The website for luxury travel concierge services targeting high-end clients needed the best from the web design world - a proper look and feel, but also a wisely positioned and designed UI, because the main target was over 50. I needed to combine the easiness of use, while still having this prestigious vibe along the way. It had to be simple, but elegant, and convert properly.
Before beginning the design process, I conducted extensive research on our target audience and the travel industry. This included analyzing the websites of competitors, surveying potential customers, and examining industry trends. The client's marketing team did deliver some kind of personas, but they were more like an overview of an ideal audience, quite far away from a real-world scenario. I managed to nail down the worst & base cases during this stage, and I found a safe middle ground for each.
Using the sketches and wireframes as a guide, I designed the website with a green color scheme and golden accents to convey luxury and exclusivity. I also incorporated high-quality photos of luxurious destinations to entice potential customers. Before launching the website, I organized extensive UX testing to ensure that it was intuitive and easy to use. This included usability testing with a group of target users and gathering feedback on the overall design.
After making any necessary revisions based on the UX testing results, we launched the website. It was a success - partially because it was showcased during an amazing wine&dine event with keynotes about the company's mission, team, etc. Since then - the team of 2 wonderful woman are running this site without any issues - adding new travel offering every single day.
The green color scheme and golden accents effectively conveyed a sense of luxury, and the beautiful photos of destinations captivated potential customers. The website's user-friendly design also received positive feedback from users, leading to an increase in bookings for the agency.
Rapala's office staff and website visitors have consistently praised the look and feel of the site, with many commenting on the professional and visually appealing design. Currently they barely manage to address all the leads that this site is generating.
The actual one. No sugar coating.