5 Problems of Travel Websites: Looking for Solutions Together with Red Collar

Every website, landing, or promotional page tells the audience about the value of the product and the uniqueness of the services offered.

That information helps the user to make a choice in favor of a particular company in solving their query.

Travel agency websites are no exception. Historically, almost all such sites lack the latest useful updates to help modern day travelers find and select their exact destinations, pick dates, book, and pay.

According to the Baymard Institute, a research institute, there are over 1,000+ usability issues on most travel industry websites that users face on a daily basis.

At Red Collar we create digital products with a human face. We boast multiple years and an impressive client record in creating digital products for the tourism industry,

Today, in this piece, we walk with you side by side in exploring problems that hamper travel agency websites from attracting and keeping clients and the best ways to solve them.

Ready? Let’s stroll.

Problem 1: Visuals

A majority of travel agency websites take decades to update their sites. On the one hand, it’s understandable — customers have been using the same site for years, and thus any changes are likely to create confusion.

But on the other hand, UX standards, development features and user behavior change. Baymard Institute reports that more than 70% of customers refuse to make purchases on sites with poor and outdated UX.

For a site to be visually appealing, it is necessary to work out the consistency of all elements, think through clear storytelling, and maintain an intuitive UX.

Problem 2: Communication with the User

The information on the pages need to effectively tell the user about your products or services.

However, If that info becomes hard to find or the page is overcrowded with mismatching data, the chances of the user getting the right product or service nears to zero.The results? Bounce rates jump through the roof.

Granted, pages need to have enough information for users, but their presentation needs to be concise as well.

A quick look at Keepsimple’s eye-opening diagram unveils that there are 33 cognitive distortions that interfere with information processing.

Studying their findings can help you to structure your travel website’s information in a way that makes customers easily find what they are looking for.

Problem 3: Search, Filters and Calendar

Users need to conveniently find their ideal travel destination by use of location and dates.

The calendar lets them pick dates with further insights into how much would be spent for each particular choice.

Being able to conveniently find a tour with a choice of location and date is what users need.

The calendar gives insight into dates and sometimes prices, allowing customers to plan their travels comfortably.

The same convenience must be applied to filters so users get their destinations fast and without too much fuss.

You can implement the filter functionality in different ways, one of the classic designs is having it on the left side of your site.

Problem 4: Data Personalization

According to Epsilon’s study, about 80% of customers prefer companies that offer personalized offers.

The ability of a customer to choose their national currency, language, customized selections and other offers increases the user’s loyalty and their desire to use the site.

One good example of customized selections is the availability of the option to choose the type of tour based on preference.

Problem 5: Mobile

A Google report found that 45% to 87% of smartphone owners prefer to make their travel plans through their mobile apps. This means you have two implementation options here; create a mobile app or design a fully mobile responsive website.

Both options have the right to exist, but a mobile app usually has significantly more features: from customized selections to offline mode.

UX is the king

Consistency of design system elements, comprehensive and clear information, intuitive navigation, working filters, personalization of user experience, mobile version — these are the key elements that make a website sell and appeal to both old and new customers.

In our study on the level of digitalization of the travel industry, we break down UX designs of the leading websites and share industry best practices worth implementing on your site. Download the full study on our website.