User Experience for Travel Websites

If you're a UX researcher working with open-ended surveys, interviews, or usability session notes, you probably know the challenge: qualitative data is rich - but messy. Traditional coding is time-consuming, sentiment tools feel shallow, and it's easy to miss the deeper patterns hiding in user feedback. These days, we're seeing new ways to scale thematic analysis without losing nuance. These aren’t just tweaks to old methods - they offer genuinely better ways to understand what users are saying and feeling. Emotion-based sentiment analysis moves past generic “positive” or “negative” tags. It surfaces real emotional signals (like frustration, confusion, delight, or relief) that help explain user behaviors such as feature abandonment or repeated errors. Theme co-occurrence heatmaps go beyond listing top issues and show how problems cluster together, helping you trace root causes and map out entire UX pain chains. Topic modeling, especially using LDA, automatically identifies recurring themes without needing predefined categories - perfect for processing hundreds of open-ended survey responses fast. And MDS (multidimensional scaling) lets you visualize how similar or different users are in how they think or speak, making it easy to spot shared mindsets, outliers, or cohort patterns. These methods are a game-changer. They don’t replace deep research, they make it faster, clearer, and more actionable. I’ve been building these into my own workflow using R, and they’ve made a big difference in how I approach qualitative data. If you're working in UX research or service design and want to level up your analysis, these are worth trying.

The travel industry is leaving serious money and impact on the table. Hotels, airlines, and tourism boards still lean heavily on traditional editorial coverage when it comes to media or FAM trips. Journalism will always matter (I’m a freelance journalist myself), but the data is undeniable: most travelers are booking trips because of what they see on social media. I have worked in this space from every angle: ✈️ as a journalist telling destination stories 📸 as a content creator with a loyal, engaged audience 🌏 and as the founder of a travel community that physically brings travelers to destinations, directly impacting tourism dollars From where I stand, one thing is clear. Creators and community founders are not just a “nice-to-have” in your marketing mix. They are one of the most powerful, conversion-driving tools a destination can have. Yet somehow, we are still being asked to work for free. The same brands who will spend tens of thousands on a glossy print ad will hesitate to invest in the people actually driving bookings. Here is why that mindset needs to change: Recently, I worked with a tourism board as an influencer on a media trip and at the same time, I hosted a private trip there. While on the FAM, I brought 5 paying travelers booked in 24 hours, two weeks before departure. Those travelers posted content too, even though they are not influencers. The tourism board was shocked at both the speed of sales and the ripple effect of organic content created by everyday people. Next month, I am hosting a trip to Bali. Seventy Americans are flying across the world for this experience. That is over $300,000 in tourism dollars generated from one trip. That is 70 travelers capturing moments, telling their own stories, and inspiring their own networks. That is 70 sources of user-generated content, plus my own, plus the long-tail impact when their friends and followers start planning their own Bali trips. This is not hypothetical ROI….It’s real and measurable right now. Travel brands, this is your sign. Stop asking creators to work for free. Start seeing the value of influencer and community-led travel, and pay accordingly. The future is not just about one campaign or article posted once. It is about the social ripple effect that drives bookings, loyalty, and lasting brand love. If you want travelers to choose you, you need to meet them where they are already planning and booking. Right now, that is on social media and in communities they trust. #travel #tourism #hospitality #communitybuilding #creatoreconomy #hotels #airlines #tourismboards #journalism

User research is great, but what if you do not have the time or budget for it........ In an ideal world, you would test and validate every design decision. But, that is not always the reality. Sometimes you do not have the time, access, or budget to run full research studies. So how do you bridge the gap between guessing and making informed decisions? These are some of my favorites: 1️⃣ Analyze drop-off points: Where users abandon a flow tells you a lot. Are they getting stuck on an input field? Hesitating at the payment step? Running into bugs? These patterns reveal key problem areas. 2️⃣ Identify high-friction areas: Where users spend the most time can be good or bad. If a simple action is taking too long, that might signal confusion or inefficiency in the flow. 3️⃣ Watch real user behavior: Tools like Hotjar | by Contentsquare or PostHog let you record user sessions and see how people actually interact with your product. This exposes where users struggle in real time. 4️⃣ Talk to customer support: They hear customer frustrations daily. What are the most common complaints? What issues keep coming up? This feedback is gold for improving UX. 5️⃣ Leverage account managers: They are constantly talking to customers and solving their pain points, often without looping in the product team. Ask them what they are hearing. They will gladly share everything. 6️⃣ Use survey data: A simple Google Forms, Typeform, or Tally survey can collect direct feedback on user experience and pain points. 6️⃣ Reference industry leaders: Look at existing apps or products with similar features to what you are designing. Use them as inspiration to simplify your design decisions. Many foundational patterns have already been solved, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. I have used all of these methods throughout my career, but the trick is knowing when to use each one and when to push for proper user research. This comes with time. That said, not every feature or flow needs research. Some areas of a product are so well understood that testing does not add much value. What unconventional methods have you used to gather user feedback outside of traditional testing? _______ 👋🏻 I’m Wyatt—designer turned founder, building in public & sharing what I learn. Follow for more content like this!

Content analysis can be used to generate quantitative data from qualitative information. Unlike parsing interviews, we use open-ended survey questions and follow-up questions in Helio to get different perspectives. This qualitative feedback is great for adding context to applied research, especially when designing user journeys and complex software. I learned a new word for it today: Qualitizing The great thing about using mixed methods to collect UX metrics is that it produces a more robust set of data points related to behaviors rather than just user perception. We often mix and match activities with qualitative reactions and feedback. With 100 participant samples, there’s a robust quantity to create strong signals from the qualitative responses and quant rollups. Action (Behavior) ↓  Thought (Perception) Feeling (Emotion) The great thing about this approach is that our advocates can work with our designers in real time to innovate and explore. Data starts coming in right away, making it easy for designers to improve quickly based on the feedback. We waited to see how AI could help in these situations, and now we’re testing it with our extensive data sets to speed up the analysis. I've attached a data summary in the comments. We'd love your feedback if you're interested in AI and using participant feedback. Our platform makes this data analysis very valuable for product design teams. DM me.

Stop using stock photos of palm trees. Please. 🌴 The state of creative in travel marketing is embarrassing. If I see one more basic sunset photo with "Book Now" plastered on it, I might lose it. Your potential customers see 10,000+ ads daily. You really think that stock photo of someone looking at a mountain is going to make them stop scrolling? What actually works: - Real photos of real guests having real experiences - User-generated content (yes, even the slightly blurry ones) - Video showing what it actually feels like to be there - Creative that matches your targeting (stop showing families to solo travelers) The travel industry sells experiences. Why are we marketing them like we're selling printer paper? Want proof? We tested generic stock imagery vs. authentic guest content for a tour operator. Authentic content got substantially higher click-through rates. Your money could be working way harder for you. #travelmarketing #marketing #creative

Social Media Drives Decisions. Now What? The Direct Channel Imperative for Hotel Teams. Phocuswright’s latest research confirms what we’re seeing on the ground. 62% of travelers who use social media for trip planning make specific decisions based on content they see. Social is influencing real bookings and shaping the entire guest journey. But for hotel commercial teams, this creates both opportunity and pressure. The challenge? Attribution is murky. Conversion paths are non-linear. And the booking decision may happen long before the guest even lands on your site. This is where the AI-powered direct channel becomes critical. The teams that win will be those who develop AI literacy and shift their mindset from chasing impressions to building AI-optimized conversion engines. Here’s how commercial teams need to pivot: 1️⃣ Treat Social as Part of Your Direct Booking Ecosystem Social is a top-layer discovery tool feeding your direct channel. Build seamless handoffs between social content and your website, AI-powered chat, and voice agents. 2️⃣ Invest in AI-Powered Content Creation Use AI image generation and vibe marketing workflows to produce high-frequency, high-quality visual assets that match guest intent. The faster you can personalize content, the more often you will win the scroll and the booking. 3️⃣ Integrate AI Voice Agents to Capture Interest Instantly Once interest is sparked on social, inquiries often come via phone or web chat. AI Voice Agents ensure you never miss a conversion moment by answering questions, handling bookings, and upselling on the spot. 4️⃣ Upskill Teams on AI Prompting and Mindset AI is is amplifying the commercial team. Teams need to master the art of setting AI intent, writing prompts, and curating output that converts. The human role shifts from execution to orchestration. 5️⃣ Build Attribution Models Beyond Last-Click AI-driven discovery requires new measurement frameworks. Develop multi-touch attribution that includes social signals, search behaviors, and AI-driven interactions to get a true picture of what is driving direct bookings. The bottom line: ➡️ AI is not the future. It is the present. ➡️ Social’s growing role in trip decision-making is the signal to start transforming your commercial strategy now. If you have any questions about how to apply this, drive immediate revenue, increase team productivity, or need 1:1 assistance, reach out. Consider me a gig member of your team. If you need any assistance on your tech solutions, I'll be with the Growth Advisors International Network - GAIN team next week in Indy! Otherwise, reach out to me via Vivander Advisors. 🤞 PS: Our new book, "The AI Literacy Playbook for Hoteliers" is currently being assembled at Amazon and should be ready in the next few days!

When Airbnb launched in 2008, they were just another travel startup in a sea of competitors. Here's the 5-step content marketing playbook that helped them become a $100B+ company: BACKGROUND: In 2008, the travel industry was dominated by giants like Expedia, Booking .com, and traditional hotel chains. Airbnb had to compete not just for customers, but for trust. Their solution? A brilliant content marketing strategy. Here's the 5-step playbook they used: 1. User-Generated Content (UGC) at Scale: Airbnb turned their hosts and guests into content creators They encouraged users to share stories, photos, and experiences This created authentic, relatable content at virtually no cost 2. Neighborhood Guides: Created in-depth, locally-sourced neighborhood guides Positioned Airbnb as more than just accommodation - a gateway to local experiences Boosted SEO with location-specific, high-quality content 3. Airbnb Magazine: Launched a print and digital magazine in 2017 Focused on travel stories, local culture, and unique experiences Elevated brand perception and reached new audiences 4. Storytelling through Data: Leveraged their vast data to create compelling content Published travel trends, popular destinations, and unique stays Positioned themselves as travel industry thought leaders 5. Video Content Strategy: Created "Experiences" video series showcasing unique Airbnb offerings Developed emotional, story-driven video ads Utilized user-generated video content on social media The Results: 54% of Airbnb users discover the platform through word-of-mouth Over 1.5 million guests per night (pre-pandemic) 8 million listings worldwide Key Takeaways: - Leverage your community: Your users can be your best content creators - Think beyond your product: Create content that adds value to the entire customer journey - Use data creatively: Turn your internal data into engaging, shareable content - Diversify content formats: Don't just rely on blog posts - explore video, print, and interactive content - Stay true to your brand: All content should reinforce your brand values and mission Airbnb's content marketing strategy didn't just drive traffic - it built a community, established trust, and revolutionized how people think about travel. What's your favorite brand content marketing strategy? Share in the comments!

The next billion-dollar brands won’t start with a product. They’ll start with content. They’ll build community, trust, and conversation before they ever build inventory. Because attention is the new supply chain. If you’ve got the trust, you can sell anything. This is not a theory. This is the reality of modern business, and if you’re in hospitality, tourism, or any experience-driven industry, it should be your obsession. So let’s talk about what that actually means for your brand today: 1. Build in public: Stop waiting until something is perfect to share it. Show your process. Let your audience see the behind-the-scenes, the people, the small wins, and even the missteps. You’re not just selling a hotel room or a destination. You’re selling a story people want to be part of. 2. Become the media company: You’re not a resort. You’re not a cruise line. You’re not a tourism board. You are a media company that happens to sell those things. That means you need to post every day like your survival depends on it, because it does. One video can change your quarter. One story can land a new partner. One post can fill rooms. This isn’t theory. I’ve seen it happen. 3. Educate or entertain. Every piece of content must do one or both: No one cares about your room upgrades or the plated dinner shot unless there’s a human hook behind it. Share staff stories. Show local culture. Tell me why your destination matters right now. Give me a reason to stop scrolling. If you don’t interrupt the pattern, you’ll never earn the attention. 4. Engage like a person, not a brand: Reply to every comment. Start conversations in the DMs. Reshare user content and tag them. The future belongs to brands that act like people. If you show up like a billboard, it will bury you. 5. Leverage borrowed trust: Partner with people who already have the audience you want. Influencers, creators, advisors, guests who love your brand. If they trust them, and they recommend you, you win. But don’t micromanage the message. Collaborate, don’t control. 6. Stop measuring vanity, start tracking velocity: Likes are not currency. But how fast your story spreads, how fast people comment, save, and share, that’s your new KPI. Speed is signal. If your content is good, it’ll move. If it’s not, it dies fast. 7. Start now. Not next month. Not next quarter: There will always be a reason to wait. But every day you’re silent, someone else is taking the attention you’re too slow to claim. And once someone else owns the conversation, it’s hard to get it back. Because again, and I’ll repeat it… The next billion-dollar brands, they won’t start with products. They’ll start with content. Audience first, physical products second. Because attention is the new supply chain. If you’ve got the trust, you can sell anything. So, are you building trust, or are you still just pushing product? The game has changed. And if you’re not adapting, you’re invisible.

Elements that seem to *almost always* increase bookings when I test them: 👉 Professional property photos that showcase the experience. Not just room shots – I'm talking about sunset views from the deck, cozy morning coffee spots, and those "I can see myself here" moments. 👉 Virtual property tours that bring spaces to life. Every time we A/B test 3D walkthrough content against static images, the immersive experience wins. Guests want to explore before they book. 👉 Expandable amenity lists that delight. Keep the page clean while letting interested guests discover every detail, from the wine fridge to the beach equipment. 👉 Season-specific CTAs that speak to the experience. Forget "Book Now" – try "Secure Your Perfect Summer Getaway" or "Lock in Your Ski Season Escape." 👉 Transparent booking and payment policies. Displaying clear cancellation terms, payment schedules, and trusted payment methods reduces booking anxiety significantly. 👉 Clear property unique features. Why this beach house over others nearby? Answer this in seconds with standout amenities or location perks. 👉 Detailed property pages that answer every vacation question. Comprehensive pages covering local attractions, check-in details, and house rules outperform brief listings. What conversion-boosting elements do you use in your vacation rental marketing? #VacationRental #HospitalityMarketing #TravelIndustry #PropertyManagement #BookingOptimization

How did one of the most frustrating models in travel, open booking end up improving Itilite’s UI? This one surprised even me. Here’s the full story of how open booking (yes, really) helped shape Itilite’s interface: Our philosophy is simple: Make it as easy as possible for anyone to use our platform. Whether it’s your first booking or your hundredth, the experience should feel effortless. When we started developing our UI, we began by surveying users globally. The most common pain point? Booking directly through airline or hotel websites. This traditional booking experience was almost ingrained in their DNA. But familiarity doesn’t always mean efficiency. And that’s where we saw an opportunity. We ran dozens of interviews and user sessions to pinpoint exactly what open booking platforms were failing to deliver. We used those insights to do two things: 1/ Keep everything users loved about open booking platforms 2/ Fix the pain points they always wished someone would solve The feedback? Surprisingly emotional. Customers told us: this is the first time they felt their travel process doesn’t feel like a mess. Earlier they used to need three logistics managers just to coordinate bookings. Everything was scattered, no central system, just chaos across inboxes and tabs. For example, say they had to make a booking for Tom and Harry and they wanted to find something related to Harry's booking. A logistics manager would jump between five tabs, different sites, and look through five versions of the same trip just to find one booking. On our platform they can simply enter Harry's name and instantly view all of his bookings rather than searching through separate sites. Funny how the most frustrating models can teach the best lessons. Open booking wasn’t my favorite, but it unexpectedly shaped Itilite’s UI. By understanding what users were missing and combining the best of open booking, we’ve created a much more efficient, user-friendly experience. If you’ve used multiple booking platforms, what’s the most frustrating part? The worst experience will get pinned..!