #ConsumerBehavior #ExperienceEconomy #TrendAnalysis #BusinessInsights #TravelPlanning #AI #DigitalConsumer #TourismTrends #ResearchInsights

🎢 Onboarding UX Playbook (+ Decision Trees). Practical techniques for better onboarding UX, design patterns, kits and Figma templates — on mobile and desktop. 🚫 Users often skip tutorials/walkthroughs entirely. 🚫 Never block the UI with full-page onboarding modals. 🚫 Avoid long multi-step tutorials with 5+ steps. ✅ Ask customers what goals they are trying to achieve. ✅ Allow users to hide walkthroughs and restore them later. ✅ Focus on bringing users to first success moments fast. ✅ Structure your onboarding suggestions in bite-sized chunks. ✅ Explain features when users slow down or make mistakes. ✅ Show features when users lose time with repetitive tasks. ✅ Prevent failure with an early warning system for new users. ✅ Collapsible checklists work well for onboarding. ✅ Personalized onboarding works even better. ✅ Design sets of filters, templates and empty states. ✅ Show starter kits based on user’s profile and interests. ✅ Consider short video guides and email drip campaigns. Good onboarding can’t be generic. It has to be relevant and valuable. Define your user segments first. Design a set of presets to help them get to success moments faster. Think of the questions you need to ask to customize their experience. Think about filters and presets they might need. Onboarding tutorials often appear once and get instantly dismissed, nowhere to be found again. Allow users to find them when they need it. Bring them up when users slow down or make mistakes. And test the discoverability of your features continuously. If a feature is obvious, you might not need to explain it at all. And if it isn’t, perhaps onboarding won’t solve this problem either. Useful resources: How to Choose Onboarding Methods and Components, by NewsKit 👍 Methods: https://lnkd.in/eWn5FPWA Decision Tree: https://lnkd.in/e8TmMDFf Design Patterns: https://lnkd.in/ed7HjzkW Onboarding UX Playbook, by Eleana Gkogka https://lnkd.in/edcDfMFG Complete Onboarding UX Guide (free eBook), by Intercom https://lnkd.in/eAxT6ZM4 User Onboarding Best Practices, by Taras Bakusevych https://lnkd.in/eRwr2tEc Guide to Onboarding, by Phil Byrne https://lnkd.in/esEavgw7 How Spotify Organizes Onboarding in Figma, by Barton Smith, Cliona O'Sullivan https://lnkd.in/ei434tqq Mobile Onboarding Wireframe Flows (Figma template) https://lnkd.in/ekhzWFJz UX Onboarding Patterns, by Eve Weinberg https://lnkd.in/e7_M4kDv #ux #design

My #WiT2025 takeaways (1/10): Hospitality Show-off Luxury is dead. Long live Meaning. The new battleground in Asia Pacific hospitality is not distribution or price. It's Experience Orchestration. If your tech stack creates friction, you're losing the most valuable guest. 1. The Luxury Pivot: From Having to Becoming Luxury is shifting from material expense ("bling") to profound personal connection and purpose. Top-tier clients are moving from having (material goods) to becoming (experiences), favoring experiences that emphasize social impact or personal immersion. Some panelists therefore mentioned that the core metric for success is moving beyond RevPAR and occupancy to the Return on Emotional Investment (ROE). Loyalty is no longer just driven by points, but in some cases by co-creation and "money-can't-buy experiences", such as COMO Hotels and Resorts collaborating with NASA, as mentioned by Puneet Mahindroo during WiT (Web in Travel). 2. The Crisis of Data Orchestration While distribution channels are largely "solved" (or at least manageable at scale today), the biggest challenge is Experience Orchestration. Systematic data fragmentation still prevents a unified view of the guest, meaning technology operates in silos (pre-stay versus in-stay, F&B, spa, rooms) while the guest interacts with the hotel as a single entity. This causes visible friction: even guests who pre-check-in online frequently waste time at the front desk being asked for information they have already provided. This friction is most acute during the transition from the platform (mostly OTA but also direct) to the physical check-in. This aspect is key as a better in-stay experience may increase the probability for a guest to return by 3.8x according to panelists. 3. OTAs as Experience Partners, Not Gatekeepers In the long standing “love-hate” relationships between OTAs and Hotels, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are pushing to redefine their role, shifting from being mere "gatekeepers" to genuine experience partners. For example, according to Xing Xiong, COO of Trip.com, more than 50% of guest queries on platforms like Trip.com occur before the booking is finalized. By providing AI-enabled tools and pre-sale support, OTAs aim to reduce customer friction and increase conversion. 4. Scaling Independent Hospitality Independent hotel groups, such as Worldwide Hotels (WWH), benefit from flexibility and agility. As Carolyn Choo, her CEO, pointed out, the democratization of technology, especially AI, acts as an "equalizer," enabling independent operators to adopt powerful, non-proprietary revenue management and guest experience tools. In highly fragmented sectors, like luxury villas and rentals, scaling is best achieved through an M&A roll-up strategy as mentioned by Stephanie Chai from The Luxe Nomad: acquiring specialized property management companies to gain scale and market expertise. #HospitalityTech #CustomerExperience #LuxuryTravel #AI #TravelStrategy #TheWayForward

The biggest shift in travel is not pricing. It’s who understands the traveler first. The more you know about the traveler at the moment of aspiration, inspiration, and shopping, the more you control positioning, pricing — and ultimately economics. Platforms figured this out long ago. They don’t price rooms. They price intent. And that’s why we now see: • Layered, personalized pricing • Behavioral merchandising • Loyalty as a pricing engine • Demand routed by probability, not availability • Pricing shaped across the journey, not just at booking Take Expedia: what looks like simple demand growth is often powered by multi-layered segmentation and pricing orchestration — loyalty, package, geo, device, targeted promotions, B2B redistribution — all shaping perceived price and traveler behavior. Smart? Absolutely. Neutral? Not always. For suppliers, this raises a deeper question: Are we still pricing inventory… while platforms price travelers? Multi-sourcing is accelerating. New T&E players, alternative connectivity, and open ecosystems are expanding access to content and demand. But they are also shifting control toward whoever understands the traveler earliest. This is why next-generation revenue management cannot be single-dimensional. The future is multi-variable value optimization: • Traveler intent & lifetime value • Channel economics & control • Mix quality, not just volume • Loyalty, identity, and relationship depth • True net profitability, not surface ADR And AI will amplify this divide — rewarding those with rich, structured, interoperable content and real traveler intelligence. The real question is no longer: “What price should I set?” It is: “Do I understand the traveler early enough… or am I letting someone else shape the outcome?” #TravelTech #Distribution #RevenueManagement #FutureOfTravel #AIinTravel #MultiSource #Hospitality #DemandEconomics

Here's what a 21 year-old content creator can teach the advertising and marketing industry... After a whole month, ishowspeed's Africa tour comes to an end. A tour that has delivered millions of live viewers (record breaking numbers), a multitude of experiences, with countless moments that celebrated often uncelebrated cultures, cities, languages and subcultures. A big shout out to Speed and his team for delivering a constant stream of moments that have made so many smile, laugh and feel emotional in good measure. And the learnings of it shouldn't be solely a content creators playbook, so much needs to be applied to adland. 🤣 Edutainment is a key to unlocking new consumers. 54% of consumers discover new brands within entertainment content. 82% engage more effectively with brands who create emotional connection. Edutainment is our formula at Word on the Curb to ensure audiences feel something when engaging with content. Speed's tour did this in abundance. Brands need to stop treating entertainment and storytelling as optional and start building it into the core of their comms. ⏳ The idea that content needs to be short to gain attention amongst modern audiences on social media is nonsense. Recent studies have shown that videos between 30 and 60 minutes have the highest conversion rates (17%) vs clips under a minute (2%). If your brand is looking to create human connection, vanity metrics shouldn't be the sole focus. Audiences reward content that takes them on a journey, allows them to feel engaged and leans into formats. For a month, audiences were engaged through both the long form and the short form. It shouldn't just be during Christmas that advertising focuses on long form. ✈️ The travel industry needs to level up its communications efforts. Travel is literally about crossing borders, expanding perspective and experiencing difference. Yet most tourism comms only sell landscapes and price points. What Speed’s tour did has seemingly reframed perceptions of Africa and directly led to purchase intent. I’ve seen emotional videos of young Americans (mostly) saying how this tour changed how they see the continent, upset that education did them a disservice. Imagine if travel brands actually invested in cultural storytelling? So for all the industry veterans in senior positions, I hope you take note of the cheatcodes that this content creator has provided you with over the past month.

I will admit that one of the most omitted aspects of creating a new feature (or product) is making sure the user knows how to use it. At the same time, you can only make one first impression. How to make it great? Let's face it: It's very hard to onboard users. People have very little time right now and are used to instant gratification. Thus, if the product requires some effort to use, you may see a very upset user on the other end. At the same time, not all products can be reduced to a single button called "solve my problem". So, how to onboard a new user in a way they actually engage? 1) Start with a great text copy There is nothing worse than a technical copy that is not written with your client in mind. Separate it into easy-to-complete steps so the user can learn and move to the next step easily. Remember, the user is not an expert yet like you are. Also, invest into professional translations, so the copy is great for everyone! 2) Set the production value of onboarding materials very high If your onboarding videos look and feel professional, you will build your brand image and user confidence. While creating such videos used to be expensive, nowadays tools exist that will help you automate and speed up the process, such as this post's partner: Guidde! Guidde allows you to create how-to videos quickly based on the screen recording of the process you wish to document. Using AI, Guidde will automatically generate the storyline with highlights, and add text to voice and multiple CTAs, saving you many hours of work. 3) Make it easy to repeat training People forget or skip onboarding steps accidentally. If it is difficult to access the training materials again, you might avoid a lot of user frustration. Not to mention support calls or tickets that could have been avoided. 4) Add micro onboardings While onboarding is associated with getting the user started using a product, that can also apply on a feature level. Take this into account when planning a new release, so it's stellar and accessible from day one! 5) Make it easy to speak to human support While your onboarding will surely be great, a lot of your users will prefer to talk/write to a human being. Make it easy to find contact info. Bonus: monitor the issues that come with this. Rather than hide support contact, eliminate the causes that led to those calls in the 1st place. Thus: 6) Care for onboarding funnel as a product Monitor onboarding usage and later client engagement. Look for steps/materials in dire need of improvement and monitor the metrics once those are introduced. As I said earlier, you can only make one first impression! Make it count :) So, did you find this useful? How do you build your product so that it's welcoming to new users? Sound off in the comments! #productmanagement #productmanager #onboarding

For consumer-facing platforms, delivering relevant and personalized recommendations isn’t just about convenience—it’s key to enhancing the traveler experience. In a recent blog post, Expedia Group's Data Science team shared how they’ve refined their property search ranking algorithm to better match user intent and provide more meaningful results. Expedia’s recommendation system is traditionally designed for destination searches, where travelers enter a location and filter to find suitable lodging. In this case, the algorithm ranks properties based on their overall relevance. However, another common scenario is property searches, where users arrive on the platform looking for a specific hotel—often through external channels like search engines. If that property is unavailable, simply displaying top-ranked hotels in the area isn’t the best solution. Instead, the system needs to recommend accommodations that closely match the traveler’s original intent. To tackle this, the Data Science team enhanced their machine learning models by incorporating property similarity into the ranking process. They improved data preprocessing by focusing on past property searches that led to bookings, ensuring the model learns from real traveler behavior. Additionally, they introduced new similarity-based features that compare properties based on key factors like location, amenities, and brand affiliation. These improvements allow the system to suggest highly relevant alternatives when a traveler’s first choice isn’t available, making recommendations feel more intuitive and personalized. While broad recommendation systems lay the foundation for personalization, adapting them to specific user behaviors can greatly improve satisfaction. Expedia’s approach highlights the power of fine-tuning machine learning models to better address evolving business needs. #MachineLearning #DataScience #Algorithm #Recommendation #Customization #SnacksWeeklyonDataScience – – –  Check out the "Snacks Weekly on Data Science" podcast and subscribe, where I explain in more detail the concepts discussed in this and future posts:    -- Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gKgaMvbh   -- Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gj6aPBBY    -- Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gcwPeBmR https://lnkd.in/gFZSXpMQ

"Most companies' onboarding sucks!" "40–60% of users leave an app forever after signing in just once." Here's why, from onboarding expert Ramli John: — 1. Why Onboarding Fails and How to Fix It The biggest onboarding mistake? Skipping the basics. Too many teams jump straight to flashy product tours without understanding what success looks like for users. Start with user research: What are their goals? What challenges are they facing? Onboarding is like building a bridge. If you don’t know where users want to go, you’ll lead them to the wrong place. Make sure the “promised land” in ads matches the actual onboarding journey. Key tips to avoid failure: → Use research to identify user pain points and objections. → Build flows that guide users step-by-step to their goals. — 2. The Secret to User Addiction: Personalization Great onboarding systems treat users like individuals, not clones. Not everyone needs a basic walkthrough. Some want advanced tools right now. → Take a page from Duolingo: assess skills and tailor lessons. → Or Miro: recommend templates based on user roles. Even CrossFit nails this — personalized welcome sessions create an experience that adapts to user needs. The result? Faster “aha” moments and reduced friction. — 3. Onboarding Is the Key to Unlocking Revenue Growth Onboarding doesn’t just help users succeed; it drives revenue. The trick? Identify the right upgrade moments where users see value and are ready to pay. → Canva introduces Pro features while users wait to download designs. → Triggers like multiple signups from the same company? Perfect for upsell opportunities. Great onboarding creates value, then monetizes it. — 4. Emails: The Untapped Engine Behind Explosive Growth Behavior-driven emails are a game changer. → Example: Phantom Video emails users when they remove the tool during a call. These emails don’t just engage — they build trust and guide users to the next step. The secret is context. → Reach out after users hit errors, milestones, or moments of success. → Focus on high-fit, high-engagement users for value-driven touchpoints. — 5. Mastering Metrics and Leveraging PLG for Seamless Onboarding Metrics drive onboarding success. Track key metrics like time-to-value, activation rates, and drop-off points. But here’s the problem: without clear ownership, teams lose momentum. The solution? Cross-functional alignment. Here’s how to make your onboarding intuitive: → Adopt PLG principles: remove friction and deliver immediate value. → Personalize onboarding to user needs. — Check out the full episode for many more insights: Apple: https://lnkd.in/eX2sWuuH Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eyt7agKj Youtube: https://lnkd.in/eWWqSgzM This will take your onboarding game to the next level.

We all consume short form video content every day. Why would booking a hotel be any different? The Modern Hotelier partnered with Hovr and Hotel Polaris, a CoralTree Hospitality property, to integrate video onto their website to improve the guest booking journey. The result? $239,000 in influenced revenue. Not views. Not impressions. Actual revenue. Guests who engaged with the video experience were also more than 2x more likely to book, with a 15.9% conversion rate. This is not just for hotels. The hotels and companies that learn how to visually tell their story online are going to win more than those who don't, moving forward. Hotel tech companies and vendors, what if your website had product demos, customer testimonials, or short videos explaining your solution? As someone who sold in hotels for nearly a decade, anything that speeds up the sales process and creates a warmer lead is a game-changer. Check out the study below and see how Hotel Polaris is incorporating video directly into its website experience.

Booking.com reminded me what most brands still get wrong. I was booking a hotel recently and when looking at reviews, they let me filter by traveler type: couples, solo travelers, business travelers, families. Because they understand something fundamental: I don't care if a family with three kids loved it. If I’m traveling alone, my requirements are completely different. So instead of drowning me in generic 5-star reviews, they showed me reviews from people like me. That's when social proof actually matters. But social proof is only one layer. After years of building trust in fintech, healthcare, and insurance, I've realised there are actually five layers: 1.Trust by Social Proof (done right): Filter social proof by who's reading it — what they do, what they're trying to solve. Make it specific to their situation, not everyone's. 2. Trust by Trial: Let them use it free. No credit card. Easy exit. Because if you've actually solved a real problem, they'll stay. 3. Trust by Affiliation: Investors. Regulators. Experts. NHS approval. FCA regulation. Credibility by association. People will delegate their trust if you've earned the right affiliations. 4. Trust by Design: Airbnb nailed this. Their entire platform is built on trust prompts. "Tell your host why you're coming." Suddenly there's rapport. Suddenly the guest understands the implicit contract: this is a community built on trust. You're not asking for it — you're designing the path to it. 5. Trust by Greater Good (without greenwashing): Why do you actually exist? At Pharmacy2U, we weren't just dispensing prescriptions at scale — we were bringing remote healthcare to the patient's doorstep. Faster access, and a freed-up NHS able to focus on what matters most. Trust is the most important commodity in relationships. And it should be the same for brands. But most brands treat trust like something you add at the end. A testimonial section. A security badge. It should be built into every single touchpoint: Your design. Your messaging. Your experience. Your why. That's when social proof actually matters. Because it's not just saying "people like you." It's proving that people like you are winning with this. What layer of trust are you actually building into your product? ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with your network.  ⚡ Curious about scaling and entrepreneurship? Hit follow Maya Moufarek.