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The 29 Best Tourism Website Design Examples to Inspire Travel

• BY Bogdan Sandu
• 12 January 2024

Imagine your screen as a portal—the gateway where wanderlust meets the digital realm. It’s here that the alchemy of best tourism website design examples transforms browsers into travelers.

In the tapestry of the virtual universe, every pixel, every swipe matters. As a weaver of this digital fabric, I understand the essence of crafting sites that don’t just inform but enthrall.

This article is your compass to the peaks of creativity in tourism web design. You’re not just looking for aesthetics; you want that perfect blend of user engagement , integrated online booking systems , and visual storytelling that turns lookers into bookers.

By journey’s end, you’ll unravel the tapestry of top-tier travel site features—a map to destination website best practices that magnetize and resonate.

Dive deep into the immersive canyons of tour operator web design , scale the heights of responsive travel website design ; your quest for inspiration starts now, unearthing gems from award-winning travel websites to interactive travel site examples .

Welcome to a curated showcase, a spectrum where effective travel website features shine the brightest.

Best Tourism Websites To Check Out

Tripadvisor.

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28 Best Travel Website Design Examples for 2024

Are you aware that an improperly designed travel website can alienate potential customers and hinder user experience?

In an era where user accessibility is paramount, neglecting proper website design can be costly. The best website builders like Wix and Squarespace provide you tools for creating visually stunning and accessible travel websites.

Just as ADA compliance is crucial for inclusivity, travel websites must prioritize aesthetics and user-friendliness.

This blog post covers the 28 best travel website design examples that serve as inspiration to elevate your travel website appeal and user experience.

Let’s get started.

1. Big Adventure Travel Company

Made with Squarespace

Big Adventure Travel Company has a website design urging you to live the world, not just see it. Above the fold, a dynamic carousel showcases destinations, people, and travel vehicles, igniting excitement for your next trip, perhaps even to the Hawaiian Islands. 

The white background offers a clean canvas for easy access to information, complemented by a rectangular call-to-action button urging you to experience the world.

Scrolling down, find Instagram and Facebook icons, fostering seamless social media connection. The company’s phone number and email address are conveniently in the footer for quick and direct communication.

2. Along Dusty Roads

Along Dusty Roads, curated by Andrew & Emily, unfolds the beauty of a life filled with travel on its website. Above the fold, a clear picture of a desert captivates visitors, displaying mastery in taking photos.

With a white background providing a crisp canvas, the website showcases outdoor activities through a card layout, combining captivating photos with detailed descriptions of different locations.

For those inspired to follow their journey, a prominent purple box invites visitors to connect with Along Dusty Roads on Instagram. This travel website has social proof, encouraging others to join the community of travel enthusiasts.

3. Champlain Tours

Made with Wix

Champlain Tours beckons travel enthusiasts with stress-free global experiences, day trips, and short-term excursions, standing out among the best travel agency websites. 

This tourism website design, adorned with a calming color scheme of Chatham blue and white , creates an inviting digital space that encourages visitors to explore.

Navigating the site is effortless, thanks to a sticky menu bar and a clever logo that doubles as both the home and refresh button. The thoughtful addition of a sign-up box invites engagement, allowing users to sign up for tour updates.

4. Bella Vista

Bella Vista's website design boasts captivating picture backgrounds that dynamically change as visitors scroll down, incorporating enticing design elements to entice travelers. 

This travel blog now includes a chat widget at the bottom for seamless communication with customer care, making the experience more personalized.

A sticky menu bar remains readily accessible as users explore the site. The thoughtfully integrated form simplifies the booking process, allowing travelers to register check-in and check-out dates effortlessly.

Bella Vista is user-friendly for those who want to plan and book accommodations through this well-designed travel website.

5. Pack Up + Go

Pack Up + Go is a travel website tailored for spontaneous exploration of the US. With a jacked ice, black, and white color scheme against a clean white background, Pack Up + Go is one of the design examples.

Engage seamlessly with the travel experience by subscribing to their newsletter through a strategically placed pop-up box. 

The black curved edge call-to-action button boldly says book your vacation, inviting users to embark on a journey with simplicity and spontaneity. 

Pack Up + Go design harmonizes visual appeal with user-friendly features, making it a standout choice for those seeking adventure and surprises in their travels.

6. Classic Travel Connection

Classic Travel Connection transforms vacations into extraordinary experiences. I love the use of a clean white background as a canvas for a carousel of high-quality pictures above the fold, showcasing enticing destinations.

Engaging visitors effectively, social media icons on the menu bar connect users with the broader travel community, fostering user engagement.

This travel website integrates a live chat widget , allowing users to interact and inquire about various aspects of their journey.

This stunning web page goes beyond showcasing destinations, ensuring every visitor finds the information they need for a memorable vacation experience.

7. Poe Travel

Poe Travel positions itself as an easy and rewarding approach to booking through travel advisors. The light coral, white, and black color scheme against a clean white background sets an inviting tone. 

High-quality pictures showcase popular destinations, while the inclusion of city guides distinguishes this website from other travel platforms.

The bottom-of-the-page map helps visitors locate Poe Travel, enhancing user experience. Beyond a mere booking platform, this website is a trusted travel advisor, providing services and valuable insights into various cities and sought-after destinations. 

8. Earth + Ocean Travel Co

Earth + Ocean Travel Co specializes in crafting memorable experiences for destination weddings, groups, honeymoons, and retreats.

This travel website invites users with a high-quality aerial view of a beach above the fold, setting the stage for an enticing exploration of vacation spots. 

I love how the web design features a white background and clear pictures of multiple attractive locations, helping simplify the traveler's decision-making process.

Social media icons on the menu bar connect visitors to a broader community, enhancing engagement with this travel-centric platform.

9. The Sofia Log

The Sofia Log is a website capturing the essence of Sophie's diverse passions. I love the Jasmine white and black color scheme as it complements the clean, clear pictures, showcasing high-quality photography and emphasizing a thoughtful web design.

This travel website footer features social media icons, allowing visitors to stay connected with Sophie's adventures. A strategically placed pop-up form encourages engagement, requesting email addresses for newsletter subscriptions.

Enthusiasts receive regular updates and enjoy high-quality images from this sailor, ballerina, pyromaniac, and environmental scientist's salty soul.

10. Chasing Buffaloes And Beyond

Chasing Buffaloes And Beyond is a website narrating the explorations and adventures of a travel-loving family with its brand's story through stunning photos. The card layout on this website elegantly showcases pictures of the locations this family visits.

A clean white background invites visitors to join their journey. I love the strategic placement of social media icons at the bottom of the page. These social media icons ensure easy connectivity.

There is a captivating large picture of nature above the fold that captures attention and reflects the significant investments in creating a visually engaging travel experience.

11. A Way Abroad

Made with Webflow

A Way Abroad, the ultimate resource for women dreaming of a life abroad, stands out with its thoughtfully designed travel website. 

The white, orange, and pale Robin egg blue color scheme creates a visually appealing backdrop, complementing the artistic picture of a happy traveler. 

Navigating the site is easy with a sticky menu bar, ensuring visitors seamlessly explore the content and resources A Way Abroad offers.

This travel website design captures attention and caters to the needs of those seeking information and inspiration for a life abroad.

12. Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home's travel website offers potential customers a welcoming and visually appealing experience. An old restored farmhouse against a clean white background suggests a blend of authenticity and modernity, creating a visually pleasing contrast. 

There is a helpful map that assists users with trip planning. This travel website has a white background and clear pictures, enhancing the user experience. 

Home Sweet Home ensures that visitors can easily reach the destinations they offer by providing all of their contacts on the footer.

13. Sea Breeze Panormos

Sea Breeze Panormos perfectly blend classical Cycladic style with modern functionality. This tour company website communicates an authentic island feel with whitewashed walls and stone elements. 

The white background provides a clean canvas, while the sticky menu bar ensures easy navigation. Additionally, the social media icon widget remains fixed, allowing users to stay connected as they scroll down. 

An embedded map enhances user experience, helping them locate Sea Breeze Panormo's beautiful properties. 

This travel website ski

14. Milk + Honey Travels

Milk + Honey Travels, experts in individual, inspired, and imaginative travel, present their expertise through a website designed for seamless exploration. 

Against a clean white background and black text, beautiful photos capture key information, enticing visitors with glimpses of destinations like African safaris.

Strategically placed on the header, social media icons facilitate easy connection, inviting users to delve into a community of like-minded travelers. 

This travel website design, adorned with high-quality pictures, invites exploration. A rectangular Contact Us CTA button makes it effortless for visitors to embark on their personalized journey with Milk + Honey Travels.

15. All-Inclusive Vacations Search

All-Inclusive Vacations Search is a seasoned travel agency with over 30 years in hospitality. This travel website design is for seamless international travel exploration. 

I love its white and bright orange color scheme and sticky menu bar, creating an inviting landing page. 

This travel website uses a white background that enhances readability. The transparent call-to-action buttons , urging users to call us now, reflect a commitment to accessible and personalized service. 

I love how the graphic design ensures a user-friendly experience, guiding visitors through the wealth of expertise All-Inclusive Vacations Search brings to travel.

16. The Berlin Storyteller

Dennis Behnke, The Berlin Storyteller, invites prospective travelers to explore Berlin through the carefully crafted design of this website. 

The navy blue and white color scheme exudes sophistication, complementing high-definition pictures of iconic locations in Berlin. 

I love how this travel website design incorporates a sticky menu bar and a striking navy blue call-to-action button, directing visitors seamlessly to the available tours. 

This user-friendly platform ensures a smooth experience for those seeking private tours in Berlin, focusing on simplicity and visual appeal.

17. Grand Forest Metsovo

Grand Forest Metsovo travel website beckons visitors with eye-catching photos showcasing the natural beauty and its connection to the hotel. The high-quality and clear pictures provide a vivid glimpse into the charm of this destination. 

This travel website design includes a sticky menu bar for easy navigation. A hamburger menu on the menu bar helps with additional options, linking to other parts of the website. On getting to the homepage, a strategically placed pop-up box unveils exclusive offers.

18. World of Wanderlust

Made with Teachable

World of Wanderlust invites you to embark on thrilling adventures and explore travel destinations across the entire continent. 

This travel website design, characterized by a clean white, black, and brown color scheme, creates an elegant and inviting atmosphere. 

A sticky menu bar ensures easy navigation, allowing users to browse through captivating travel stories. World of Wanderlust prioritizes user engagement by featuring a pop-up box with an email field. 

By inputting your email address, you can join their mailing list, staying connected with the latest travel updates, destination highlights, and exclusive offers from the travel agent.

19. The Bucket List Family

The Bucket List Family is a great website where a white background sets the exact feeling for an immersive experience.

Above the fold, stunning images paint a vivid picture of their global adventures, while high-quality pictures throughout the site bring their family travel journalism to life.

This travel website is a visual delight, offering more than just information. With social media icons neatly placed on the footer, users can easily connect and share the captivating journeys of the family.

Immerse yourself in The Bucket List Family, where a seamless blend of website design and stunning images makes every virtual visit an enchanting travel experience.

20. Aperture Tours

Aperture Tours, specializing in professional photography guided tours, showcases its expertise through a website designed for all levels of enthusiasts. 

Against a clean white background, this site presents clear, good-looking pictures of locations arranged in an engaging card layout.

Aperture Tours proudly displays logos of magazines and TV stations it features in, spanning many industries. 

This travel website offers almost half of its tours in diverse locations, including the vibrant landscapes of live Africa, making it a reliable guide.

21. Under30Experiences

Under30Experiences welcomes young travelers with a vibrant parsley, white, and pink color scheme at first glance. 

This travel website design plays a huge role in travel accessibility, featuring a pop-up box offering a discount, and encouraging visitors to visit exciting destinations. 

With a thoughtful chat widget and a unique logo serving as the homepage and refresh button, this travel website creates an engaging and user-friendly experience. 

Pictures of different locations and descriptions are in the card layout, making it easy to understand which locations the visitor is looking at.

22. Get Your Guide

Get Your Guide, connecting millions of travelers with unforgettable experiences worldwide, offers a vibrant website design. 

As visitors scroll, catchy animations engage, helping potential customers understand the depth of available adventures. 

Against a crisp white background, a royal blue curved CTA button invites exploration, encouraging others to join this dynamic journey. 

The Portland Orange, white, and royal blue color scheme creates a visually appealing backdrop for travelers to embark on their next unforgettable experience.

23. Jon’s Carmel Market Cooking Class and Food Tour

Jon’s Carmel Market Cooking Class and Food Tour takes you on a cultural journey with its website design. The white and Persian red color scheme and a clean white background create a visually inviting homepage. 

Clean, clear pictures and a sticky menu bar enhance the user experience. Personal stories are woven into the photos, showcasing the unique touch of this mother-daughter photography team. 

A video on the homepage features the Israeli mentality, offering a dynamic preview of Jon's immersive culinary experience. This website beautifully captures the essence of the tour through its thoughtful design elements.

24. Bouteco

Bouteco travel website, a purpose-led non-profit consultancy, showcases trusted sustainable luxury travel content. As you scroll, high-quality images of different locations unfold, inviting exploration with captivating visuals. 

A transparent rectangular CTA button encourages users to explore Bouteco loves, guiding them through the commitment to authentic and greenwash-free storytelling of the website. 

Users can easily find contact information, a newsletter sign-up, and social media icons on the footer, enhancing engagement with this platform dedicated to sustainable travel experiences.

25. Inward Travel

Inward Travel Experiences is a travel website example that showcases a dynamic design. I love how this homepage immediately captures attention with a compelling video above the fold, featuring enthusiasts immersing themselves in invigorating cold water activities. 

This company’s logo cleverly serves as both the home and refresh button, adding a touch of seamless navigation to this tourism website. 

A practical sticky menu bar enhances user accessibility, staying fixed as visitors explore the diverse offerings. This travel website has a prominent green rectangular-shaped CTA button that beckons users to take action.

26. Tourism Richmond Hill

Richmond Hills is a travel website that invites exploration of vibrant offerings, spotlighting great restaurants and captivating entertainment. 

This travel web design features a soothing palette of pale olive green, sky blue, and light tan , creating an inviting atmosphere for visitors.

With a user-friendly interface, this travel site boasts a sticky menu bar, ensuring easy navigation while exploring the diverse attractions. 

The clear pictures complemented by simple text font enhance the overall visual appeal, providing an enjoyable experience for users discovering the charm of Richmond Hill. 

27. Selective Potential

Selective Potential, home to blogger Tieka, offers an excellent example of a travel website design. Against a clean white background, potential customers can easily navigate through Tieka's Michigan lighthouse adventures. 

Social media icons on the menu bar encourage engagement, while a brown curved shape CTA button , inviting users to read more, enhances the overall user experience. 

Explore with Tieka and discover the beauty of Michigan lighthouses through this thoughtfully designed platform.

28. Echo Fitness

Echo Fitness goes beyond conventional exploration by focusing on nutritional options and functional fitness, emphasizing their vital role in sustainable overall health. 

This web design uses a crisp white background and a calming color scheme of white, sky blue, and black , providing a visually soothing experience for visitors.

Whether you want to visit Australia or explore the travel industry, its social media icons are conveniently on the menu bar, encouraging users to connect and stay updated. 

The clean and clear pictures throughout the site enhance its aesthetic appeal and serve as a visual guide. This travel agency website offers a unique blend of fitness exploration and sustainable well-being.

Travel Website Examples FAQ

To create a compelling travel and tourism website, focus on showcasing unique things visitors can experience, separate yourself from other websites with your own unique storytelling, and craft content that helps potential customers understand the destination's allure.

Tourism websites are platforms with eye-catching photos to entice visitors to discover interesting locations and attractions. These sites often provide information on language exchanges, offering a comprehensive guide for travelers.

Wix and Squarespace are excellent website builders for a travel site, offering diverse site features that effectively communicate unique experiences. Whether you are a mother-daughter photographer team or an individual adventurer, these platforms provide user-friendly tools to build your own travel site.

Craft a comprehensive tourism and travel site by including captivating destination descriptions, vibrant visuals, travel itineraries, and user-friendly navigation for a seamless visitor experience.

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Category: Travel

Date: December 18, 2023

Best Travel Website Design Ideas And Tourism Website Design Inspirations

In today’s digital age, having a well-designed and user-friendly website is crucial for any business in the travel and tourism industry. A visually appealing website with easy navigation can attract potential customers and keep them engaged with your brand. To help you create a stunning website for your travel and tourism business , we have compiled a list of the best travel website design ideas and tourism website design inspirations & examples. Whether you’re a travel agency, a hotel or resort, or any other travel-related business, these design tips and examples will help you create a website that will leave a lasting impression on your visitors and boost your online presence. So, let’s dive into the world of website design inspirations and explore some of the best travel and tourism website design ideas!

Everyone gathers inspirations from different mediums and in different ways. But knowing how to activate those creative juices is an important part of being a creative web designer .

Creative Travel And Tourism Website Design Inspirations

With that in mind, our go-to list of best travel websites will help you jump into projects confidently and meet the demands of any client. 

You can also refer our blog on  essential features required for travel & tourism websites  for additional guidance.

Below you can see some of the best travel  website design ideas and inspirations.

Top 45 Online Travel and Tourism Booking Website Design Ideas

With all the advancements in technology, online travel booking websites has proved to be a blessing for the modern world. You can book tickets, find the best place to stay and more.

Below are some awesome travel web design inspirations for online websites. They are some of the perfect example of feature rich and user-friendly websites. If you want to start an online travel booking website, travel ​portal development you can draw inspiration from them

2. Priceline

3. Couch Surfing

4. Mr & Mrs. Smith

7. Skiplagged

8. Skyscanner

9. Air Fare Watch Dog

10. Air Newzealand

11. Trivago

12. Start The Adventure

14. Sawdays

16. Travel Republic

17. Butterfield & Robinson

18. Luxury Link

19. Budget Places

20. ITravel 2000

21. Red Tag

22. Canada Travels

23. Air Canada

24. West Jet

25. Marlin Travel

26. Eco Travels

27. Audley Travel

29. Hamilton Island

30. Hotels.com

31. Travel Zoo

33. Rome 2 Rio

34. Insight Vacations

35. Road Trippers

36. Thomas Cook

37. Flight Aware

38. Homestay

39. Black Tomato

41. Hotwire Travel Agency

42. Globus Journeys

43. Intrepid Travel

44. Trippeo

45. Low End Ticket

23 Best Adventure Travel and Tourism Website Design Inspirations

Adventure travel is one of the most popular sections of the travel industry. There are some awesome travel companies that offer itineraries to just about any part of the world.

Along with their adventure travel trips, they truly are an inspiration for travel web designs. If you’re planning to create a travel website that entirely focuses on adventure, these website designs will help you.

1. Pennicott Journeys

3. Pure Adventures

4. Tour Dust

5. Arctic Wild

6. Be Okinawa

7. Sailing Collective

8. Outlines

9. The Estate Trentham

10. Reis Voyage

11. Luxury Gold

12. Busabout

13. Much Better Adventures

14. Contiki

15. Adventure Travel

16. Thirsty Swagman

17. Hamilton Island

18. Experience OZ

19. Travel Talk

20. Responsible Vacation

21. Context Travel

23. Anywhere We Roam

8 Best Travel and Tourism Package Website Design Ideas

Tours are a time for enjoyment, fun and sharing. This is why people set some time aside on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis to take a break from their busy schedule. 

People don’t have time to plan and arrange trips because it is time a consuming and tiresome work. This is where tour package providers come in. These operators provide custom tour packages according to customer’s specific requirements.

The below websites offer the most popular tour packages and have attractive travel website designs that can be taken as an inspiration if you plan to create a tour package website.

1. Italy Travel Company

2. AJ Travel

3. Go Glamping

7. Travel website

8. Signature

21 Best Travel and Tourism Planning Website Design Inspirations

Building an itinerary for your vacation can be quite exhausting. You have to research about everything you want to do on your trip to keep track of everything. 

Some may even use a word document or Google spreadsheet to organize. But, there is a better way! No matter the type of experience you are looking for, there are many websites that will help you plan your vacation.

Apart from offering great travel photography blogs , travel planning tips the below websites have cool travel web designs. 

Do check it out if you want to create websites exclusively for travel planning.

1. Regal Travel

2. Cookie Sound

3. Lonely Planet

4. Lets Travel Somewhere

6. Authentic Asia

7. Wild Renfrew

8. Castelfalfi

9. World Expeditions

10. Amaze Travel

11. Travelog

12. World Travellers

13. Trafalgar

14. Globus Journeys

15. Exodus Travels

16. Sight Seekers Delight

17. Cire Travel

18. Merit Travel

19. Jetsetter

20. Luxury Retreats

7 Best Travel and Tourism Cruise Booking Website Design Ideas

Some say that planning a cruise can be compared to filing your own income taxes. You have to consider about itinerary, onboard activities, short excursions and more. The below travel website designs are an inspiration that will give you an idea on how to design a cruise travel website.

1. Croisi Europe Cruises

2. Avalon Waterways

3. Carnival

4. Celebrity Cruise

5. Cruisenation

6. Norwegian

7. Princess Cruises

Drive Conversions and Boost your Business with Expert Travel Website Development.

Which one of the above top & best travel and tourism website designs – did you like.

Once you dig deep into our best travel website design collection, you’ll understand that each one of them is interesting in their own unique way. Some showcase stunning pictures, others offer travel tips, while the rest help you plan your future trips.

If you run a travel company we hope these websites will inspire you to  redesign your travel website  in a better way.

What do you think about our Best Travel Websites Inspiration for 2024 ? 

Which one is your top most favourite travel website design? We Colorwhistle love to hear your thoughts. 

In quest of the Perfect Travel Tech Solutions Buddy?

Be unrestricted to click the other trendy writes under this title that suits your needs the best!

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• Travel Tech Digital Agency Partnership

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About the Author - Pavithra Samuel

I'm a word-aholic copywriter who always loves to share a close bond with digital marketing. Google, being my father of research, accompanies me shoulder-to-shoulder in every step of writing. I always look up to copywriters who generate educative, persuasive content impeccably seasoned with creativity & innovation. I can deliver content for web service pages, blogs, social media, emails, and so on. I can engage myself in content-related works for B2B, B2C, SMEs, niche-specific businesses. Other than reading & writing, my other two escapes are sweets & songs. My dream desk would be more of creative writing projects, desserts, music, & minions.

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25 Comments

Hi, Neat post.

The best travel website is Let’s Travel Somewhere. I like the unusual, crisp and clean design.

I really enjoyed reading this blog. I like and appreciate your work. Keep up the good work..Great post. Thanks for providing a detailed article.

Well I sincerely liked reading it. This information provided by you is very constructive for good planning.

Hi! Glad that you liked it. We write blogs very frequently. Do check back for more useful information!

I like your blog theme and the information that you’ve provided. Keep posting!

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A very inspiring collection, thanks! One of the most important ideas about a travel website is providing its mobile-friendliness. Customers use smartphones widely in their travel decisions.

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Thanks for Sharing an amazing article. It is very helpful

I wanted to extend my gratitude for sharing such an insightful article. Your expertise in the field of travel website design is evident, and your article offers valuable insights for anyone looking to create an engaging and effective travel website.

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25 Travel Website Design Examples for Tourism and Agencies

This page may contain links from our sponsors. Here’s how we make money .

The quality of design is very important for websites in the travel and tourism industry. These sites need to inspire and entice travelers, so travel website design is usually highly visual.

Regardless of whether the site is for a hotel, resort, travel agent, booking, or tour operator, tourism website design needs to look and function well to appeal to visitors.

On this page, we’ll take a look at travel and tourism website examples to provide web design inspiration and observe some current trends in the travel industry.

The Best Travel Website Design Examples

These travel website examples should provide plenty of inspiration that you can put to good use. Whether you’re creating a site for a hotel or resort, a comparison or booking site, or looking to design one of the best travel agency websites, you’ll find beautiful examples here.

For more web design inspiration , please see some of our other articles, like winery & vineyard websites , restaurant websites , and museum websites .

MORE Family Collection

The MORE Family Collection is a group of resorts in South Africa. The website features a clean design with a heavy does of photos and video clips. The site also uses nice typography with big, bold headline fonts .

Grand Forest

An excellent example of tourism website design, this five-star mountain hotel in Greece features a full-screen background video on the homepage that rotates clips every few seconds. Just about every page on the site includes a very large header photo.

Equinox Explore

The homepage of Equinox Explore uses several full-screen background photos with some scrolling effects. The images carry the load in this web design as the rest of the layout is fairly simple for this travel company.

Tall, True & Tangled

This website uses lots of large images, color, background patterns, and a handwritten font on the homepage. It’s one of the best tourism website design examples you’ll find.

Adams & Butler

You would expect a luxury travel agency to have a beautiful website, and Adams & Butler delivers, providing one of the best travel agency website examples. The full-screen background video on the home rotates through a number of clips that showcase amazing scenery and culture that are sure to have an impact on any website visitor or potential customer.

Aguas de Ibiza

This hotel website uses a lot of images, a nice mobile-friendly navigation menu, and a convenient way to check availability and book your stay.

Makena Golf and Beach Club

Located in Hawaii, this golf and beach club offers a highly-visual experience that is sure to make you want to book a trip. The amount of text content on the site is relatively light, allowing the images to take center stage.

Dorsia takes a different approach with its travel website. Instead of a large photo or video on the homepage, visitors are greeted with a unique illustration. The site is really well-designed with illustrations playing a significant role even on secondary pages.

This luxury Hawaiian hotel uses a full-screen video background, plus lots of big and colorful photos throughout the website.

Maryculter House

Maryculter House uses a large video background on the homepage. The rest of the site is attractive with nice typography. An elegant serif font is used for headlines.

Getaway’s website will have you ready to book a cabin rental for your next trip. The photos showcase cabins surrounded by stunning nature. In addition to viewing properties and units, you can also place your booking when you’re ready.

Visit Arizona

As one of the more spectacular states in the U.S., it makes sense that Arizona would showcase that amazing scenery in its tourism website.

Salt In Our Hair

Travel blog Salt In Our Hair features a beautiful design. The homepage uses a large background image at the top of the page. Naturally, photos play a large role throughout the site.

Explore Charleston

Charleston, SC encourages visitors with the help of an informative, attractive website. You can find the best places to stay, places to eat, shopping, and things to do while you’re there.

Relais de Chambord

This French hotel has a beautiful website to match the elegance of the building and property itself. Photos and typography are among the primary elements that make this website look great.

Spain Collection

Spain Collection offers luxury travel experiences in Spain and Portugal. The site features a lot of photos and videos, as well as some scrolling effects.

Backpacking Tours

Backpacking Tours uses a full-screen background video to grab attention and entice visitors to watch the full promo video. As you scroll down the page, you’ll see a colorful design that incorporates photos and some hand-drawn effects.

The Scott Resort & Spa

The website of The Scott Resort & Spa uses images, video, beautiful typography, and a lot of animation effects as you scroll. Overall, the site provides an excellent experience that encourages visitors to book a stay.

Discover Ireland

Discover Ireland provides information and ideas for visitors who are researching. There are many photos on the site with a heavy emphasis on the natural beauty of Ireland and outdoor activities.

Africa Travel Resource

Africa Travel Resource offers safari tours, so naturally, their website includes countless wildlife and nature photos of exotic destinations. The layout and design of the site is very clean and clutter-free.

Travelshift

Travelshift entices travelers with large, beautiful photos. On the site, you can find information about the different trips and itineraries.

Ultima Corfu

This Mediterranean wellness retreat uses a large video on the homepage. The rest of the site features plenty of photos that showcase the natural beauty.

The website for this hotel in Oslo uses a large video on the homepage. The web design incorporates nice typography and some animation effects as you scroll.

St. Regis Venice

This hotel in Venice has a quality website with plenty of information and photos. It’s easy to book a stay thanks to a sticky header menu with a “reserve now” link.

Kenauk Nature

Kenauk Nature offers luxury lodge rentals in Quebec. The homepage uses a large video to capture attention. Throughout the site you can find articles and photos about the various attractions and activities that are likely to appeal to the target audience.

Travel Website Design Trends

After browsing through this showcase, a few trends in travel website development are obvious.

Full-Screen Background Videos

Many of the sites showcased here use a large video on the homepage that immediately grabs the attention of visitors. Most of the videos rotate and change the clips every few seconds to hold viewers’ attention longer. Some sites use large background photos instead of video, but the use of video is a noticeable trend.

Heavy Use of Photos

What’s the best way to inspire travelers and encourage sharing on social media? Photos and video are much more effective than text, so it makes sense that travel and tourism websites use a lot of beautiful photos to showcase the travel destination and venues.

Not only do these sites use a lot of photos, but the photos also tend to be big and unmissable.

Clean Layouts

Most of the sites use images and videos as the primary visual elements. In some cases, the designs and layouts are fairly simple (in a good way), which allows the images to have the full attention of visitors while providing a positive user experience.

Many of the sites showcased on this page are related to luxury travel, either hotels, resorts, or travel agencies. One of the best ways to give an elegant and luxurious feel to a website is through typography. While this trend does not apply to every site on the list, several of them feature typography that adds to the feel of luxury.

Final Thoughts on Travel Website Design

We hope you enjoyed this showcase of the best travel website design examples. There are a variety of different types of businesses represented here, so you should find plenty of inspiration for your own tourism website design to create an outstanding online presence.

The travel website examples shown here use web design as a powerful tool to advertise and encourage people to visit or stay. All of these sites are valuable assets to the business and we’re sure that your site has the same potential.

Steven is an industry veteran with nearly two decades of web design experience. He was instrumental in the launch (2007) and growth of the Vandelay Design blog. Vandelay Design is one of the leading web design blogs and has reached more than 50 million visitors. Steven has also been a regular contributor at other websites like Smashing Magazine and Envato's Tuts+ and was a contributing author for the Smashing Book. Connect with Steven at LinkedIn .

Travel Website Design: Our 22 Favorites for 2023

Published: April 03, 2024

If you're building a travel website but need help figuring out where to begin, we've got you covered. You can get inspired as you  create your site  by checking out some of the most effective travel website design examples.

In this post, we'll share 22 of our favorite travel website design examples. We'll also share some of the most important concepts to keep in mind as you navigate your own website development . 

The Best Travel Website Design: Our 22 Favorites

Ready for a hearty helping of travel website ideas? Here are 22 of the best travel website design examples to boost inspiration.

1. Google Travel 

2. Travel + Leisure

4. New York Times Travel 

5. Costco Travel 

6. Lonely Planet 

8. The United States Department of State - Travel

10. Bus2Alps

11. Pro Travel International 

12. AAA Travel 

13. Travelocity 

14. Smart Trip

15. Liberty Travel 

16. CNN Travel

17. JetBlue 

18. Trip Advisor 

19. BBC Travel 

20. ViaHero 

21. Virtuoso

22. Booking.com 

Travel Website Ideas: How to Make Yours Stand Out

Now that you've perused over 20 websites, you might wonder: How do I enact these key takeaways to build my travel website? Here are a few actionable ways to help your travel site stand out in such a saturated market. 

Keep it simple. 

It's no secret that planning a trip can be an overwhelming experience. The most successful travel websites keep it simple, provide ample white space, and present users with information as needed instead of throwing everything at them at once. Your visitors are likely already semi-stressed planning their trip — the last thing they want is to land on a highly overwhelming website. Spread your website out accordingly, don't make it too cluttered, and use a readable font. In other words, prioritize not only your site looking good but being user-friendly, too. 

Stay true to your branding.  

The best travel websites are those that stay true to their branding. If your brand is known for its vibrant colors, having a sleek and minimalist design probably doesn't make sense. Instead, you can incorporate your branding so your site feels like an extension of the brand your visitors already know and love. 

If you're unsure where to begin, remember that you can start with a template and customize it to suit your branding. For instance, when you  build your website with Content Hub , you can use the pre-existing templates available and infuse your unique branding into them. (Plus, you'll love that you can start completely free.) 

Try to find something that your brand can uniquely offer. 

The travel websites that stand out offer something that others don't. For instance, Trip Advisor is notable because it offers AI that helps visitors create the trip of their dreams, or Jet Blue's site stands out because of its funny and quirky copywriting. Find what only your brand offers — and build your site around that. 

Build a website your visitors will love. 

Remember: Travel websites vary greatly, so as long as you're creating one that feels true to your brand and prioritizes user experience, you'll see success. Good luck and enjoy creating with these travel design ideas in mind! 

Don't forget to share this post!

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Home » Designing Websites » 10 Travel Website Design Examples to Inspire You

10 Travel Website Design Examples to Inspire You

Our independent research projects and impartial reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers. Learn more

Written and researched by:

After a rollercoaster few years with Covid-19 significantly disrupting travel plans, the industry is now booming. And who can blame us: there’s nothing like being stuck inside your home for long periods of time to make you want to… leave home!

The growth in the travel sector means that there are more websites geared towards helping travelers than ever before. And believe us: not all travel websites are created equally!

This article will walk you through the basics of travel website design, and show 10 brilliant examples of websites that have got it right. Read on for some top tips and to get inspired to make or improve your own website.

What Is a Travel Website?

A travel website is any site that’s set up to provide information or inspiration for wannabe travelers.

For example, some users will want to be inspired and gather ideas, so there are websites specifically set up to showcase what different destinations have to offer, allow you to read reviews from previous travelers, or to map out potential journeys.

Other travel websites are more practical and set up to help travelers organize a trip, such as comparing prices or accommodation options, and then making a booking.

Why Does Design Matter?

We’ve included all types of travel websites for the various phases of the traveler customer journey, so you can compare their features and designs.

We think design is one of the most important factors of any travel website. Ultimately, a travel website is selling an experience, and a well-designed, visually-impactful website will be far more likely to leave a positive impression on the visitor.

Travel Website Design Inspiration

Ready? Let’s dive into 10 of the best travel website design examples:

#1. Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is one of the OG travel companies, having published over 150 million travel guides over the past five decades! Nowadays, Lonely Planet is one of the best travel websites on the planet, with a super simple and impactful website design .

The use of bold photography paired with white text is highly effective, and something you could consider for your own site.

The website is especially well-designed for users searching for inspiration. We love the “Can’t decide where to go?” banner at the top of the homepage, and the section which divides destinations into categories such as “Learn,” “Cook,” “Connect,” and “Unwind” to help narrow down options.

#2. Secret Escapes

We love the Secret Escapes website for the variety of travel ideas it provides. On the same page you can consider a cozy English cottage, next to a wild African safari or an uber-cool Ibiza yoga retreat!

The carefully-considered design means that despite the potentially overwhelming options on offer, the site is clean and easy to use. Clear labels such as “Editor’s pick” or “Flights included” help with the decision making process, and we like how you can search “Anywhere” or “Anytime,” or be more specific.

#3. Skyscanner

Skyscanner is single-minded in its mission: matching people to flights. A staggering 100 million people use the site every month, and it’s available worldwide in over 30 languages.

What makes this site so compelling? We think design plays a big part. A full screen image provides a striking backdrop to this powerful search engine, and the homepage is purposefully stripped back and simple.

The search function has clever features such as the ability to find the cheapest month to travel in, and the option to filter searches by their departure time or number of layovers. Simple yet beautiful.

#4. Tripadvisor

Everyone knows Tripadvisor as the go-to review website for checking how local restaurants rank, but did you know it can also be used for booking accommodation and things to do?

We think you’ll agree, the colorful Tripadvisor website is a treat for the eyes, all thanks to a relatively recent rebrand and redesign. Their homepage is unique among travel sites for opting for an illustrated homepage rather than photography.  You could try this on your own site, as illustration is a surefire way to inject some fun and personality!

Find Out More

Color is another great way to inject personality and branding into your travel website design. Check out our guide on How to Choose a Color for Your Websit e for more tips!

#5. Interrail Europe

Interrailing is a way to travel the length and breadth of Europe by train, with lots of different passes and packages available.

The best part of the Interrail website is the trip planner tool. This allows a visitor to build a fully customized itinerary with dates and locations, and see their trip mapped out. Adding clever tools such as this to a website will ensure visitors find genuine value in your content, spend longer on your site and build up genuine excitement about their trip.

#6. Visit Australia 

Search “Visit…” and the name of practically any country, state, or holiday destination, and you’re likely to come across an official-looking tourism website.

The quality of these websites varies greatly, with some unfortunately providing biased or generic information. However, there are many good examples to take inspiration from, and the Visit Australia website is a standout example.

What we particularly love about the Visit Australia website design is the fun interactive elements , epitomized by “Ruby” the bouncing kangaroo who guides you through your trip to Australia. Ripper!

#7. Greyhound

“I ride the greyhound bus, I ride it everywhere…” so goes the song about the USA’s most famous bus service, which has also featured in too many movies to count.

Anyway, enough about film and music, we’re here to talk about design. The Greyhound bus website is practical and functional , primarily catering for travelers who wish to compare and book trips across the states.

A particularly neat feature of the Greyhound site is the “Explore” section, which lists the most popular destinations alphabetically. Striking photographs overlaid with a greyscale is a clever design technique which makes photos appear more uniform.

#8. Hostel World 

Budget-conscious travelers will be familiar with Hostel World, the world’s most famous search engine for affordable accommodation.

A key lesson to learn from the Hostel World website is that, when it comes to design, less is more . Their homepage is intentionally clean and simple, with only the most essential information on display. “Meet the world” provides an inspiring and motivating strapline, and asking a simple question “Where do you want to go?” invites the user to explore.

Advice from the Experts

Top tip: love the website design examples you’re seeing here you can learn more here about how to choose your website template..

What is Wwoofing, we hear you ask?! Wwoof stands for “Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms,” and the site is all about matching up visitors with organic farmers, to create a global ecologically-conscious community.

Sounds cool, right? But perhaps a little complicated? The Wwoof website recognises that users may be unfamiliar or daunted by the idea, so utilizes a carefully-designed step-by-step guide to help visitors choose a country, explore hosts, sign up, and plan their stay.

#10. Airbnb

Last but not least, we couldn’t explore the world of website design without mentioning Airbnb. Before Airbnb came along, websites for booking homestay accommodation were disparate, difficult to use, and inelegant. We believe a huge part of the success of Airbnb is down to the organization’s commitment to fuss-free, impactful design and clever innovations.

The search functionality has been expanded over the years, and now includes the option to search for “Treehouses,” “Shepherd’s huts,” “Castles,” or even “OMG!” properties. These categories are demonstrated through the use of simple icons , which add a cute and minimalist touch to the designs.

Top tip: Use a mixture of vibrant photography with simple icons to create a well-balanced homepage

Remember, think about the needs of the user visiting your site, and what stage of the customer journey they might be at.

Consider using vibrant photography or illustrations to inspire the potential traveler, an inspirational travel blog , or perhaps an interactive tool to help bring their journey to life. And for more practical sections of your site, try using icons, step-by-step guides or smartly-designed search engines.

That’s it, folks! We hope this has given you a taste of some of the best travel website design out in the world, and provided inspiration for your own site. Travel is a saturated marketplace, with thousands of websites competing for visitors. This means that design which is both impactful, beautiful, and functional is more important than ever.

What is a travel website?

Why is design important when creating a travel website, what are some top tips for designing a travel website, written by:, found this article helpful.

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BUSINESS STRATEGIES

14 best travel and tourism websites to inspire your own

• Kylie Goldstein

While the pandemic affected many industries, it irrevocably changed the travel and tourism sector. As the World Economic Forum reports , “In 2020 alone, the [tourism] sector lost $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs, impacting the living standards and well-being of communities across the globe. Moreover, the halt in international travel gave both leisure and business travelers the chance to consider the impact of their choices on the climate and environment.”

That being said, airline ticket prices are starting to rise again and airports are struggling to keep up with demand. Furthermore, amid current economic and environmental shifts, more travelers are seeking sustainable tourism options—and the industry has begun to adapt.

Whether you’re new to tourism—curating local experiences or renting out your home—or a travel veteran who has weathered the storm of tourism woes, there’s no better time to create a website for your tourism and travel types of businesses - its the perfect service business idea . We’ve compiled a list of some of the best travel websites, plus a few tips on what to include on your own.

Read Also: How to start a business

What is a tourism and travel website?

The tourism and travel industry has become more accessible than ever. The internet has made it easier to research, plan and book trips, all with just a few clicks. You can find everything from flights, hotels, and restaurants to car rentals and local experiences online.

A tourism or travel website serves as an information hub for prospective travelers planning a getaway. Today, people travel for a range of experiences—babymoons, staycations, voluntourism or bleisure—you name it. So, provide as much relevant information as possible to help users plan their trips.

When creating a travel website, entice travelers with blogs or video content that offers insider tips and local secrets. You can discuss practical information like local currency, customs and expectations, or review or rating popular destinations. You can also supply average local prices for travel necessities, offer tips for transportation or even add a Google Map of your favorite spots.

Tip: You can understand how to plan your website , then make your hotel website with Wix, complete with ready-made travel and tourism templates .

Best travel website examples

Let’s explore a range of tourism website examples, all built with Wix:

Inward Travel

Tourism Richmond Hill

Echo Fitness

African Empire Tours

Champlain Tours

Bella Vista

Home Sweet Home

Immanuel Wilderness Lodge

Sea Breeze Panormos

Jon's Carmel Marketing Cooking Class and Food Tour

The Berlin Storyteller

All Inclusive Vacations

Twende Zetu Kilimanjaro

01. Inward Travel

Creator Noå runs Inward Travel to “take the opportunity of lifelong learning, to improve quality of life and performance by consciousness and exercise.” The company curates unique cold water experiences, sweat-dripping-exercises and leadership trails in destinations like The Netherlands.

Inward Travel’s minimal one-page website highlights the relevant information clearly and concisely. The enticing video strip in the first fold of the website instantly paints a picture of the experiences offered. The simple color palette aligns with the brand messaging and the site effectively uses his logo, including the favicon.

02. Tourism Richmond Hill

Canadian-based Tourism Richmond Hill’s informative website includes thorough details for both locals and visitors alike, paired with eye-catching visuals and clear language. A clear menu leads users to navigation options like ‘restaurants around town,’ ‘where to stay,’ ‘things to do, and ‘useful links’. Additionally, their ‘Shop Local, Support Your Community,’ section expands their potential visitor pool, encouraging residents to treat their hometown like a tourist destination.

03. Echo Fitness

Don’t let the name fool you, Echo offers much more than just a fitness website . The homepage gives a brief description of all of Echo Fitness’s services, including active holidays, fitness retreats, personal training and ski instruction—all based in Zermatt, Switzerland—with clear CTAs to learn more. Each section includes a thorough description, complete with sample itineraries of previous trips or retreats. The travel website also gives a clear breakdown of plans and pricing, with a clear Book Now button for easy requests. Echo Fitness’s social media bar also includes a link to TripAdvisor, using this external platform to establish trust from previous travelers’ reviews.

Learn more: Travel business names

04. African Empire Tours

African Empire Tours immerses travelers in the culture, architecture and natural splendor of Asante, Kongo, Songhair, Zulu and Ethiopia. The tourism website clearly outlines the five tour destinations and gives a clear itinerary example.

African Empire Tours also smartly includes a clear Subscribe form above their contact information to engage with prospective travelers in the research/deciding phase of trip planning. Adding a subscribe form can help you keep visitors up to date on your business offerings.

05. Champlain Tours

Champlain Tours puts their pre-arranged group and customizable private tour options front and center, so prospective visitors can easily find what they want. They also include links to their social media profiles, including their YouTube channel which showcases video content of what visitors can expect when on tour with the company. They also prominently display previous travelers’ customer reviews as social proof to establish trust.

06. Japan Time

Japan Time’s Tom and Stav share their first-hand experiences with a range of thoughtful blogs, guides and tips for other travelers looking to make the most out of their experience. They break down the essentials like travel budget, transportation, food as well as holidays and cultural traditions in the land of the rising sun. The travel site also includes experiential tours like a “Culinary evening in Osaka” or “Ikebana techniques” that visitors can directly book online.

07. Bella Vista

Ciao Bella—arriving at Bella Vista’s vacation website offers an instant escape into the Sicilian countryside. Parallax scrolling brings the hotel to life; from a close up shot of a mouth-watering cannoli to the gorgeous view their property boasts, visitors will want to book a vacation and sign up for Italian lessons, too. This is one of the best hotel websites we've come across, as the captivating photos take you on a beautiful Italian getaway.

08. Home Sweet Home

Sometimes when vacation planning, you want a home away from home rather than a big to-do. Well, at France’s Home Sweet Home, you can choose from three uniquely styled rooms fit for comfort, relaxation and fun. Take a closer look at the photo gallery for every room and start to feel that vacation vibe seep in. Our favorite part? Their on-site private spa services.

09. Immanuel Wilderness Lodge

For those seeking adventure, consider Immanuel Wilderness Lodge, located in the Namibian Savannah. This family-run lodge has earned a collection of rave reviews and well-deserved TripAdvisor awards. For those who prefer to know exactly what to expect before arriving, their amazing 360° virtual tours show off their accommodations, lobby, restaurant and surrounding property.

10. Sea Breeze Panormos

Is there anything more exotic than a Greek vacation? After browsing their travel website, you’ll know why the four properties comprising Sea Breeze of Mykonos offer a quintessential vacation spot. Look at the romantic views, pristine accommodations and learn about what this magical island offers.

Using a teal Book Now button pops out amid the muted gray background, helping users know exactly what to do upon entering the site.

11. Jon’s Carmel Market Cooking Class and Food Tour

Almost any traveler to Tel Aviv knows that a visit to the Carmel Market is a must. Jon’s Carmel Market Cooking Class and Food Tour’s clear and direct website makes it incredibly easy for travelers to navigate through the famously bustling market. Jon, the owner, includes a short, captivating video that lets visitors know what a typical day in the market looks like. He also provides a detailed itinerary and a strategically placed CTA for Book Now.

Jon also uses a Wix pro gallery to showcase the vibrant colors and flavors of the food market. His contact information is easy to find, and includes links to all his social channels, including his TripAdvisor rating.

12. The Berlin Storyteller

Dennis Behnke, a Berlin native offers his tour services and in his own words, “Be it on foot and public transportation, be it on bike or in a van, let me help you create your perfect Berlin private tour.” His thoughtful and well-organized tourism website includes a clear list of his unique tours with detailed descriptions and lengths. Behnke has native experience and insights into the diverse city.

He includes his TripAdvisor rating directly on his homepage alongside a personalized explanation of his experiences, effectively reinforcing his brand name as the Berlin Storyteller. Working as an independent tour guide is a great service business idea. It can be a great side hustle or full-time venture if you have detailed knowledge of a city or specific destination.

13. All Inclusive Vacations

This travel website asks users a simple yet profound question upon entry—where to? For those who connect with this spark of wanderlust, there’s a relevant questionnaire to fill out and to receive a range of all-inclusive vacation packages.

This travel website also offers visitors drone video content, providing a bird-eye’s view and immersive look into each exotic getaway. In addition, All Inclusive Vacations includes their team’s photos, letting prospective travelers know who they’re talking to while planning their trips. A chatbot provides instant responses and efficiently handles incoming questions as well.

14. Twende Zetu Kilimanjaro

For hikers looking to experience iconic Mount Kilimanjaro, this travel website offers practical information including medical details, experiential knowledge, trip schedules and trail guides. Users can easily navigate the clearly laid-out information, helping them to understand the most relevant information before such an exciting hike.

What to include in a tourism and travel website

Every tourism or travel website will vary depending on the destination and target visitor. However, most travel websites should include the following:

Easy-to-use scheduling software

High-quality photography and images

Relevant information about nearby attractions—including museums, arts, cultural events, restaurants and shopping

Packing advice

Maps and directions

Public transportation information (note if users need to download apps in advance)

Air travel and airport information

Language guidelines and local slang

Clear links to social media channels

Contact information

Reviews or testimonials

An online store to buy branded or local merchandise (use an online store builder  for this)

Ready to create a blog  for your travel website?  Make one today. Or read more about how to start a travel blog .

Travel and tourism website design tips

Whether you have created a hotel website  starting from scratch or you are updating your current travel website, keep these design tips in mind.

Include a logo.  A logo can help establish consistency for your brand’s online presence. A good logo should communicate the crux of your destination, tour company or rental and help visitors make a positive association with your business before they even arrive. You can use a free logo maker  to design a logo for your travel website, plus use it for business cards, brochures, branded merchandise and social media channels.

Ensure a cohesive design.  Select a representative color palette for your brand and stick to it throughout your travel website’s visual identity. For example, if you run a natural spa getaway, stick to tranquil and calming colors over rugged and earthy tones that better match an extreme sports tour guide. With Wix’s editor's site and theme design , you can customize your website colors, fonts and images and maintain a cohesive look with automatic theme updates across your site’s pages. Also check out some of these general website examples  for inspiration.

Use images.  For prospective travelers planning their future getaways, high-quality images can immediately transport them to your destination. We recommend ​​using  JPEG ,  PNG  and GIF files for images to appear their best on your site.

Don’t overload pages.  Travel is all about the escape. Make your site’s user experience just as relaxing as traveling should be—don’t overload it with superfluous content or features. Tip:  Build your travel website with Wix website performance  at its core. Sites offer better page load speed plus Wix’s site speed dashboard  to test, analyze and optimize your site’s performance for both desktop and mobile.

Think about site hierarchy.  As visitors explore your site, you want them to receive relevant information and experience your offering efficiently. Prioritize your main pages and create menus, headers and subheaders that clearly reflect this hierarchy. Not only will this create a better user experience (and hopefully convert visitors to customers), but it will also make it easier for Google’s search engine robots to scan and index your pages.

Make it mobile friendly.  Mobile accounts for approximately half  of web traffic worldwide, meaning potentially half (or more) of visitors will explore your website via their devices. Creating a mobile-friendly travel and tourism website will ensure a better experience, regardless of device. Tip:  The Wix Editor automatically creates a mobile version for every website  it designs.

Lean into templates : Templates are a great way to create a design-friendly travel and tourism website in an efficient way. Here's a selection of our favorite travel and tourism templates from Wix: Travel services templates , Travel agency template , Food and travel website templates , Travel blog template , Travel documentary templates , Hotel and BnB website templates.

Consider SEO.  If you optimize your travel website content to rank on search engines, you can increase your traffic. How? First, target specific keywords. For example, think of your prospective travelers: what questions or phrases might they search for that could lead them to your tourism website? Integrate these keywords into your website content. Tip:  Check out Wix SEO features  or the Wix SEO hub  for more detailed steps that’ll help your travel website perform better on search engines.

Maintain your travel website . Just as you care for your hotel or tours, you need to apply the same TLC to your website. Fresh and up-to-date content (like prices and current links) can help users get the most out of their experience.

Try out new technologies.  Following the latest travel technology trends , try integrating a chat bot for quick responses and user engagement or use 3D/AR viewer  to give users a virtual tour of your destination.

Travel and tourism websites FAQ

What are some famous examples of travel websites.

There are many: Skyscanner, AirBnb, Kayak amongst others.

What are the different types of travel websites to create

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14 best travel website design examples, 13+ travel website examples [design ideas].

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Updated on: February 14, 2024

The number of people traveling around the world is rapidly increasing due to various reasons. With a higher search volume of travel-related inquiries, if you want people to fall in love with your site, you’ll need a great travel website design. Worry no more! We’ll be showing you some great travel related design examples in this post.

Typically**, you need a technologically advanced, simple, yet aesthetically appealing website to grab the attention of intending travelers and make them engage your web pages for a longer period**. Honestly, this may be somewhat challenging, especially with the era of fast-paced technological advancements the world is in, plus the saturation of the travel industry.

Nonetheless, drawing inspiration from already-existing travel website examples is a brilliant way of ensuring your site is also perfectly positioned to enjoy considerably fair traction of the available user traffic.

This article comprehensively reviews the best travel website design examples to draw inspiration when designing your own site. Without any further ado, let’s get straight into the list!

Below is a detailed compilation of the best travel website examples featuring excellent imagery, design, clean user experience, etc.

1. Tourists Paradise

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Tourists Paradise website is a travel museum. The website design uses a beautiful full-screen scrolling navigation to create a quite unique experience for its visitors.

As you scroll down with the page will snap to a different section, both vertically and horizontally. Images get displayed in full-height so if you are planning to use beautiful visusals, this design might be for you!

This website is using the fullPage.js component , which allows you to create the same full screen scrolling navigation. Available also for WordPress builders like Elementor and Gutenberg . (For the horizontal sliding, it’s using the Scroll Horizontally extension for fullPage.js ).

2. Bosco Alto

Second on the list is the Bosco Alto accomodations for travellers. Featuring a Fullscreen background image throughout the website, Bosco Alto includes a brilliant and attention-grabbing transitioning between each section of the website known as parallax effect .

If you like this effect, you might find useful our article on how to create a Parallax Effect just with only CSS . And if you prefer to avoid any coding, you can always make use of the Parallax extension of the fullPage.js library that we have just mentioned in the previous example.

3. Breckenridge

Breckenrdge is a very simple, modern, and exquisitely elegant travel website design example. It features a blend of bold typography, natural color tones and interactive background video that matches the website’s overall theme.

This can easily be done on your website with some CSS coding. Check this article on how to create a background video with CSS . You can even set a Youtube video as the background .

The brilliant use of white space and easy navigation for visitors also makes this website an excellent source of inspiration for travel agencies.

Y.CO’s travel website design is ideal for travel agencies who want to prioritize ease of navigation. The use of organized grid layouts helps users find whatever they need very quickly. The website layout also significantly contributes to its aesthetics, inviting visitors to dig even deeper into their website.

You’ll notice that on travel website designs the use of background videos is quite a common technique. An easy way to beautify any page and catch the visitors attention.

5. Pitch Luxury Tents

This website employs brilliant illustrations, which makes it stand out amongst several other travel website examples on the net. These illustrations seamlessly blend with the multiple solid color backgrounds and simple animation effects included in the website’s design. Pitch Luxury Tent’s travel website design is ideal if you have more textual content than media content.

Utah is another travel agency website that features a simple yet modern design . The website includes a blend of solid background photos and images, plus a brilliant transition into the use of whitespace for its textual content. Other elements that make the UVE travel website design example stand out are their brilliant pagination, ease of navigation, and amazing use of bold typography.

7. Knai Bang Chatt

Knai Bang Chatt is a luxuriously designed website, featuring elegant typography, impressive video, sophisticated imagery, and other brilliant UI components.

Other impressive features included in this travel website design example include the weather element at the bottom right of the welcome screen, testimonials sliders , brilliant use of white space, subtle scrolling animation effects and scroll-triggered text animations .

Fiji travel website design example includes a compilation of amusing photos that can easily capture the attention of visitors. More like a documentary, the welcome screen also features attention-grabbing photography followed by compelling, well-written content that ensures easy navigation throughout the website. It is a good example of an aesthetic travel agency website design.

9. Casa Angelina

This travel website example features a blend of white space, simple animation effects, and amusing photography. It’s a perfect way to tell a story with your website, taking your users through your world until they take action.

The “Book Now” button is prominent throughout the website, easily accessible to any user. Easy navigation, interactive videos, and a sticky sidebar menu are other UI elements that make this travel website design example stand out.

10. Nira Alpina

This travel website design example features an extraordinary mountainous view, including stunning photography, immersive video, and easy-to-understand textual content. Nira Alpina also includes compelling CTAs carefully arranged in prominent parts of the website.

11. Telluride

Telluride champions user-friendliness amongst the travel agency website design examples included on this list. The homepage includes a prominent gallery filled with large images to capture the attention of visitors as quickly as possible. This website design example is ideal if you want to be maximally detailed without risking boredom or bombarding your visitors excessively. Telluride’s travel agency website design portrays simplicity: a hamburger menu is used to avoid an over-crowded navigation menu.

12. Visit Baltimore

You will find an interactive video immediately when you land on this travel agency website, grabbing your attention and inviting you to continue browsing the site. Visit Baltimore also features an immersive layout, easy navigation, and subtle scroll animation effects that keep users more immersed.

13. On the Grid

On the Grid is also a travel blog. This travel website design example features an intriguing organized layout that ensures users’ ease of navigation. The website’s homepage also includes an alphabetical list of city guides, from Zurich to Aberdeen.

14. Wheeling

The last on our list of the best travel website design examples is the Wheeling website. Wheeling’s homepage features multiple top-quality images and multiple grid layouts to help visitors navigate easily. Although simple, Wheeling’s website is ultra-modern, including colorful and vibrant solid backgrounds and a blend of properly-managed whitespace.

Having explored our top 14 travel agency website designs, now is the best time to create one for your travel agency. Your prospective client expects luxury, great layout and ease of navigation, amazing user experience, top-quality images, etc., with your website. You should keep all of these in mind when designing yours.

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Emmanuel Whyke

Emmanuel W. is a UK-based creative and research-driven content writer and editor with 8+ years of experience. He owns a Masters of Science (MSc) in Digital Marketing from Coventry University.

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Travel agency websites

Make your business shine online with a custom travel agency website designed just for you by a professional designer. Need ideas? We’ve collected some amazing examples of travel agency websites from our global community of designers. Get inspired and start planning the perfect travel agency web design today.

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Try the Vista x Wix website builder today. No design expertise or team needed.

Website design

Website for a retreat in Portugal

Webdesign for a Travel Site

Homepage designed for a unique travel agency. Peredrift guides the user to a few top locations to that meets their needs and then helps them to build a day-to-day schedule including where to go and stay, how to get there, and what to do. This is shared with a group who can comment and recommend alternative suggestions until they have a final plan that everyone is excited for.

Amazing eCommerce homepage

Web Design For Justice Travel

Homepage concept for a travel agency that conducts tours around the world in partnership with human rights activists.

Travel agency's website design

Travel Company Website Design

Web Page Design for Travel Company

Ski Park Booking Site

Booking Site

Website redesign for travel agency

VacationOnline is an online travel agency that offers hotels, flights, cruises & car rentals. They compete against expedia.com, travelocity & priceline. The project goal was simple UI that inspires with content (images, maps, video) that makes the user want to share with friends as well as book their vacation. Project also includes: - Wire-framing - Logo design - Mobile responsiveness - Social Media widgets

Naturally Nomadic Travel

We designed this Squarespace travel website for Naturally Nomadic and helped them select professional stock images, fonts, and colors that would best suit their brand. We also worked with them to create a strategic, lead-generating layout.

Graphical Custom Design

Infographics, Wordpress CMS, HTML5/CSS3, Icons

Website design for a great travel consultancy company

Prodigar Travel 's website is built on Squarespace platform, it is not based on a template, it is 100% customized to perfectly reflect the brand and the business. I addition to the web design, we also made the Search Engine Optimization, so that the website to be as search-engine-friendly as possible and ready to take the organic search lists by storm :) Visit the live website: www.prodigartravel.com

Squarespace Website Redesign For An European Travel Agency

Squarespace website redesign for a travel agency website with focus on luxurious trips to Western European regions: Munich, Swiss and Italy. There are more than 40+ pages inside, so I must ensure that the content management task can be performed efficiently. For example, duplicating certain pages in the website, adding photo galleries as well as duplicating the entire website for bilingual content purpose.

Web Design for Travel Agency

Vibrant color to emphasize the mood of holiday. Neat and modern layout for better user experience

Webdesign for a company active in the segment of educational travel

It was a very tough contest with other 5 world class designers and finally my design won the final price.

Traveling agency

A fun and eye catching design, that inflames your desire to explore. Well arranged destinations that are user-friendly. Activities from which you can choose. In general a well constructed design with all needed functionality.

Nugggit is a web-app

Design travel experts profile page for brand new web app

Travel agency web design concept

Sophisticated, clean user friendly web design concept

Traveling Website Design

Client Review! "After we had received a vast array of designs we then received Smart Envisions, Instantly we knew we had the design, look and feel we were looking for, clean, professional and uncluttered. I would certainly recommend Smart Envision for anyone who is looking for a professional prompt service. We fully intend to use them in the future. Many thanks Smart Envision !!"

Campervan Rental-Redesign

Youth travel company

Travel Site needs Fresh Modern look for Redesign

Redesign of http://www.Bookonline.com

Design for Travel Company

The design was for a travel company with exotic destinations. The three key areas should be displayed and also some information about the company.

Redesigned Style for Existing Travel Website

The task was mainly to update the style of an existing travel website, in order to make it more appealing and up-to-date. With minimal layout changes included, my approach was to achieve a look that is easy on the eyes, while ensuring structure remains the same as current website.

Shakespeare Agency Design

Lisa from Shakespeare Agency is a multi-passionate creative who uses her skills to help individuals build their dreams one step at a time! She does this by offering one of a kind experience where she blends an array of services so people can ultimately live their best lives. We helped Lisa build a beautiful website that pulled together her various services and passions: freelance digital marketing services, travel planning to fitness programs. Our main goal was to ensure her site was full of personality and resonated with her current, returning, and potential clients. We did a brand new site build on the Squarespace platform with custom branding (logo, colors, brand fonts) graphics, SEO review, with future strategic SEO goals as well as personal training at the end.

SimplyGlobal

Website for travel health insurance.

Concept design for Spielbanken.net

Travel Ecommerce Company

Home page design concept for Eryega.com a travel e-commerce startup

Travel Serives Agency

Eryega.com is a travel startup with complete range of services. The objective is to show search form of all services in first fold.

Travel Site

We will create travel Guides and Attraction guides of important sites, websites in Spanish targeting spanish speaking customers

Amsterdam Travel website

Website design neede for travel-related website

Travel Agency Website

This project's aim was to create a proffessional and engaging website for a small yet experienced travel agency. I focused on big, inviting images that would promote both a specific location and an idea of going places itself. Since the information on such website is equally important I arranged it in clean and easy to navigate manner.

Travel Resort

contact me for detail information

Landing Page for Travel Company

This should be a combination of a web page and a landing page, acting a as a portal for our local community, a place called "Velledalen". We would like to have pointers out to the different parts of our community, like our school, grocery shop, sports team, swimming pool, kinder garden, water company, and more..

Charm&Awe Design

Simple Online Travel Agency

online travel agency that offers discounts on hotel properties and rooms all around the world.

NRG Freight & Logistics

Transportation Carrier Services/ Over the Road Trucking/ Logistics **Update: Shipping logistics, Intermodal shipping, Brokerage & Dispatch Services

Premier review and ratings platform

Exciting new TRAVEL website for Tripcape

Web site design for travel agency

Tourat: tours and travels website

Website design for Tourat - tours and travels website.

Travel & Hotel agency Website

Travel agency specializing in vacations, honeymoons, destination weddings and cruises.

Home Page Design for Travel Blog Site

We are building a travel blog site (its live now). It's about our family traveling around the world, travelling without plans, sharing our stories, adventure and experiences. Here is the website address - https://losviajesdepaula.com/ The Target audience is Women between 25-50 and Family Travel (Spanish Speaking). While the brief is in English - The site is 100% Spanish language.

Concept Ui Design for Bibgall.World project

A travel destination planner website platform ui design

WayOfLife - Tour Guides Landing Page

Travel Website Design

A travel website design. With options to create a Journey and book it.

Striking web page design for a luxury travel agency

A dynamic web page design that places emphasis on exotic imagery and is inspirational and engaging. Its uniqueness ensures the client's website stands out from that of its many competitors.

Clean design with all information for user. Clean and colorful

Turicard Website - Winner

Win 5 Page (Desktop and mobile ver) for Turicard contest . And then, i designed the rest of the pages. You guys can visit here: Turicard.com (Website is still under construction) Turicard are a travelcard, where the customers buy different kind of packages of 1,2,3,5 or 7 nights for a specific destination. Depending on the package they choose they can visit as many monuments and they want, you have more information in the document attached. We target tourist from all over the world traveling into the destination. The site must be mobile responding.

Travel Agency site for people with pets concept

Presentation website for luxury travel agent

The page template of a luxury travel agent, with a luxurious, modern but clean design.

simple and clean concept

Travel agency website

Website design for Passport Junkie

Hotel booking web app home page

Travel agency landing page

Travel and Hotel Booking Web design

Create an inviting and user-friendly travel and hotel booking website with a sleek, intuitive design. Employ a vibrant color scheme to evoke a sense of adventure and relaxation. Implement a straightforward navigation system that guides users seamlessly through searching, selecting, and booking accommodations. Utilize high-quality visuals, showcasing diverse destinations and enticing hotel options. Integrate responsive design for optimal viewing on various devices. Prioritize a secure and efficient booking process, with transparent pricing and detailed room information. Incorporate user reviews and ratings for informed decision-making. Overall, craft a visually appealing and functional platform that enhances the travel booking experience.

Hi, I would like to offer complete solution for your travel agency. It is a modern and professional design, also mobile friendly. I have done many websites in past and i can help with yours. I have prepared a DEMOS on my server with white label and search boxes >> 1. http://travel.web-experts.rs/ << >> 2. http://travel2.web-experts.rs/ << >> 3. http://travel3.web-experts.rs/ << - On this DEMO you can see skyscanner whitepages integration (located in foother) >> 4. http://hotels.web-experts.rs/ << - On this page white label travel hotel comparation >> 5. http://travel4.web-experts.rs/ << -Setting up a website without products importing (I can also input products if you want to) I can setup a DEMO on my server, so you can test its functionality and we can make any adjustments. -If you like what you see and you are interested, feel free to contact me for more details. Best regards, Zlatko

Landing page for a travel company Work Escape

The site design came from the logo. The main colors are blue and white. Added a block for selecting the country and date. Further - tours for the near future. Block with additional services and a request for consultation. There's also a personal user account.

Travel agency websites not a good fit? Try something else:

How to create your travel agency website design.

If you want an amazing travel agency website that stands out from the competition, work with a professional designer. Find and hire a designer to make your vision come to life, or host a design contest and get ideas from designers around the world.

Start a contest

Designers from around the world pitch you ideas. You provide feedback, hone your favorites and choose a winner.

Start a project

Find the perfect designer to match your style and budget. Then collaborate one-on-one to create a custom website.

4.6 average from 2,355 web page design customer reviews

What makes a good travel agency website?

A great website shows the world who you are, makes people remember you, and helps potential customers understand if they found what they were looking for. Websites communicate all of that through color, shape and other design elements. Learn how to make your travel agency website tell your brand’s story.

Types of websites There are 8 different types of websites. Find out what they are, so you can decide which will meet your needs… Keep reading

How to create a website Creating a website can be complicated. This guide will walk you through the process of getting a website step-by-step… Keep reading

Web design colors Choosing the right website colors can highlight your business’ strengths and help you attract the right customers… Keep reading

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60 Best travel websites for researching & planning a trip

Researching and planning a holiday is like decorating a room. It’s all about the preparation. (Yes, you can have a great spontaneous holiday, but there’s a lot of luck involved in that…).

In the good old days, before the internet, we relied on travel agents, but in today’s digital world, a wealth of online websites and apps are on-hand to help.

But too many. The choice is overwhelming and the quality and trustworthiness variable.

So which ones are the best? Which ones should you use and for what purpose?

Planning a holiday – even before you book it – involves several steps. We’ve broken down this process and recommended the best tools to use at each stage, to make your research and planning process as simple, painless, fast –and enjoyable – as possible.

Where to go & what to do

1.1 ideas & inspiration.

Discover new places you never thought of going to, wonderful things to see & do on your travels. Add them to your travel bucket list.

Bucket List Travels

Concept: This specialist travel inspiration site works with an impressive list of leading travel writers around the world to recommend the world’s greatest travel experiences. It also offers destination guides, simple itineraries that link the top attractions together, and recommends the best places to stay while you’re there. You can search and filter through the recommendations e.g. to find recommendations by price, or that are suitable for kids. You can also save your ‘finds’ to your travel bucket list.

Pros: the search and filtering is unique amongst travel inspiration sites, and it allows you to sort through the thousands of expert recommendations to find what you want quickly – a huge time saver. The destination guides have curated, not comprehensive recommendations, so they’re effectively handing you a list of great recommendations for when you visit a new destination, i.e. the ‘bucket list’ experiences not-to-be-missed. The adding to favourites is also unique – great for ‘saving for later’ those brilliant experiences or places to stay you come across.

Cons: coverage is limited to only 100 or so destinations, which mainly centres on the UK and western Europe. Non-Europe content is limited (but being added in the near future).

When to use: Use it before any other site to decide on where to go or what to do next, and to get an outline list/itinerary of what you want to do there. Then supplement that with tours & activities from other inspiration sites listed here, especially the ones with the local authentic experiences.

Website : https://www.bucketlisttravels.com/

Concept: Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos with their followers. It’s popular among individuals, influencers, and businesses for promoting their personal brands or products.

Pros: Insta is a great source of travel inspiration, as it allows you to discover new destinations, attractions, and experiences through visually appealing and engaging content. You can follow travel influencers and bloggers for tips and recommendations, discover lesser-known destinations and experiences, find out about local events and festivals, and see how others experience a particular destination, which can provide ideas for your own itinerary.

When to use it: Day-to-day inspiration and idea generation for your next trip. Bookmark your favourites, or save your ideas to your travel bucket list for the next time you do want to go somewhere special.

Website : https://www.instagram.com/

Concept: Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to discover, collect and share images and videos on virtual pinboards. Users can create boards on any topic and save Pins from other users or external websites, as well as search for inspiration and ideas. The platform has over 400 million active users worldwide.

Pros: Like Instagram, it’s a great visual travel inspiration tool, for discovering what to do in the world and specific destinations.

When to use it: For visual searches of potential destinations, and saving ideas (pins) for future trips.

Website : https://www.pinterest.com

Travel & Leisure

This high-end, luxury travel magazine covers a range of topics including hotels and resorts, airlines, cruises, food and drink, and various travel destinations around the world. Being a magazine, it focuses on the new and topical, so it’s a showcase of the latest and greatest in travel if novelty is your thing.

Pros: It’s top-quality content and genuine expertise from leading journalists and travel writers, with selective, curated recommendations. They have tonnes of round-ups of the ‘world’s best’ too.

Cons: Recommendations can be a bit too curated, missing lots of smaller experiences, and are often outside of the budget of most travellers. It’s primarily a magazine with an online afterthought, so recommendations tend to get buried in long pages of text. The site search turns up articles/posts that you then have to read further, rather than specific recommendations, and you can’t filter anything which is the big time saver.

When to use it: Sign up for their social feeds and newsletters, which often feature great round-ups like: “Best place to…”. Great for day-to-day inspiration and idea generation for your next trip. Bookmark your favourites, or save your ideas to your travel bucket list for the next time you do want to go somewhere special.

Honourable mentions: other great magazines for this include Conde Nast Traveller (featured later) and Wanderlust .

Website : https://www.travelandleisure.com/

Travel blogs

Concept: Travel blogs (too many to mention, but pretty much all the same in format) feature personal experiences, advice, and recommendations, usually written by an individual traveller or group of travellers who share their travel stories, photos, and tips with their audience.

Pros: You can’t beat personal experience when it comes to travel recommendations, and often these experienced author-travellers offer good insights and tips. They’re also usually an interesting, engaging read.

Cons: for planning a trip, blogs are hit and miss. They are written from the perspective of the blogger i.e. where they have just been or what they have just done, so it’s pot luck if that coincides with where you want to go or do next. They are also flat, text articles – you can’t search or filter their recommendations.

When to use it: Follow the ones you like if you enjoy reading such things. Once you have your list itinerary roughly planned out, they’re worth a quick scan for additional tips and insights (if you can find something relevant).

1.2 Top attractions, activities, tours & events

If you’re ready to start planning your trip, and nothing on your travel bucket list fits the bill, take a look at one of these sites to decide:

Concept: See listing above.

When to use: Head to their search results that shows all 100+ destination they cover, then use the filters to select a destination based on cost (cheap v expensive), or theme  (e.g. Science & Nature, Art, History & Culture) etc. You can also handily filter the list according to the best month of the year to visit.

FlightsFrom

Concept: this handy website lists all of the destinations you can fly to from every airport, on what days and with what airline.

When to use it: great for identifying where you can fly to from your local airport, and planning multi-destination trips.

Website : https://www.flightsfrom.com/

Google Flights

Google’s flight aggregator and comparison service consolidates flight schedules from all of the world’s commercial airlines in one place. By entering your dates and departure/arrival airports, you can quickly see who flies there, on what dates and at what times, and the price of the fare. Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts.

How to use it: The ‘Explore’ function allows you to specify a departure airport and see the cheapest flights to any destination you can fly to from that airport, for certain dates and trip durations – so great if you don’t have a fixed destination in mind. You can also handily add more than one departure airport if you have more than one departure option. (NB FlightsFrom shows you all available flights; Google Flights shows you available flights and their prices). NB Skyscanner has a similar ‘Explore everywhere’ feature, however, it is only available on the app and you can only enter one departure destination).

Website : https://www.google.com/travel/flights

This travel inspiration website provides a wealth of travel content, including destination guides, hotel and restaurant recommendations.

Pros: there’s loads of decent quality content, and their network of experts worldwide have good credentials and specialise in the destinations they write about.

Cons: The recommendations feature in text-heavy pages, making it hard to use for planning. You can’t filter, or save your favourites, and if you site search, you then have to wade through lots and lots of article posts. The content can also be quite random – as if it’s what someone felt like writing at the time, rather than being structured.

When to use it: Once you have your main list drawn up from the other sites listed here, it’s worth a quick scan for additional tips and insights.

Website : https://www.tripsavvy.com/

This global deals site specialises in providing exclusive offers and one-of-a-kind experiences to its 30 million members worldwide (membership is free). They partner with over 5,000 travel suppliers to source cut-price inventory.

When to use it: Sign up for their newsletter, then sit back and let the deals roll in. If you’re price-conscious, or just love a deal, then use their offers to decide on where to go and what to do next. Works best if you’re flexible on dates – most deals will be for when demand is lower i.e. in winter and/or outside of school holidays.

Website : https://www.travelzoo.com

1.3 What to do when you get there: attractions

Now you’ve decided on a destination, what should you do there? What are the top attractions, the must-see-and-dos, and the ‘bucket list experiences not to be missed?

How to use it: Navigate to the destination guide webpage. Our expert writes not only curates the top travel experiences – attractions, activities, tours & events – for you, but also further splits them as either ‘bucket list’ i.e. the not-to-be-missed, or ‘other’ experiences – nice to know about, but only for if you have time/interest.

Also, be sure to scroll through the destination page photo gallery for a pictorial summary.

Google Travel

Concept: Google’s travel planning platform offers a range of tools to help users plan their trips. It includes Google Flights (see later), a hotel aggregator and holiday rentals

For deciding what to do when you go somewhere, type your destination into the search, then click on the ‘Things to do’ side icon for full listings. It tries to list in order of priority/popularity, which mostly works, though it is an auto-generated list. The written descriptions come from Wikipedia, so it lacks that human expertise and it all feels a bit soulless (to me anyway). The interface however is easy to use, and you can add favourites to a trip list.

How to use it: After you’ve been to Bucket List Travels for the curated, expert list, if you feel you need more in your itinerary, and/or you’re worried we may have missed something, then use Google Travel to check the full comprehensive listings and see if there is anything else you want to do.

Website : https://www.google.com/travel/

Lonely Planet

Concept: The original ‘guidebook’ company, they have destination guides for pretty much every place on the planet. Their expert writers, who must specialise in the destination, provide comprehensive listings and recommendations for sightseeing, accommodation and food & drink, plus very detailed logistical and practical information.

How to use it: They’re comprehensive, not curated. They include a lot of minor attractions that the majority of travellers would not want to bother with, and there’s not a lot of imagery, just text. I use them as a cross-check once I have outlined what you want to do. It’s too detailed/comprehensive for researching and planning – unless you’ve got days to spare. Handy to take the book with you, though, for the in-depth local tips when you’re there.

Honourable mentions: all of the guidebooks are broadly similar. Also try Rough Guides , Fodor’s , Frommers’ , Rick Steves (Europe only) and DK Eyewitness .

Website : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/

Tourism Associations

Concept: A local government body, tasked with promoting tourism to the destination, that will provide comprehensive information, advice and recommendations for visitors to both attract and facilitate their visit. Being the local specialist, they should know better than anyone what to see & do, and they often include many smaller, high quality attractions and tours that others will miss. However, the quality of websites is highly variable (best in the most developed, richer nations as you’d expect), and they have to be impartial so there is no curation and little opinion.

How to use it: A great resource when it’s done well. If you’re going to a developed nation, I would say they are a must-visit. Use them to start drafting up your list.

Concept: A video-sharing website where users can upload, share, and view videos on a variety of topics. It attracts billions of monthly active users. There’s a digital tonne of travel content on there, covering every aspect – from destination recommendations to videos on how to book flights.

When to use it: if you’re a visual person, YouTube is a great resource for travel inspiration. It’s jammed packed these days with ‘What to see in X’, with video and image slideshows showing you the top sights. It tends to be top sights only, but a good place to start drawing up your shortlist. It’s also great for travel advice and tips.

Website : https://youtube.com

1.4 What to do when you get there: local experiences

‘Authentic’ experiences enable you to experience the real destination, to experience its culture, to meet its people, and to live like a local. Indeed, many travellers prefer them to crowd-thronged, tourist-spoiled ‘big ticket’ attractions. Here are some resources I use to discover them in my chosen destination:

Air BnB experiences

Concept: This service allows individuals and small businesses to offer unique activities and tours to travellers in over 1,000 cities around the world. Experiences can range from food tours to pottery classes to wildlife safaris, and are designed and led by locals who have expertise in their field.

Pros: Coverage is extensive, and the experiences can be a more immersive and authentic way for travellers to connect with the local culture and community.

Cons: Some of the experiences listed I feel are more for locals than tourists, and it’s tours/classes, so not really attractions you visit like museums.

When to use it: If you’re a first-time visitor wanting to tick off the main attractions, use a site like Bucket List Travels first to find those out and make a preliminary list, then complement what they give you with these experiences to add some local flavour and insight to your itinerary.

Website : https://www.airbnb.com/experiences

Atlas Obscura

An online travel guide that features unique, offbeat and even bizarre travel experiences – be it unknown/obscure destinations or little-known experiences within well-known destinations. It also offers tours and experiences to some of the destinations featured on the website.

Pros: Once again, this is a site for those seeking off-the-beaten-track, authentic and unusual experiences.

Cons: It’s very niche, aimed at the truly intrepid traveller. If you’re a mainstream tourist, wanting to tick off the main sites, this is not the site for you.

When to use it: If you want to avoid the big tourist sites and experience something unique and different in a destination. If you’re a first-time visitor wanting to tick off the main attractions, use a site like Bucket List Travels first to find those out and make a preliminary list, then complement what they give you with the Atlas Obscura experiences to add some local flavour and insight to your itinerary.

Website : https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Spotted by Locals

Concept: A travel website/blog that provides insider city tips from locals. Each city ‘guide’ is curated by a team of handpicked city residents, featuring their favourite local spots for food, drinks, culture, and entertainment.

Pros: it’s a great source for finding those authentic local experiences, away from the tourist hoards.

Cons: Recommendations/articles are quite random in subject – and you have to scroll through pages and pages of blog posts. You can’t search or filter by interest for example. Coverage is also limited to only 80 cities.

When to use it: They also don’t cover the big-ticket attractions first-time visitors will want to see, so use this for filling gaps in your itinerary or for second visits once the big ones have been ticked off.

Website : https://www.spottedbylocals.com/

1.5 What to do when you get there: tickets & tours

Get Your Guide

Offers a very similar proposition to Viator (see below). GyG though is Europe-based, so it has much stronger tour options in Europe than the US-based Viator, which conversely has a better US inventory.

Website : https://www.getyourguide.com/

Concept: An online tour ‘aggregator’ combines and lists multi-day organised tours, both small and large group, from all the leading tour operator brands like Intrepid , G Adventures and Exodus. They are to guided tours what Booking.com is to hotels. Search is by destination, so you need to know where you want to go first.

Pros: Listings are comprehensive and up to date, giving you a window on all of the options available that you can search and filter to your specific need.

Cons: Always beware the pricing on aggregators. Operators have learned to use low pricing to get you to click through to them, then load that up with expensive extras and upgrades once you are on their site (or they lie about the price in the first place).

When to use: If you want to go on a guided tour, this is a great place to start. It will tell you who the best tour operators are, what are your tour options, and the prices.

Website : https://www.tourradar.com/

Concept: A ‘tour aggregator’ offers a wide range of tours and experiences in destinations worldwide, through local third-party tour operators. (Think of them as the Booking.com or Expedia of tours). Tours can be anything from 1-hour walking tours to 10-day organised tours. A US-based company (owned by TripAdvisor), it’s much more comprehensive in the US than in Europe.

Pros: They partner with the best local tour operators, so the tour quality is good, and you have someone to complain to if things go awry. The site search allows you to sort through the extensive catalogue quickly.

When to use it: Work out where you want to go, and get a feel for the top attractions, somewhere else, then come to Viator to book tickets and tours.

Website : https://www.viator.com/

1.6 Draft an outline itinerary

Now you know what you want to see & do in your destination, work out a rough day-by-day itinerary to ensure you get to do everything you want to do, with minimal travelling around.

Concept: see listing above.

How to use it: For most destination guides (where it makes sense to do so), our writers have set out simple itineraries of what to do and where to go on each day of a trip. For cities, they are usually 3- and 5-day itineraries (the 5-day version has the same first 3 days, then two additional days on top). They link all of the top attractions together in the most logistically convenient way, minimising travel, and including recommendations for lunch and dinner while you’re there.

Rick Steves Europe

Rick Steves is a travel guidebook author and television personality who specialises in European travel. His guidebooks offer practical advice and recommendations for budget travel, including tips on accommodations, dining, and sightseeing. His approach emphasises cultural immersion and connecting with locals, and his guides often include suggested walking tours and off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Pros: Rick’s guidebooks offer much more in-depth expertise than the others for Europe, with high-quality, well-researched recommendations based on experts with years of experience. The website has great travel forums for asking fellow travellers questions.

How to use it: It’s not a site for researching where to go and what to do. It’s better once you know where you want to go, and really want to drill into the fine detail. However, like Bucket List Travels , the site does have helpful itineraries that set out where to go and what to do day-to-day.

Website : https://www.ricksteves.com/

1.7 Specialist travel

Cruise Critic

The world’s leading online cruise review website and community provides comprehensive reviews, ratings and forums to help you assess cruise vacations. It’s the TripAdvisor of cruises (and not surprisingly, it’s owned by them), so just like with TripAdvisor, don’t believe everything you read.

When to use: We would personally recommend finding recommendations elsewhere e.g. from cruise travel journalists writing for newspapers, magazines or even Bucket List Travels. Then come to this site to check out the reviews of your shortlist.

Website : https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/

Euan’s Guide

Set up by wheelchair user Euan MacDonald MBE, this disabled access review website is the go-to tool for many disabled people wanting to travel in the UK and beyond. It shares accessibility information for venues and the experiences/reviews of other disabled users.

Pros: Helps to solve some of the challenges disabled people face, and gives them the confidence to travel.

Cons: the coverage is mainly UK and Europe, but thankfully is widening to the rest of the world at a pace.

Website : https://www.euansguide.com

We Love 2 Ski

This excellent online resource provides skiers and snowboarders with up-to-date and comprehensive information on ski resorts, conditions, accommodation, equipment, and more. The website features detailed reviews, insider tips, and expert advice on everything related to skiing, as well as an active forum for the ski community to share their experiences and knowledge.

It’s managed by 3 ski experts, with a wealth of expertise between them and who really know their stuff and take pride in keeping the information up-to-date. It’s one of those more genuine sites that care about their advice and is not trying to constantly do the hard sell.

When to use: if you want to go skiing, start here. If you’ve already found somewhere to go or stay, be sure to check what they say about it here before you go.

Website : https://welove2ski.com/

Getting there & around

2.1 flights.

Concept: a flight deal finder service that sends you price and deal alerts on flights. You enter your preferred departure airport and they send you notifications of great deals, and price movements. Tickets are discounted 40-90%, for flights 2-6 months out in Economy, Business and First classes.

How to use it: If you’ve got flexible travel dates, or have a bucket list destination in mind. Sign up and wait for a deal.

Website : https://www.going.com/

Google’s Flights is a flight aggregator that allows you to find and compare flights. It enables you to find the airlines that fly between your destinations, and available flight times.

Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts. The pricing can sometimes be inaccurate, however, and when you click through, it’s usually for a basic fare without any luggage.

When to use it: Start your flight search here. You may have to add in the extras, then compare prices, or you may not get the cheapest option.

Honourable mentions: Skyscanner and Kayak offer similar services. In my experience, they pretty much have the same inventory. It really comes down to which interface you prefer.

Hopper is one of the US’s most successful travel apps, selling over $4.5B of travel each year. It helps you find the best deals on flights, hotels, home rentals, and car hire by analysing trillions of data points to predict when prices will rise or fall. When you set your dates, you see a helpful calendar showing when prices are highest and lowest, and you can sign up for price alerts.

Their second big USP is their ‘price freeze’ option, where you pay a small fee (5%-15% of the price) to freeze the price for a limited duration (options range up to 3 weeks). If the price goes up, you pay no more; if it goes down, you pay the lower price (like insurance). They also offer Flight Disruption and Cancel for Any Reason Guarantees.

Pros: Simple to use, the most accurate predictor of prices, really helps you get the best deal (if your dates are flexible). The insurance options have been a godsend to many in the recent years of travel disruption and inflating prices. Unlike other flight aggregators like Kayak or Skyscanner they show the different airline fare options within the app, so you don’t get caught by the artificially low basic fare enticing you to click through (see Skyscanner summary).

Cons: None that we can see! It really is an excellent service.

When to use it: Once you know where you want to go, come to the site to get the best deal on flights, car hire and accommodation. Simple as that.

It works best if you’re dates are flexible, so you can pick the cheapest travel dates, and/or if you have time before you book – take out the freeze option and you can be assured that the price will only come down, or sign up for the price alert.

Website : https://hopper.com/

Concept: This flight aggregator, owned by Chinese-backed Trip.com and based in Edinburgh, does the same thing as Google Flights. . It enables you to find the airlines that fly between your destinations, and available flight times.

Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts.

When to use it: I’ve not found much difference in pricing to Google Flights, though I much prefer Skyscanner’s user interface. It really comes down to personal choice.

Honourable mentions: US-based Kayak , originating in the US, offers a similar service to Skyscanner.

Website : https://www.skyscanner.net/

The Points Guy

If you’re someone that loves to save on travel using reward points, check out this advisory site by Brian Kelly. As he puts it, it’s ‘your go-to source for all things travel, points, miles, credit cards and more’. His advice covers both where best to earn points, and how best to spend them. There’s both a US and a UK website , with custom advice based on where you reside.

He gives up-to-date advice and tips in this ever-changing, evolving space that cuts through all of the confusion, and helps you find the best deals in the market, and explains how to take advantage of them.

How to use it: Visit here first if you’ve got points to burn, or will have and want to know the best scheme to sign up for.

Website : https://thepointsguy.com/

2.2 Car hire & taxis

Rentalcars.com

A global car rental booking platform that provides customers with access to over 60,000 rental locations in more than 160 countries worldwide. The site enables you to compare prices and features from a wide range of rental companies. Customers can also benefit from 24/7 support and free cancellation on most bookings.

I’ve regularly rented cars via them, and never found a cheaper deal. The customer service and support are also very good. There’s not really a reason to start looking anywhere else.

Website : https://www.rentalcars.com/

It doesn’t really need any introduction… but just for completeness. Founded in 2009, Uber is a ride-hailing service that connects riders with drivers in most major cities around the world. Through the app, you can request and pay for rides, track your driver’s location, and rate the experience.

Uber’s meteoric rise to a global brand can be attributed to solving several customer issues with then-taxi firms: they would find you a ride tell you how long it would take to arrive, how much the fare would be upfront, and sort payment automatically through your account, thus avoiding the need to have enough cash on you.

Other leading ride-sharing apps include Lyft (US and Canada) and Cabify (Spain & Latin America).

2.3 Rail, Bus & Ferry

Concept: Omio is a comprehensive travel search and booking platform that helps users find and book the best deals on trains, buses, and flights across Europe. The website offers a user-friendly interface, with real-time price comparisons and flexible search options to suit individual needs and preferences.

When to use: It’s a great tool for planning and booking multi-modal trips.

Website : https://www.omio.co.uk/

Rail Europe

Concept: Rail Europe is a one-stop-shop for planning and booking train travel in 33 European countries. The website offers a wide range of tickets, passes, and packages for different destinations and budgets, as well as information on train schedules, routes, and stations. Note, they don’t cover local trams and metros, it’s intercity trains only (that includes Eurostar). Enter the destinations you want to go to and they’ll recommend the best value ticket/pass.

For multiple trips, you’ll likely be recommended a Eurail pass. This brilliant invention allows you to travel on over 30 European railway operators and some ferries too. Kids under 11 travel free with an adult.

Website : https://www.raileurope.com/

2.4 Route planning

Google Maps

Who hasn’t used google Maps? And for good reason. Its coverage is comprehensive, it’s simple to use, and it’s is invaluable when you’re trying to figure out how to get from A to B in an unfamiliar place. It shows travel times and distances in multiple transport modes: on foot, bike, by available public transport and by car.

How to use it: use it to help plan upfront your transportation from point to point in your itinerary.

Website : https://www.google.com/maps

Hands down the best service for planning and booking journeys within and between countries. It combines and compares transport options from over 5,000 transportation providers across 160 countries, then recommends the cheapest, fastest, and most convenient routes for different modes of transportation including flights, trains, buses, and car rentals. The website also provides comprehensive travel information. It will quote prices, distances, times, mileage, route numbers, and which companies to book.

Their slogan is “Discover how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry & car – and it does exactly what is says on the tin.

Website : https://www.rome2rio.com/

Where to stay

3.1 'best' hotels - curated selections.

Whatever you go, there are always thousands of hotel options. These sites do the research work for you and use experts to curate a list of the best, based on location, quality and quality.

How to use it: For all the destinations we cover, we provide you with a curated list of the best hotels – for all budgets, from the mainstream to the unusual.

The selections are made by our writers, who must not only be leading travel journalists, but also specialise in that destination (either living there or visiting frequently). The writers have at least inspected and usually stayed in the properties they recommend.

Conde Nast Traveller

Similar to Travel & Leisure above, this high-end, luxury global travel magazine covers a range of topics including hotels and resorts, airlines, cruises, food and drink, and various travel destinations around the world.

When to use it: They do great round-ups of the ‘best’ hotels to stay in a destination – but obviously at the top end. If you’re not that price sensitive, start with their shortlist.

Honourable mention: Travel & Leisure, their great rival, also does destination hotel round-ups.

Website : https://www.cntraveller.com/

In my view, it’s the best ‘guidebook’ website for researching and planning a trip online – once you know where you want to go. They simply and helpfully list out a reasonably long short list of things to see & do and places to stay, and rate them each from 1-3, depending on how good they are.

However, like all the guidebooks online, coverage is comprehensive at times, requiring a lot of time and effort to research through it. The website is also swamped with banner ads that are off-putting and annoying.

How to use it: A good place to start your hotel search. They generally do select good options, though it’s more aimed at budget travellers.

Website : https://www.frommers.com/

The Telegraph (Travel)

This long-standing British newspaper does a fine job of curating and rating (out of 10) the best hotels in destinations around the world, for all budgets. The reviews tell you what you want to know – style, location, key amenities – without being overwhelming.

As for Bucket List Travels , selections and reviews are written by top travel writers who have inspected and usually stayed in the property. The number of hotels they recommend is a lot more than Bucket List Travels – and includes ones we certainly wouldn’t include – but it does give you a longer list to start with.

When to use it: if you care about where you stay, and really want one of the best places, this is a great place to start your start for somewhere to stay.

Website : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/

TripAdvisor

The original hotel review site, it has since expanded to become the global platform for reviews (and information) on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other travel-related businesses. It also offers a variety of travel-related content and resources, including travel guides and forums.

Over the years it has, sadly become increasingly corrupted with fake reviews, but they can’t fake all of them and as long as there are at least several hundred reviews, the score should be reasonably reflective.

When to use it: I personally like to start drawing up a shortlist of places to stay on other sites listed here, then do a quick check of the reviews of each on TripAdvisor. I also filter to see only the negative comments, then look at 1) how recent they are 2) if it is a one-off complaint i.e. someone had a refund request refused and 3) if it is something that can and probably has been fixed e.g. a rude receptionist. Small room sizes, traffic noise from road proximity, and so on – these issues are not easily fixed.

Website : https://www.tripadvisor.com

3.2 Boutique hotel collections

If it’s a boutique hotel you’re after, try one of these specialist sites. They only list high-quality properties that meet their individual criteria.

Design Hotels

As the name suggests, this website offers a curated selection of over 300 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts around the world, each chosen for its unique design and aesthetic. The site emphasizes design and architecture and offers a range of luxury and boutique properties.

Pros: It’s a brilliant resource for finding unique and interesting stays, especially with modern and/or minimalist interiors.

Cons: if you’re not that worried about hotel design, then it doesn’t offer a lot of value other than a list of interesting hotels.

When to use: if you’re interested in design, and prioritise that in your accommodation, then this is a great resource. If it’s not that important, you’re better off elsewhere with a greater selection and better prices.

Website : https://www.designhotels.com/

This boutique hotel booking website offers a carefully curated selection of stylish, unique and independently-run hotels and vacation rentals around the world. They offer in-depth reviews of each property, personalised recommendations, and a friendly, 24/7 booking service.

Pros: The curated selection of unique and stylish properties is exceptional and of a consistently high quality that you can rely on. Each property has been personally inspected by staff. The reviews, from both customers and staff, are honest and in-depth and tell you who it is and isn’t for, rather than pretend everyone’s going to love it.

Cons: There’s a limited number of properties in many destinations, and it is property, not destination, led – meaning is easier to find the place, then decide on the destination rather than the reverse (which may suit).

When to use: if their style of property i.e. unique, high quality, small and independent, is what you like/are looking for, there’s no better resource to use. If they don’t have something in your preferred destination, then look elsewhere, but check first.

Honourable mention: Sawdays offers a similar service, but they’re UK & Europe only.

Website : https://www.i-escape.com/

Mr & Mrs Smith

This first-rate, UK-based hotel booking website curates handpicked, boutique hotels around the world, each personally inspected to meet their high standards of facilities, service and location. The website has in-depth reviews of each property, with insider tips like what are the best rooms to book, without being overwhelming.

There are also exclusive benefits for members like gifts on arrival, or late checkouts, and a 24/7 booking service.

Pros: The standard of hotels is consistently high, so much so that the brand has become a trusted stamp of quality. The booking service and post-sales support is efficient yet very personable, and hotel staff genuinely care about ‘Smith’ customers so you feel very welcome when you arrive.

Cons: They have limited or no options in many destinations. They also can’t match the benefits of the OTA reward schemes like Booking.com .

When to use: The site is great if this is your style of hotel, and you want to be looked after at every step. Limited coverage is only an issue if you are dead set on a destination. If you’re not really that bothered where you go, or at least are open to suggestions, check this excellent site first.

Website : https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/

Secret Escapes

A members-only hotel booking website that offers exclusive deals and discounts on luxury hotels and vacations around the world. The site negotiates special rates with hotels and resorts, available to their members only.

Pros: There some great deals and genuine exclusive discounts to be had, though max discount tends to be 30% (and average of 15%-20%), but still not to be sniffed at. They also do a good job of curation, so you know you’re getting a decent hotel.

Cons: You still need to compare prices to other sites like Booking.com and the hotel’s own website, as there are lots of sneaky tricks and breaking of agreements that going on behind the scenes and you never really know where the best deal is until you check.

When to use: if you know where you want to go, it’s well worth checking in for a deal.

Website : https://www.secretescapes.com/

Small Luxury Hotels of the World

This website has personally visited, verified and vetted every single one of its 520 hotels in more than 90 countries. The criteria for inclusions I small (<50 rooms, non-chain and offering the highest standards of luxury and service.

Pros: it’s an exceptional collection of outstanding hotels, and the brand guarantees a high-quality, luxury stay. Members get 10% off and extra (tiered) benefits like upgrades and late checkouts. Hotels welcome their members with open arms, as they usually spend well, and SMH look after their customers.

Cons: things this good come with a price tag. Many hotels are out of reach of most travellers’ budgets.

When to use: if you’re a discerning, occasionally demanding, traveller, that specifically wants a smaller hotel, this is a great place to start your search. Check other websites though for better prices – even with the 10% off – but if you’re not that price sensitive, it’s nice to book with someone who cares, as opposed to a hotel production line like Booking.com.

Website : https://slh.com/

Tablet Hotels

This New York-based brand, founded in 2000 and well-known across the US, has curated over 3,500 boutique & luxury properties around the world. In 2018, it was purchased by and merged with Michelin.

Similar to Mr & Mrs Smith, they curate a selection based on criteria, offer a full booking service, and exclusive benefits for ‘Tablet Plus’ members like VIP upgrades and free valet parking.

Pros: the curated selection guarantees a measure of quality, and some of the VIP benefits are really nice ones to have and make you feel a bit special.

Cons: You inevitably will pay more than on other sites, and sometimes they overpromise and underdeliver on the VIP experience – much depends on the attitude of the hotel. The criteria for selection is much broader than a Mr & Mrs Smith, so you’re not getting that real consistency of accommodation, and the personal relationship that Smith has with its properties.

When to use: If you want to feel like a VIP and value those benefits over saving a few pennies or cents, then they are worth a look.

Website : https://www.tablethotels.com/

3.3 Home rentals & stays

Launched in 2008 and needing no introduction, this global accommodation powerhouse forever altered the holiday market. Now with more than 300,000 listings in over 190 countries, it has expanded from its original core offering of ‘spare rooms to rent’ to include apartments, treehouses, villas – whatever you can stay in, it’s likely to be on AirBnB.

Pros: the sheer number of options and global coverage means you’re highly likely to find something you want. The site is simple and easy to use, with lots of photographs, user reviews and star ratings.

Cons: The product and website is great, but they don’t really care about customers, and customer service if something goes wrong can be challenging to find.

When to use: whenever you’re looking for something other than a hotel, and/or something more authentic or with a local feel. It’s especially good for families and groups wanting to stay together in one place.

Website : https://www.airbnb.com

Couchsurfing

This global hospitality exchange enables you to stay with a host for free for a few nights – be it sofa or, if you’re lucky, a bed. You simply create a profile, search for hosts, and request to stay with them. Surprisingly, perhaps, it works, and over the years the site has built a loyal following and a strong community of ‘couchsurfers’ who help and support each other, and even organise events around the world.

When to use it: When budget is tight and you just really want somewhere to crash, and/or you’re looking to connect with other travellers and the local community.

Website : https://www.couchsurfing.com/

This upscale holiday home and apartment rental specialist has a large catalogue of privately-owned places to stay, which you can filter by key criteria like price, location, number of bedrooms etc. Each listing is vetted by their team to ensure it meet minimum standards. It’s owned by the Expedia Group.

The quality of homes for rent is exceptional and varied, from lake houses to treehouses, and the search and filtering makes it quick and simple to find something that suits. Customer service is good, much better than AirBnB for example.

Website : https://www.vrbo.com/

Villas of Distinction

Villas of Distinction is a luxury villa rental company that offers an extensive portfolio of properties in over 50 destinations worldwide. They provide personalized service to help clients select the perfect villa for their vacation, and offer a range of amenities such as private pools, chefs, and concierge services to enhance the guest experience.

When to use it: When you’re looking for an independent, self-catering stay in an uber-luxurious villa. It’s top-end, with a price tag to match.

Honourable mention: One Fine Stay offers a similar service.

Website : https://www.villasofdistinction.com/

3.4 Campsites & Hostels

HostelWorld

The hostel specialist is the go-to place for booking budget accommodation in over 170 countries – both dormitory beds and private rooms. The website and mobile app allow you to browse and book from a wide range of hostels, hotels, and guesthouses, with a focus on affordable and social options. There are also offers travel guides, reviews, and a loyalty program for frequent users.

Pros: The UX is really smooth, the inventory (number of options) is much is larger than on the major hotel search engines (OTAs), and it does a much better job of setting out dormitory bed pricing and deal options. There are a number of ‘community’ features that encourage you to connect with fellow travellers.

When to use it: If you’re on a budget or want to meet people when you’re travelling, start here with your accommodation search.

Website : https://www.hostelworld.com/

If you’re looking for something off-grid, preferably unique and unusual – but don’t want to compromise too much on luxury, this website is for you. It’s a directory of for luxury campsites and stays, with various accommodation options ranging from tents to tipis, log cabins to vintage caravans. Coverage is mainly Europe & UK, though they have plans to expand beyond.

Website : https://campaglam.com/

3.5 Price comparison

Concept: This Expedia-owned hotel search engine allows you to compare prices from various booking sites for over 1.8 million hotels in more than 190 countries. You can search & filter to discover hotels matching your criteria, then each hotel listing shows the price of a room on the various OTA sites. The site also offers user reviews, ratings, and filters to help you decide.

For all aggregators, the prices are often inaccurate, and not the cheapest option when you click through. The OTAs (like Expedia, Booking.com) have learned over the years how to manipulate them to ensure their listing comes up first with the cheapest price.

When to use it: It’s a good place to start your hotel search, especially when you have specific requirements such that you can use the on-site filters to narrow down the options quickly. If you discover a hotel you want somewhere else, always come and check the prices here before booking.

Note – it doesn’t always include the hotel direct price (so make sure you check separately), and sometimes the prices are inaccurate when you click through.

Honourable mentions: HotelsCombined , owned by Booking.com and the main rival to Trivago, is known for having better deals as they search lesser-known booking sites (though that can come with risks). Both I suspect of bias, however, in pushing Booking.com and Expedia products. Skyscanner also now offers accommodation price comparison, and they have the advantage of being independent and unbiased of the leading OTAs. Kayak also offers price comparison – but they are owned by Booking.com too. I prefer Trvago above the rest purely because they also helpfully show you show the lowest price depending on the ‘deal’ type i.e. cancellable or non, including breakfast etc. which obviously makes a big difference to the ‘cheapest’ price.

Website : https://www.trivago.com

3.6 Accommodation booking

Booking.com

The world’s largest accommodation online booking service that lists over 28 million hotels (and now rentals, B&Bs and hostels) from around the world. They offer a tiered loyalty program called ‘Genius’ The three levels offer 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts (respectively) on bookings at hundreds of thousands of participating locations. They also include priority customer service help, and free breakfast packages or room upgrades when possible.

Pros: The website is easy to use, with excellent filter options, and once you have created an account, you can book within a few clicks. Their inventory is phenomenal, with most hotels in the world signed up. The loyalty program is accessible and with great benefits.

Cons: The loyalty program only applies for a limited number of participating hotels, so you won’t always get the benefits. Hotel websites often still have a better deal, and some don’t release all of their room types to Booking.com so you can’t see these rooms.

Booking.com may also confusingly say ‘sold out’ when there are rooms available still on the hotel website. So always check the hotel website before booking.

When to use it: Start your accommodation search here, and then once you’ve narrowed down the options with the filters, check other sites and the hotel website for a better deal.

Honourable mention: Agoda is essentially a carbon copy of Booking.com – they are owned by the Bookings Holdings Group. Agoda has it’s roots in Asia, and is based in Singapore, so it has more comprehensive Asian content. If that’s where you’re going, it’s worth using.

Website : https://www.booking.com

Concept: same as for Booking.com, with a similar tiered loyalty program, though at time of writing, the tiered benefits are not lifetime like they are with Booking.com. You need to be a regular customer to benefit from the higher tiers – not the case with Booking.com.

Their famous loyalty program of stay 10 times, earn one free reward night – now the basic tier – requires you to book at least once every 12 months or your reward night expires.

Honourable mention: Expedia is essentially a carbon copy of Hotels.com. They’re owned by the same group, and effectively have the same hotel inventory and pricing. There are slight differences in the reward program – I think Hotels.com’s one is better, hence why they got the nudge.

Website : https://hotels.com

HotelTonight

Owned by AirBnB , this mobile app and website offers last-minute hotel rooms at discounted rates. Inventory ranges from budget to luxury, and you can use the filters to specify your location and preferences. There’s also a ‘Rate Drop’ feature that discounts same-day prices after 3pm.

When to use: if you need a last-minute room, it’s definitely worth checking for a deal. However, in my experience, their deals weren’t especially good compared to other standard booking sites – though the ‘Rate Drop’ does deliver discounts.

Website : https://www.hoteltonight.com/

Food, drink & entertainment

4.1 food & drink.

A food and dining news website that provides reviews, guides, and information on restaurants and food trends in various cities across the world. The site offers articles on topics such as dining culture, chefs, industry news, and more. They also feature videos and podcasts related to food and restaurants. The quality of content and recommendations is excellent, and they’ve regularly won awards to their food & wine journalism.

When to use it: Officially it only spans 23 US cities, and if that’s where you’re headed, it’s a good place to check. However, that’s for detailed coverage. For most cities, however, they have a round-up of ‘the best restaurants in X’, covering all price ranges. Just search for it on their site.

Website : https://eater.com

Foodie blogs

Local foodies blog about anything from food trucks to Michelin-starred restaurants. In any destination, especially cities, the food scene changes so fast that almost any corporate website will not keep up. Local foodies are out testing daily, and take pride in keeping their blogs up to date with the latest and greatest. They also cover the smaller, more niche places that only a local would know about.

There are too many to mention, but search for ‘food blogs in X’ by Googling (or Binging) and see who you can find.

When to use: When you want to discover some insider foodie experiences in a destination, and get some good restaurant tips that are not Michelin-starred.

Concept: Increasingly the go-to resource for vegan and vegetarian dining around the world, run by vegans, as the popularity of the movement continues to gather a welcome pace and momentum. The site is also becoming a thriving community hub, with active forums and listings of fellow vegans in local cities that you can message for tips.

When to use it: to discover the best vegan and vegetarian dining options in your destination, or to get tips/advice from the local community.

Website : https://www.happycow.net/

This stalwart former magazine is still the place to go in the digital era for local listings of ‘what’s on’. It provides comprehensive listings, information and reviews on cultural events, concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, and other entertainment in cities around the world.

When to use it: If you’re wanting to book in some entertainment on your trip, this is the best place to start looking.

Website : https://www.timeout.com/

Yelp is a platform that allows you to search for and review local businesses, including restaurants, bars, shops, and other services in 220 cities in 32 countries . It’s best known for restaurant reviews, however – some of the other business listings can be fairly light. As with all review sites, it suffers from fake reviews,  but the volume is sufficient to give you an overall sense of what’s worth a try.

How to use it: I use it to draft a short list of places to try, then cross-check that with other sources and/or my hotel if I’m staying in one. Concierges will give good restaurant tips, but in my experience, the options they give are limited.

Website : https://www.yelp.com

Before you go

Centre for Disease Control

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a national public health institute in the United States. The website provides comprehensive information and resources on health and safety topics, including infectious diseases, vaccines, travel health, environmental health, emergency preparedness, and more.

When to use it: before you go to a new destination, stop here to check any disease risks and vaccination requirements (you can search by country from the home page). It also has helpful advice for people with special health conditions , and/or doing specialist activities.

Website : https://www.cdc.gov/

5.2 What to take

This global online store is a specialist in all things travel accessories, with over 200 products covering everything from adapters, to travel pillows and luggage security.

How to use it: have a skim before you go. I always end up seeing/buying things I never even knew I needed!

Website : https://go.travel

Packing List Checklist App

A handy app to create packing checklists – a godsend for people like me who always forget their sunglasses. A plethora of packing list apps, I like and use this one before it’s simple, quick – and free. No upgrades needed.

You manually create your own list(s) – you can create multiple different ones, for different holiday types for example – then select from a list of a fairly comprehensive list of suggested items to start you off. Most of the time that will do it, though you can add your own if needed. When it comes to packing, you can tick things off as and when they’re in the case.

How to use it: Next time you get a few free moments, create a packing list. Add to it as and when things pop into your head. Tick them off when you pack.

Website : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/packing-list-checklist/id1235121075

5.3 Travel planning

TripIt is another travel organising app that allows you to store all of your travel plans in one place. Users can forward their confirmation emails for flights, hotels, and rental cars to the app, which will then create a master itinerary for their trip. The app also provides real-time flight alerts, directions, and travel recommendations.

Website : https://www.tripit.com/web

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10 Travel Sites to Inspire Yours  (Travel Website Design Do’s and Don’ts Included)

Alina Belascu

Alina is a digital marketer with a passion for web design. When she’s not strategizing she’s doing photography, listening to podcasts on history and psychology, and playing with her 2 dogs and cat.

Welcome to our series on website design for various niches.

Today’s topic: travel website design.

What we covered before:

• School website design
• Gym website design
• Restaurant website design
• SaaS website design

More topics are cooking as we speak: because we understand that every website niche has its own needs and particularities.

Now, here’s the plan for today:

10+ Travel Website Design Do’s and Don’ts

Now, travel websites also have their niches. You can have a travel blog, a tour booking site, a house rental, etc. Each of these websites can have its own needs. One will need great gallery options, the other one will need to allow user registration and reservations, you get the point. We’re gonna try to cover most of the needs here with proper examples.

When you start a travel website you will need to answer to main questions:

• Who’s the audience?
• Which is the end goal? Is it a newsletter subscription, is it a booking, is it a payment, or just plain information? You need to make it clear for the reader whether the information you present is informational or commercial.

Let’s say you are in the cruise business. Who are you selling your services to? Is it affluent American people with an age between 50 and 70? 

What if you have free city tours? Who’s going to participate? 

Your website audience, along with their needs and preferences, will impact the design and copy for your travel site. Knowing your audience will help you identify the key features your site must include, from layout and type of photos to fonts.

Now, let’s get to the point. Here are our observations when it comes to good travel website design:

• Use a flexible blog layout. Most of the time, the blog is one of the most important pages of a travel site. You should use a tool that allows you to customize it easily.
• Use high-quality photography

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I discovered this travel blog article . Is it possible to have such poor photos in 2022? 

Now, what else went wrong here? For starters, the clickbait title: “10 Exotic Islands Near Istanbul One Must Visit For A Paradisiacal Vacation In 2022!” Looking at the photos I couldn’t see the paradise in them, or the exotic scenery. The point is: don’t disappoint, don’t over promise with your copy. 

Now, I’m totally bedazzled by the images used on the Maptia site. They really make me wanna pack something quickly and just take the first plane at the local airport. The images don’t only speak about places around the world, but also about the people inhabiting those places, about the diversity that surrounds us and makes this world utterly amazing.

Use reviews and testimonials for tours, services, etc. These are really powerful and really prove the value of your services. I mean, wouldn’t you feel more secure if you were to book this Vietnam trip knowing that: 

• Include filtering options and categories in the website’s navigation 

Make sure that the services you offer or the blog you’re creating has categories. You can include them in the website navigation. This way website visitors may find their way easily through the website. 

• Make use of a search bar and filtering and sorting options in order to improve website usability and navigation. This is valid if you offer a large range of tours, bookings, etc.

Try to group the search options into chunks: type of accommodations, type of experience, facilities, etc. 

Allow your users to select locations and distance ranges on a map. Include there prices, and even several photos of the destination.  

I love how this map from Arctic Wild feels:

• Don’t underestimate the Hero of your travel site. When a user first lands on your website, he/she will want to know as quickly as possible that they’ve come to the right place. Now, no matter if they discover a blog article of yours, or a services page, they will most probably want to visit the homepage as well, to better understand what the site is all about. You could also be investing in paid campaigns and draw people to the homepage. The first thing the users will see on the homepage will be the Hero.

A website Hero is the introductory image in the upper part of a website page. It usually consists of an image, or video, as well as some text, and maybe a call-to-action. It’s necessary for the hero to clearly state what the website is about, and convince the reader to stick around more.

The visuals used here are essential. And travel websites shouldn’t lack in dynamic and eye-catching visuals.

For example, the folks at Road Affair are displaying 4 images from 4 featured articles inside a slider, in their hero.

• Combine powerful imagery with powerful stories.

The folks at Travel Episodes manage to really nail this. They combine amazing copy and visuals to really teleport you to the places they describe. Their stories are truly immersive. And they use a website layout that really stands out. Because, at the end of the day, you can notice that most of the travel websites out there end up having similar layouts. Their featured stories are shown on the homepage using powerful images and text, one below the other. 

It’s like they have multiple Hero images. Here’s their travel story from Bangladesh:

If you scroll down, you get to the Iran story.

• Don’t overpack your travel site with information. Keep it simple, minimalist, and clean.

The folks at Travel Episodes manage to do this as well:  they combine video footage, interactive elements, sliders, and images in a way that doesn’t seem to be overwhelming to the eye. There’s also lots of white space, which manages to balance out the visuals and texts.

• Leave no stone unturned when it comes to describing the services you’re offering. 

The folks at Contiki use really thorough descriptions for their tours with info referring to: prices, tour length, accomodations, overall review, testimonials, meal and transportation info, map and itinerary, tour highlights, images from previous tours, and so much more.

As I said before, there are multiple niches for the travel market. Choose the recommendations that match your own website profile. 

• If you’re selling services (bookings, car rentals, travel insurance, etc), make sure you implement safe payment gateways .
• Include user-generated content . Let’s say you offer cruises or tours. What about making use of content from clients’ social media? You could be creating boards with Instagram or Facebook photos to demonstrate real-life experiences and build trust. This would serve as a strong social proof for your services.
• Make sure you offer smooth user registration. Make sure not to ask for too much information, just keep it simple and focus on the most important details. The folks at airbnb have two options: registration using the phone number, or with email or social login.

• Use a reservation system that manages dates, locations, room and bed types, facilities, tour packages, and more. Make sure that the unavailable options are clear. 

In travel, where users have strict time and financial limitations, it’s crucial to disclose any information that can affect a user’s choice. Avoid hidden fees and taxes. Transparency is key when it comes to building long lasting brand loyalty.

• If you want to use website chat or popups, make sure you don’t ruin  the users’ experience on your site. Use proper targeting and placement.

For example, I have just entered the Travel Triangle site and there’s a chat popping up on the right hand side of the screen asking me what kind of trip I’m planning. Next, a website popup shows up in the middle of the screen asking me the same thing. 

It’s like they’re asking for a kiss before a first date. It’s too soon guys! I discovered your site 2 seconds ago. Let me browse it a bit, and don’t attack me with your popups. 

When I browse other pages, the same popups show up. I don’t need them, I just closed them 20 seconds ago! So, this is a big: don’t!

These 10 Travel Websites Are Sure to Inspire You 

Now, it’s easy to get carried away with some fancy website designs, but don’t forget that proper information and usability are crucial for a site. 

Next, we’ve compiled a list of 10 beautiful travel website designs, across various niches, to inspire your own travel site.  

Let’s hit the road!

• The Common Wanderer

This is a lovely personal travel blog that makes you wanna pack your bags and leave asap. This travel blog is an awarded one, as stated on the homepage: “The Common Wanderer is an award-winning responsible travel blog for travelers seeking authentic, real life experiences in exciting destinations all over the world”.

The design and layout make for a calm and truly relaxing space. Unlike most of the travel blogs out there, The common Wanderer doesn’t overwhelm its visitors with crowded information.

The white space, the chill color scheme, combined with large images in autumnal tones, help create an artsy and chic look.

The images used use the same presets, giving them a consistent style across the whole blog.

The blog articles are grouped by continent. When inside a continent, the travels are grouped by country.

• Stranger’s Guide

Stranger’s Guide is a travel publication that explores the power of place-based journalism to break down stereotypes and foster global citizenship. The website presents powerful intimate stories, but also sells beautiful print guides.  

Stranger’s Guide can inspire you with its amazing storytelling. 

They also make use of tags underneath their featured stories in order to better help the visitors navigate the website.

What we also like is the white and blue color palette combined with the “New Paris Headline” font.

Rome2rio is an Australian online multimodal transport journey planner helping travelers get to and from any location in the world. 

They respect the hero standard design used in the industry: a search bar on top of the hero image.

Below this, there’s some social proof consisting in stats about the travels booked via Rome2rio.

Next, on the homepage there are some featured trips and cities listed.

At the bottom of the page they present their mobile app, with the possibility of installing it from the Android and iOS marketplaces. That not to be  neglected!

After performing a search you will be taken to a results page showing flying routes grouped by time length. I like the user experience of this page (except for the ads).

When you click on “See details”, you will get more info about the means of transportation needed for that particular voyage.

You can dig some more into the trip details by clicking on the arrows. There’s more info on timetables, pricing, operators.

Below the flight options you can access info on accommodation, car hiring, and airport shuttle services.

The actual bookings aren’t performed on the Rom2rio site, but on the partners’ websites.

• On the Grid

On the Grid is a collection of 534 neighborhood guides curated by local creatives in 114 cities around the world. 

This site is no other travel site we’ve seen. 

Each city has a map with landmarks grouped by category: food, drinks, accommodation, and more.

You can even click on a landmark from the map to see details and images on the right-hand side.

• Arctic Wild

Arctic Wild is a travel website that showcases Alaska wilderness and adventure tours: from river rafting and canoeing to bird watching and fishing. 

I’m not a fan of cold, and cold places, but when I look at the images on this website, I feel that such adventures are worthwhile. Mission accomplished, Arctic Wild!

Now, the tours are grouped by category, making it easy for the visitor to find the experience that better suits their specific needs.

I love that the website includes reviews from previous customers that also present the picture of the customer, making it genuine.

There’s also a map of Alaska available, with clickable landmarks.

The trip details are really clear. The itinerary is established day by day. And there’s a real review available for each trip. The trip date and the cost are made available right from the beginning of the trip’s description. Proper images aren’t missing as well.

The folks at Contiki are crafting  culturally immersive tours led by expert guides, for people with ages between 18 and 35.

Contiki has an interesting section, that is often encountered in e-commerce: recently viewed. Now, I really love the way trips are summarized in these cards. The info on pricing, duration, the number of countries and places visited, is really clear and concise.

Trips are grouped by country, as well as, by other criteria such as budget, duration, and more.

I also love brands that commit themselves to a social or environmental goal. Contiki choses to guide itself by practices for sustainable travel.

They’re determined to travel sustainably and consciously, and that’s they’ve put together a 2025 sustainability strategy, to reduce food waste, source electricity from renewable sources, eliminate single use plastics and ultimately achieve carbon neutrality. There are 11 goals at the heart of this strategy, developed to address both the environmental footprint and the community impact of the Contiki business and operations. 

The travel industry is the most promising and prosperous, yet most competitive. Relevant customer experience helps to distinguish your brand from others in the market.

• The Travel Episodes

I’ve mentioned The Travel Episodes earlier in the article, saying that they really manage to combine amazing storytelling and visuals to really teleport you to the places they describe. The website layout really stands out in a sea of travel websites that look alike. 

Full width images, immersive videos, lots of white space, they all create a breathable website.

Thrillist is an online US travel website covering food, drink, and entertainment. Their articles are fun and engaging. 

Thrillist uses images, videos, interactive maps, and even audio media, to raise our inner traveler.

The article categories are few, and easy to find. The information does seem crowded.

The social media profiles are easily found straight in the website’s top navigation:

• El Camino Travel

No, this has nothing to do with the El Camino walk in Spain (or Camino de Santiago).

El Camino Travel is a tour booking agency. Their trips are spread across Europe, South America, and Africa.

I love the website’s color scheme that uses blue and brown, reminding me of the colors of the skyi and desert.

The Prata font combines nicely with the chosen color scheme.

What’s great about this site is that they use video reviews powered by Tolstoy, from former customers.

Such reviews can make the interaction with the site really personal and engaging.

You are also being greeted by the co-founder of El Camino, and you can even send him a message.

The trip information is clear and supported by beautiful imagery.

There’s also an FAQ available, and the travel experts are presented as well.

Maptia is a collaborative project with a diverse group of photographers, writers, adventurers, and conservationists. Together they bring readers a world of inspiring and thought-provoking stories and imagery.

Such websites make you feel the wonder around you, appreciate the diversity, and understand that there are more things that unite us, than divide us. 

The immersive imagery and amazing stories of Maptia are just breathtaking. And the chosen website layout manages to create a unified design feel, not overcrowding the information, but letting it breathe.

The stories are grouped together by continent, as well as by tags: inspiring, indigenous, climate change, oceans, and so on.

Pfew, so this was the travel websites shortlist. I really need a vacation after this :)). I don’t know which was harder to do, researching travel websites, or restaurant websites . 

Next, on Baywatch: how to kick off your own travel website!

Travel Website Design: a Tutorial

From the technical perspective, here’s what you will need to jumpstart with the travel website design: buy the domain name, choose a hosting provider (we recommend Bluehost ), then pick a web design platform such as WordPress , Wix, Webflow, etc.

Now, WordPress is the market leader, powering more than 40% of the websites worldwide and this kinda says it all.  Now, no matter which platform you choose, there will be many common design elements. For example, content will most probably go inside sections, rows, and columns. 

You will need to use text, images, videos, sliders, buttons, icons, and so on. You will need to manage colors and backgrounds, and adjust fonts. All the platforms will allow you to manage these. The main difference will consist in the overall user interface.  

Now, you will be able to design on top of a predefined template (aka demo site, or starter site), or just start from scratch, from a blank canvas.

For example, here ’s the  Kubio builder travel starter site.

Kubio is a WordPres page builder that allows you to create a site by drag and drop using content blocks: all in a clear and intuitive interface, without the need of any prior knowledge of web design or coding.

In WordPress there are two main ways for creating a website:

• Use a WordPress theme
• Use a page builder (such as Kubio). This is the option that gives you more design freedom.

Now, in this exercise I’m going to work inside WordPress, specifically with the Kubio builder. But, most of the know-how you’ll gain from here can be replicated across other web design tools. Once you know how to work inside a tool, the learning curve will be shorter when it comes to working with another one, because you already know the basics.

There are four main milestones here:

• Start from a ready-made travel website,
• Make copy and image changes. You can easily delete the existing texts and add your own content instead. Just place your cursor on some text and start deleting or writing.
• Add new elements on the site (blocks and sections),
• Style the website elements however you want.

Let’s get going!

Meet the WordPress dashboard

After acquiring a hosting plan, you will need to install WordPress. The process differs from among hosting providers, but it should be straightforward.

When this is done, you will see an interface looking like this:

If you look at the menu on the left you will see several options. I’m going to describe some of them briefly below.

• Appearance -> Themes . You will come here to install a WordPress theme. I mentioned a bit earlier that you can use a theme  or a builder when creating a site. There’s also a third way: combining the two. A theme will dictate the overall layout and look of your site. Every WordPress site technically needs to have a theme installed and activated, but this doesn’t mean you need to use your theme’s design. If you use a builder such as Kubio, you can replace the theme’s layout with custom designs. Page builders give you more freedom over design, than themes, everything in a drag and drop visual interface. 

When you use WordPress for the first time, you will notice that a default theme is already activated: Twenty Twenty Two. We’ll keep it for now.

• Posts and Pages in WordPress

Pages and posts have different functionalities in website design. Pages are used for static content, whereas posts are for more timely content that can get regular updates. For your travel website design here are some page ideas: homepage, destinations, activities, about us page, etc.

Use the “Add new” button inside “Posts” or “Pages” to add a new post or page.

You can always come back here to make edits to previously created pages, as well as to delete them. Just hover over the name of a page or post, to unveil the edit and delete (trash) options.

• Media –  here you will upload the media you will use inside pages and posts. You could have images of destinations, people traveling, dishes, videos with people enjoying an activity, etc. Use the “Add New” button to add new media items to the library.

• Plugins – here you will add new functionalities to your site. Maybe you need a contact form, or a booking system, an interactive map, etc. This is where you will find them.

In this case I am going to install the Kubio page builder. Now, what’s the difference between a WordPress theme and a WordPress page builder?

WordPress themes and their features vary from one to another. They can have free plans and paid one, with distinct features inside. Now, in general, here are some basic elements that you can customize with most themes out there: text and visuals, color scheme, typography, layout, menus.

Now, some features are pre-built, and you can’t make changes without any coding knowledge. This means that themes don’t allow much flexibility. You can get locked inside.

This is where page builders have the upper hand. Most page builders work by drag and drop giving you complete freedom over the website design. A WordPress page builder goes beyond a WordPress theme, and it’s the best option if you really want to create a beautifully-designed website.

For this particular exercise I’m going to go with Kubio builder. Let’s install it.

• Let’s go to Plugins -> Add New.
• Start looking for “Kubio” in the search bar on the right-hand side of the dashboard.

• Go to the Kubio Page Builder card and click on “Install now” 
• Click on “Activate”.

Kubio is a free builder, but there are some features and website templates (or starter sites) that are included in the paid plan. The travel starter site is included in the paid plan, because it uses some PRO elements (sliders, carousels, etc). But don’t panic! 90% of it can be replicated using free elements. Also, I’m using this starter site with the purpose of proving Kubio’s capabilities. 

Now, the moment you activate Kubio, you will notice that a Kubio menu will show up inside the menu on the left hand side of the WordPress dashboard.

I’ll just go to the travel starter site then click on the “Import site” button.

If you want to play a bit with the starter site, you can pick the “Try online” option as well.

After the import, click on “Start Editing”.

Here’s how the homepage looks like inside the Kubio Editor:

On the right hand side you will notice the page editing panel. Here’s what you can do here: 

• Make page settings. Here you’ll be able to assign a featured image or enable comments.
• Visualize and rearrange page content sections. This panel allows you to visualize your page sections easily. The structure is made of header, content, and footer. Inside “Content” you can easily rearrange your content sections by dragging and dropping them. You can click the six dots near the name of each section and reposition that specific section.
• Make general site/page changes. You can change the global color scheme, typography, spacing, and more.
• Set up the website menu.

Block-based design in WordPress

The WordPress design experience began to change back in 2018. Now, everything in WordPress is a block: from paragraphs and images, to tabs and carousels. So, each block serves a purpose and can be edited separately. In the Block Editor you just drag and drop such blocks onto the website canvas, then start to style them.

In order to add a block go to the “+” sign in the upper left corner of the interface.

This will open up a block inserter. There are some default WordPress blocks inside with black icons. If you use Kubio builder you will notice some extra blocks as well, with blue-green icons. The Kubio blocks are shown first.

You can easily drag and drop them onto the canvas then style them the way you see fit. 

You can locate the “+” sign inside the canvas as well. Just hover between various elements on the site to uncover them. I’ll show you in the next subchapter how this is done.

Now, it’s important that you use only Kubio blocks, because they will have advanced editing options available.

How to customize WordPress blocks

Now, let’s play a bit.

Before proceeding, please watch this short video on the basics of Kubio: how to make work with text and images.

• Adding a block to a page

Now, let’s go to the section about the top destination of 2022 and add a button after the description text.  Like I said before, let’s hover near the heading until we uncover a “+” sign, in order to open up the block inserter. 

Next, let’s look for the Kubio buttons block (the one in a blue-green shade) and click on it.

Here’s the result:

The added block has a style matching the existing color palette and that’s great.

The text can be changed straight from the button. I’m gonna delete the existing text and type “Explore the destination”.

• Customizing a block inside the editing panel

Now, let’s see how we can style further the button we’ve just added.

When you select the button, you will see a toolbar on top of it, with several basic editing options: positioning, insert before, insert after, duplicate, copy style, paste style, paste style and link, lock, and remove block. The copy and paste styling options are available with the PRO plans. 

Now, the block editing panel has three sections: Content, Style, and Advanced. This is true no matter the block you are editing. Most of the blocks share the same editing options inside “Advanced”: background, spacing, typography, borders and shadows. This is why the moment you customize a block, you’ll know how to edit the second one.

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and play a bit with the editing options. We will be making changes to color, typography and spacing. 

• How to change the background color of a button or any other block

This can be done inside Style -> Background or Advanced – Background . 

Let’s go with the second option. Click on the colored circle next to the background option to choose another color.

A panel will open up that allows you to pick a color from the current color scheme or gradient from a color, pick a color from a slider, or just type in a desired color code in the “HEX” field. You can also switch to the RGB color mode if it suits you better from the dropdown arrow.

You can also adjust the opacity of your color. The slider offers you values from 0 to 1, 1, meaning there’s no transparency. 

I’m gonna go with a darker shade of turquoise. I can even select a different color for the background when the button gets hovered or gets in focus.

• How to make typography changes

This time we’ll go to Advanced -> Typography. Here you can customize the following:

• Font Family . Tons of Google fonts are available for you to choose from. You can even host them locally, and this would be advisable. When this option is turned on the Google Fonts used in your site will be downloaded and served from your server instead of the Google server. This will minimize the DNS requests, and serve your Google Fonts in a 100% GDPR compliant way.

 If you have a PRO plan you can retrieve Adobe Fonts using an API token. Now, if scrolling isn’t your thing, and you already know the font you want to use, you can type its name in the search box.

• Font Color.
• Font Weight . This refers to the relative thickness of a font’s stroke. In this case, 300 is the thinnest font-weight, while 800 is the thickest one.
• Font Size . You can use the slider to make the font size smaller or higher. You can use PX, EM, and REM for font sizes. 
• Transform . This option allows you to make letter capitalization changes.
• Style . This is where you can make your font italic or bold.
• Decoration . Here you can add underlines, overlines, or line throughs.
• Line height. This is where you can control the amount of space between baselines in a block of text. A text’s line height is proportional to its type size. In this case, the default is 1.6x the actual font size. You can decrease it or increase it if you want. Just make sure that your text doesn’t look too crowded or too loose.
• Line height. This is commonly used to set the distance between lines of text.
• Letter spacing . This refers to the space between letters in a piece of text. In the case of headlines, to improve readability, it is advised to use tighter letter-spacing. For smaller type sizes, looser letter spacing can improve readability.

• How to manage spacing

Spacing is also managed inside the Advanced options. The feature is called “Spacing”.

Now, there are two concepts here we need to be aware of: margins and paddings. Paddings control the space inside an element, while the margins control the area outside a component. 

You can set up the same padding or margin for top, bottom, left, and right in pixels (PX), or you can assign different values if you select the link symbol.

Next, let’s add a top margin to our button, because it is too close to the text above.

This can be fixed by setting a top-margin of 50px.

• Working with media

As I said a bit earlier, everything is a block inside the latest WordPress experience. Images or videos are also blocks.

Now, all the images, videos, and other files reside in the Media Library. I mentioned it earlier when I presented theWordPress Dashboard. You can easily upload your media here, straight from the admin area. But you can do this as well from a page or post as well.

So, let’s  go ahead and add the image block.

Next, you can upload the file you want. It will show up in your Media Library after the upload and pick it from there. Or you can choose an existing image from the Library or paste an URL.

Now, be careful with this. Ideally you should host your own assets.

You can use the “change image” feature inside the “Content” option from the block editing panel, if you want to replace it. It will open up the Media Library. You can pick a different image, or upload another one. 

• Adding new sections to a page

Every web page in Kubio is made up of sections that can be split into columns. In addition, you can add blocks to your sections and columns. Sections can be edited like any other block, inside the block editing panel. There’s one tiny change there, there’s “Layout” instead of “Content”.

There are 2 main ways for adding sections to a page or post using Kubio. After adding a section, the editing and styling options are the same.

• You can add sections as blocks, from the block inserter. Just open up the block inserter using the “+” sign in the upper-left, and look for “Section”. Now, drag the section block to your page.

• Go to the bottom of the page, and click on the “Add blank section” button.

When the section gets added to the page, you will be asked to select a type of layout.

Click on the one that matches your vision for the section. I’m gonna choose a layout with 3 columns with unequal widths. Now, I’m using the “+” signs to add blocks to the columns. I’m adding a search block, a button, and a logo. Notice how each block adapted to the current color scheme?

You can make any content and styling change you want to these three new blocks.

Now, did you notice there was another button next to the one saying “Add blank section”? It said “Add predesigned section”. This is a great Kubio feature! With Kubio you have access to predesigned website sections that can serve various purposes: from team sections to features.  They are fully customizable.

When you click on the  “Add predesigned section” button you will open up the block inserter on the left-hand side, at the “Sections” level. 

Click on a section to add it to the page, then use the toolbar to move it wherever you want.

Now, notice that the colors and typography have changed? The newly-added predefined content section just adjusted to the overall color scheme and typography. Isn’t that great?

You can now replace the text and add your visuals. You do not reinvent the wheel with Kubio. This way you can save time and focus on what’s more important: finding the right visuals, preparing the copy, etc. 

I’m going to change the image.

Now, notice that rectangle behind the image? That’s called a frame. This is a pro feature. But, you can add a similar effect to your own images with the free plan as well, by using the “Border and shadows” option under “Advanced”. Just enable the box shadow and play with the options there.

Now, these sections are made of blocks. You can edit them separately in the block editing panel. 

This particular section that I’ve just added has an image, a heading, a paragraph, and a button. All of the elements can be edited separately.

And that’s about it. You are now ready for your own travel website design.

If you into video tutorials, we’ve covered the topic here:

If you liked this article, and want to have access to similar content, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel . You can also follow us on Facebook . If you want to find out how to customize your WordPress site, here ‘s a great resource we’ve compiled to help you out.

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How to Create a WordPress Travel Website in 2022

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20 Example Travel Websites That Will Get You Moving

Pack your bags. We’re going on vacation!

That’s exactly what an effective travel website should make you feel. It should activate the travel bug with vibrant imagery and vivid copy.

And while photos can do a lot of the work in inspiring visitors, a travel site can’t accomplish its purpose without great web design.

Web design plays a major role in visitors’ first impressions of a business. In fact, in one study, when participants were asked why they distrusted a website, 94% of the comments were about design.

For a travel site, this means that design can be the determining factor in whether a visitor trusts recommendations and information.

And considering the significant investments that go into planning a trip, trust is essential.

It can make or break a traveler’s decision to take a certain tour, stay at a certain hotel, or even visit a city or country altogether.

Plus, beyond serving as a trustworthy source of inspiration, a travel site also needs to give would-be travelers all the information they need to arrange their travel plans.

Once a visitor is convinced that they need to see the sights in the photos for themselves, it should be easy for them to plan their trip.

This means that the site needs to have straightforward travel information, helpful logistical details, and tips that will help visitors simplify the travel process.

Not all travel sites tick all of these boxes, but the ones that do stand out from all the rest.

So whether you’re considering launching a new travel site, or you’re ready to improve an existing one, you want to make sure you leave no stone unturned.

That’s why in this post, I’ll cover the essential elements your site needs to include, then go over 20 examples of travel sites you can use to inspire your own design .

What should a travel website include?

There are tons of different types of sites that fall under the travel site umbrella.

The design elements you need depend on the type of site you’re running.

An official tourism site for a city will have different goals from those of a travel blogger or tour company.

So as you read through this post, keep in mind that not all of the recommendations will apply to your site.

But in general, the ideal travel website should include a mix of the following:

• High-quality photography
• A brief summary of the area, with highlights of important places
• Hotel recommendations with web links to hotel and booking sites
• Information about recreation and outdoor activities
• Guides to arts and culture, including museums, theaters, and other attractions
• Packing tips
• Maps and guides
• Public transport information
• Airport information
• Relevant tips on language and local dialect

Of course, your site likely won’t need to include all of the elements on this list. Tailor it to your needs.

And there’s tons of example travel sites that we can use for inspiration. Let’s get started.

1. Telluride, Colorado

The first site on our list is the official tourism guide to the city of Telluride, Colorado.

Right from the start, a prominent image gallery does a lot of the selling on the website for Telluride.

By making the images so large, the site makes sure the first thing you see is a beautiful landscape.

This is an example of a site that relies less on copy. Instead of a detail-heavy approach, the design focuses more on the picturesque views and various activities in action.

Once a visitor is drawn in by the photos, they can opt to click on the main call to action, “Plan Your Spring Trip” for more information.

From there, visitors can read about the various activities they can do in the city, then purchase any necessary tickets, passes, or equipment rentals.

This approach works, because it combines attention-grabbing imagery with a clear call to action.

Many Internet users have short attention spans, so it’s important to give them the opportunity to take action as soon as possible. Don’t make them think, wait, or read too much copy before giving them the opportunity to convert.

2. Visit Brasil

Visit Brasil is the country’s official tourism site.

On the surface, you might think that arranging this site would be a simple process.

After all, how difficult could it be to persuade visitors to check out beautiful beaches and hikes through the Amazon?

But considering that Brazil is a huge country, making up almost half of the continent of South America, the site has a lot of information to cover.

It does this by dividing the various regions into different “Experiences.”

By breaking the country into smaller, more manageable areas, the site aims to create a virtual travel experience that allows the user to explore the sights of Brazil right from their computer.

This can help visitors decide where they want to go within this massive country. If they’re looking for a relaxed beach trip, for example, they’ll have very different options from travelers looking for hiking trips or adventure tours.

Then, once a visitor has selected a destination, the breakdowns on the site will give them an accurate idea of what they can hope to see within the span of their trip.

3. On the Grid

Unlike the previous two examples, which centered on one city and one country, On the Grid is a travel blog spanning many countries and continents.

As a result, the site requires a very different type of organization.

Instead of letting visitors jump right into information about hotels and activities, the main navigation bar is organized by region.

Then, the homepage features an alphabetical list of city guides, from Aberdeen to Zurich.

[tweet_box design=”default”]This level of organization makes it easy for users to access information, whether they’re looking for a guide to a specific city or simply browsing for trip inspiration.[/tweet_box]

4. Cookiesound

Cookiesound is another travel blog that focuses on sharing personal stories from a mother-daughter photographer team.

The pair has made a name for themselves taking photos around the world, and they’ve created a nice compilation of their journeys.

And while the photos are likely what initially draw readers in, what sets this site apart from others is the personal perspective. You can tell that this site was made out of a passion for traveling.

So if you’re running a travel blog, it’s important to remember that photos can’t do all the work for you in building an audience and establishing a loyal reader base.

Make sure to spend just as much time creating interesting, well-written content for your site, and you’ll be much more effective in reaching your site’s goals.

5. Toucan Cafe & Tours

Toucan Cafe is a Medellin coffee shop that also runs tours and language exchanges.

Their site is exceptionally comprehensive. It features different types of tours and details about the cafe, as well as general tourist information for visitors to the city.

Best of all, everything is easily accessible from the big menu bar. Given that the site is designed to provide information about very distinct categories, it’s essential that visitors can immediately find what they’re looking for.

After all, if a user were to arrive looking for details on a walking tour, but think they’d mistakenly come to the website of a random coffee shop, Toucan would quickly lose a potential customer.

But this straightforward navigation setup eliminates that issue and makes it easy for users to access the information they need.

Plus, it’s worth noting that all of the content on the site is available in Spanish and English.

While some of the company’s customers might be traveling within Colombia, they’ve clearly determined that many of their tour attendees come from English-speaking countries.

By making all of their information available in English, Toucan expands their audience and makes sure they don’t miss out on potential customers because of a language barrier.

6. Wheeling, West Virginia

As you may have guessed, this is the official tourism site for the city of Wheeling, West Virginia.

The site features a series of high-quality images on its homepage that highlight the various activities available to visitors within the city.

From there, the page is divided into sections that cover hotels, restaurants, recreation, and other activities.

If this doesn’t sound like a novel approach, that’s because it isn’t.

But the site makes it easy for visitors to see why they should visit the city, as well as access all of the information they need to plan their trip.

In this case, simplicity works.

[tweet_box design=”default”]As you plan your site, remember not to get caught up in flashy design elements.[/tweet_box]

While a unique site can help you stand out, your priority should be to create a user-friendly experience that enables visitors to plan their next trip.

7. Utah, Life Elevated

Life Elevated is the tourism site for the state of Utah.

Much like many of the sites on this list, the homepage features large, compelling images of scenic destinations.

Then, users can click the featured call to action to learn more about the location in the photo.

This combination is extremely effective. The image elicits an emotional response, and the action-oriented text encourages visitors to put that excitement towards their own adventure.

But if you choose to take a similar approach, then pay attention to the size and quality of your images.

First, make sure that if you feature an image on your homepage, it’s high in quality. Grainy, low-quality photos won’t do you any favors in conveying the beauty of a location.

Then, always optimize your file sizes. Many site owners make the mistake of including massive image files on their homepages.

While these might look great, they can drastically slow down page load times.

And considering the impact that page speed has on page views, customer satisfaction, and conversion rates, it’s not something you can afford to damage.

So as you incorporate photos into your site, and especially onto your homepage, pay attention to file size. Your files should be large enough to produce high-quality detail, but not so big that they slow down your site.

As a general rule of thumb, your images should be 100KB or less .

After all, beautiful photos won’t do you any favors if no one sticks around long enough for them to load.

Crop your images to the necessary size and compress them before uploading, and they’ll be much more helpful in moving you towards your site’s goals.

8. Travel Oregon

One of the most creative sites on this list is Travel Oregon .

Like many of the other examples on this page, it’s designed to attract visitors to the state.

But unlike any of the others, it presents the various regions and attractions with a video game-inspired design.

The homepage begins by explaining that “Oregon is magic,” then encourages visitors to learn more about the state with choose-your-own-adventure style calls to action like, “Wander into the forest,” “Visit the Rose City,” and “See the magic Coast.”

From there, each of these calls to action directs users to more information (and real photos) of their selected region.

This kind of spin on website design isn’t for everyone. But for the fun, laid-back feeling Oregon is aiming to convey on their site, it’s perfect.

It’s also a fantastic reminder that travel sites can be as unique as the destinations they promote.

While there are a few basic elements you’ll need to include, feel free to get creative with the way you arrange them and present information.

9. Visit Australia

Although Australia’s official website includes plenty of eye-catching photos for visitors to check out, it also takes things a step further by heavily incorporating video into the mix.

Like many travel sites, it’s designed to encourage visitors to learn more about specific regions of the country, so they can determine which is best-suited to what they’re looking for in a trip.

And in addition to high-quality photos and compelling descriptions of each, the site also offers 360º videos. These give a more in-depth look than even the most high-quality photos could, so visitors can choose a vacation spot and explore it from the comfort of their home.

Interactive elements are becoming increasingly popular in web design for many industries. But in many cases, it feels like they only exist for the sake of checking “interactive” off on an arbitrary list of design elements.

So if you choose to include interactives, it’s important that they serve a clear purpose and don’t come off as gimmicky.

In this case, Visit Australia’s 360º videos are a fun, engaging addition to the site. They’re a special way to highlight different locations throughout the country, and add value to the overall site experience.

10. Live Africa

As a tourism site for an entire continent, Live Africa has an extremely large job.

But their site’s design does an excellent job of showing the exact feeling and experience they want to convey.

Live Africa encapsulates the essence of the African safari that the site heavily promotes, down to the textures and colors used throughout each page.

Plus, the striking videos of majestic animals roaming in the wild show the reader what they can witness when they plan their trip to Africa using the resources on the site.

11. African Budget Safaris

African Budget Safaris has a similar goal to the previous example on this list but takes a slightly different approach with their design.

Right from the start, the site keeps things direct and to the point.

There are no frills here — just all the information a visitor needs to plan their African safari adventure.

But the most important detail here is that visitors can instantly tell that this site will help them find inexpensive trips.

Of course, the name itself implies that the company’s goal is to provide affordable safari trips.

But by highlighting details on budget-friendly, quality tours, and including information about discounts right in their header, the site makes it clear that providing value is a priority.

This is an important piece of information to convey, and the site does it extremely well.

After all, effectively communicating content is one of the most important functions of any website. You can have the most beautiful photos and visually appealing design in the world, but if readers have trouble finding key information, they won’t become customers.

Make your site’s value crystal clear. Your homepage should be optimized for not only conversions but also user-friendliness — and that means making sure that visitors can tell exactly what to expect from you.

12. Mount Kilimanjaro Guide

Unlike many of examples listed in this post, Mount Kilimanjaro Guide takes an information-based approach on their homepage.

This is a great way for the site to make a memorable impression on visitors.

There are a ton of sites out there with information on Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s an extremely popular tourist destination, so there are dozens of guide companies competing for potential hikers’ attention online.

But as you’ve likely gathered from the examples in this list so far, most travel sites feature one large, compelling image on their homepage.

That’s great for sites focused on promoting a unique location!

In this case, however, the site isn’t trying to convince visitors that they should visit Mount Kilimanjaro. Their target audience is made up of people who are already interested in climbing the mountain and are looking for more detailed information on how to accomplish this goal.

As a result, they created a copy-heavy homepage that jumps right into the value of their guide.

This might not seem like an especially compelling approach but think of it from the perspective of a traveler who’s looking for information about climbing the mountain.

If you visit a dozen sites with homepages featuring similar images of Mount Kilimanjaro, and one site that gives you detailed information from the second you arrive, which do you think you’ll remember?

Probably the one that promises an approach with a summit success chance of 90%.

If your travel site operates within a competitive niche, look at what your competitors are doing to figure out how you can set your company apart.

And even if you don’t operate within a competitive niche, this site also serves as a great example of how to write effective copy.

Many site owners make the mistake of letting their images do all of the “talking.” But while stunning photos are great for grabbing visitors’ attention, they’re ultimately not what will drive most of them to take action.

When done well, your copy can be your pitch, presentation, and close all on its own. So as you create your site, don’t let this essential element become a last-minute consideration.

13. The Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands’ website offers a no-fuss user experience.

At first, The Hawaiian Islands seems to be an average travel site.

And in many ways, it is. It features a scenic landscape image with tourists enjoying a hike, and a standard navigation bar with all of the options you’d expect.

But take a second look, and you’ll see how clean and simple the design is.

The navigation hierarchy is broken down into six basic tabs so that users can find exactly what they’re looking for within one or two clicks.

And for visitors who aren’t sure what, exactly, they’re looking for, the “Scroll to continue” tag at the bottom of the page encourages them to keep reading and learn more.

Altogether, these elements make for a direct, effective site. And for users who want a simple way to plan a trip, this is perfect.

After all, most of us take vacations to relax — so preparing for one shouldn’t be a stressful process.

14. Lake Crackenback

The website for the Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa does a nice job of balancing detail and design.

When it comes to creating any kind of website, it’s often challenging to strike a balance between including enough information, but not so much that you overwhelm your visitors.

This is especially true for travel sites.

You need to explain to visitors why they should visit the destination you’re promoting, and show them all of the great experiences they could have by planning a trip. You’ll also want to make it clear what role your site plays in the planning process.

But if your site appears too complicated, visitors might leave in favor of a simpler, easier option.

Lake Crackenback’s site is a great example of how to walk this fine line. There are several menu items, but nothing feels cramped, and it’s all easy to navigate.

Visitors have the option to explore information about hotels, dining, events, and activities — essentially, all the details they might need to plan their trip.

But all of this information is neatly organized into tabs, instead of cluttering up the homepage.

So as you design your site, make sure to do so in a way that won’t overwhelm your visitors.

You likely have lots of helpful content you want to share with prospective travelers.

And that’s great!

But don’t attempt to fit it all onto one page.

Make sure you give everything some breathing room and focus on letting visitors access the pages that are most relevant to their needs.

15. Visit Idaho

The next state-focused site on our list, Visit Idaho , is a breeze to use.

At first glance, this may look like a fairly standard tourism site. But Idaho’s website is unlike any of the others on this list.

So, what sets it apart?

Simple: It uses graphics in its menu.

This may seem like a small decision, but it makes navigation that much easier. Visitors can easily spot the tab that holds the information they need.

And beyond that, this setup also forces the site to group menu options using just four categories.

This makes the navigation process extremely straightforward. The more options you give visitors, the more they’ll have to consider before deciding which to click.

And while this may seem like a small concern, it can be the determining factor in whether a visitor decides to stay and engage with your content, or leave in favor of a simpler site.

So as you design your site, pay special attention to your navigation setup, and remember that navigating a site should be fun and frustration-free.

You can utilize anything from graphics to interactive elements to achieve this goal — as long as your final product is one that makes it easy for visitors to find and engage with the content that will get them closer to planning their trip.

16. Washington The State

It’s clear from Washington The State ’s homepage that its focus is on highlighting the state’s natural beauty, and this idea is apparent throughout the entire site.

Although the state also includes several large cities, the site goes heavy on the visuals showcasing its natural beauty.

As a result, we can gather that their target audience is prospective travelers who want to spend their trip enjoying the outdoors.

And while this might seem to limit their ability to attract vacationers, choosing a specific audience is a wise choice.

That’s because marketing a destination isn’t all that different from marketing a product or service.

And as any experienced marketer will tell you, having a clear picture of your target audience is absolutely essential for creating effective campaigns and content.

When you try to cater to too many people, it’s difficult to really engage anyone. Instead, you’ll be more effective when you narrow in on a defined audience.

This way, you can keep that audience in mind as you develop each part of your marketing strategy. You can select images, create design elements, and write copy with the goal of connecting with a specific set of users.

By keeping their priorities and preferences in mind, you’ll be able to create an entire marketing strategy that matches what they’re looking for in a vacation.

On this site, for example, even the subtle, natural-toned color scheme is designed to match the scenic imagery.

And while this might not appeal to travelers looking to explore downtown Seattle, that’s okay — because the site’s primary goal is to engage visitors looking for an outdoor-focused adventure.

So if you’re struggling to figure out how to market your site or destination, it might be time to narrow your audience.

Determine exactly who you want to reach, and it will be much easier to figure out what kinds of content you should be producing to attract their attention.

17. Egyptian Tourism Authority

On the exact opposite end of the spectrum from the previous example, the Egyptian Tourism Authority ’s website does an excellent job of highlighting different types of trips and experiences available to travelers.

In this case, they opted not to niche down — and it works.

That’s in large part because the site is designed to highlight the country’s variety and cultural richness.

The first thing visitors see is a stunning landscape. From there, the photos on the page display Egypt’s diversity, showcasing everything from beaches to deserts to the iconic Giza Pyramids.

The idea they’re attempting to convey is that the country holds something for everyone.

While narrowing in on a specific attraction would’ve made it easier to write copy and tailor their content to a specific type of traveler, this approach lets the site show off several different attractions.

And while it might seem contradictory to place this example of a site that covers an entire country immediately following a site that focuses on a subset of attractions within a specific state, the takeaway is that there’s no “best” approach that will work for every site.

If you’re working to increase tourism in an entire region or country, you’ll need to design for a broad audience. But if you’re trying to reach travelers looking for a specific type of trip or tour experience, you might see better results by niching down.

Determine what you’re hoping to accomplish with your site, then work from there.

18. Costa Navarino

Costa Navarino is located on the Mediterranean coast of Greece, and their site focuses on highlighting the beauty and uniqueness of the destination.

Their site seems to have one main objective: to make visitors forget about everything but the beautiful island scenery in front of them.

Travel sites are particularly effective when they enable potential customers to envision themselves in luxurious destinations from the minute they arrive on the homepage.

That can be the primary motivation for a traveler to book tickets from their cold home in the winter — and Costa Navarino’s site reflects this.

To accomplish this goal, they feature stunning images of coastlines, beaches, pools, and luxury villas. The weather report in the top right corner is a nice touch, too.

Altogether, the site does a nice job of minimizing distractions. Site visitors are encouraged to focus solely on the destination in front of them — at least until they’re ready to start taking steps to plan their trip.

19. Experience Columbus

Experience Columbus is the state of Ohio’s site for attracting visitors to their capital city.

The first thing you’ll notice on this site, after the gorgeous shot of the city’s skyline, is that the site is fast and appealing.

Of course, the site looks nice. But arguably even more important than that it loads extremely quickly. And it doesn’t lag on mobile devices, either.

Since many people now use smartphones and tablets to access information online, this last detail is critical.

And beyond that, the site is designed to be extremely user-friendly on any device.

Regardless of a visitor’s browser or screen size, it’s easy for them to access information about sightseeing, restaurants, events, hotels, neighborhoods, and virtually anything else they might want to know about the city.

So as you design your travel site, make sure that user experience is a key consideration right from the start.

Utilize responsive design, so that travelers can easily navigate your content on whatever device they’re using. Then, ensure that your testing process includes a variety of operating systems.

When not coded correctly, elements like buttons and your navigation bar can appear distorted on devices other than desktop and laptop computers. This can easily make or break a user’s experience with your site.

You don’t want this to be the determining factor in whether a user decides to visit your city or sign up for your tour service — so invest the time it takes to create a user-friendly site.

20. Discover Chile

The last site on our list is Chile’s official tourism site, Discover Chile .

The first thing you’ll notice on their homepage is likely the stunning image of a whitewater kayaker flying over a waterfall.

But after that , you’ll see the goal logo at the top of the page, announcing that Chile is the “World’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination.”

Chile has received numerous awards for tourism, and it displays the most prestigious of these awards prominently on its homepage. The slideshow features three hero images, each with a different award at the top.

This is essentially a form of social proof.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of social proof , it’s the practice of using third-party reviews and opinions to create positive associations with your brand or business.

After all, consumers know that companies are biased towards whatever it is that they’re promoting.

As a result, they’re typically more inclined to trust the opinions of other consumers and organizations that don’t have a clear incentive to speak highly of a particular product or service.

That’s why many of us seek out customer reviews and ratings before purchasing anything online.

Of course, reviews work a bit differently within the travel industry. Travelers might rate specific attractions they visit or tours they attend, but most won’t take the time to write and publish a review of a destination as a whole.

But in Chile’s case, the titles they received from World Travel Awards are just as compelling.

And if a visitor in search of an adventurous trip lands on this homepage, they’ll immediately know that the country offers what they’re looking for — and they don’t have to take a biased tourism site’s word for it.

If your city, attraction, or site has earned any awards or distinctions, be sure to feature them prominently.

Even if it’s just a small award from a local organization, having some sort of third-party verification can go a long way in building trust with your visitors.

There’s no guaranteed template to follow when designing a travel website.

The 20 sites in this post alone cover a variety of design styles and approaches — they each work for their own unique audiences and goals.

Regardless of your industry or niche, there are a few important points to keep in mind when working on your site:

• Make sure your navigation is simple. Graphics, smart category grouping, and smaller menus can all help with this.
• Images play a huge role with travel sites! Don’t be afraid to use big banner images. Just make sure that your file sizes don’t slow down your page load times .
• Try to set your site apart from the rest. Figure out what your competitors are doing, then aim to come up with a unique approach.

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Top 10 Travel Guide Websites [2024]: Time to Get Inspired!

With the overwhelming number of travel guides that exist out there, it's hard to find one that'll satisfy your wanderlust or inspire your next travel. Luckily for you, we've found all of the best places to look for travel inspiration. Keep reading to see all of the best travel guide websites that'll help guide your next travels!

Travel guides help us plan our trips better. But, with thousands of sites claiming to be travel wizards, it can be hard to pick and choose the best travel guide sites that fit your requirements. 

While some like to travel with a paperback guide in hand, others prefer to outsource well-detailed itineraries tailored to our preferences. The pundits, perfectionists, and ardent travelers want to take matters into their own hands and plan trips by themselves. They also need guides and recommendations to help with their research and planning.

Well, folks, worry not because our list of best travel guide websites covers it all. Regardless of where you fall on the travel planning spectrum, you'll find a travel guide that'll inspire and prepare you for your next trip. Use these fantastic travel guides and start planning your trips with Pilot!

10 Top Travel Guide Websites for travel inspiration!

10. lonely planet .

Lonely Planet  is a dominant brand in the travel industry, offering both travel guides and other resources on destinations worldwide. It is mainly geared towards backpackers on a budget. 

Its travel guidebooks, available in both digital and print form, come under a variety of categories such as regions, countries, cities, hikes, treks, etc. They include itineraries, maps for navigation, insider tips from experts, off-the-beaten-path attractions, and other helpful information. 

You can subscribe to their services for a monthly fee of $4.99 or a yearly fee of $39.99. It will give you access to resources on their website and app. You can purchase Lonely Planet books individually too.

Although Lonely Planet is not as resourceful and updated as it used to be, it's still one of the best travel sites to get an overview of destinations. You can also book accommodation and dining options via the website. Check out our full review of Lonely Planet  here . 

• A collection of over 825 guides
• Phrasebooks to learn the local language 
• Covers a lot of destinations worldwide 
• General travel information about countries is free
• Complaints on outdated information
• Unreliable customer service 
• Travel forum "Thorn Tree" is no longer available 

9. Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel  is another popular website offering travel guides for destinations around the world. Their specialty is the guidebooks available in both print and eBook versions. They have over 300 travel guides covering more than 7000 destinations. The website also has plenty of information, insider tips, and appealing visual content on different destinations. It's great for inspiration and general information. 

Fodor's forum is a great place to get recommendations, tips, and insider advice that will be useful for your trip plans. It has an active community, so it's more likely that you will receive prompt answers. You have to be a member to access all of its features. 

You can access Fodor's Travel website and forum free of charge. But, the guides have to be bought either from the website or sites like Amazon. On average, prices range from $10-$20. You can read our in-depth review of Fodor's Travel  here . 

• Helpful forum to seek advice
• Good recommendations
• Covers a lot of destinations 
• Incomplete guidebooks (complaints of missing pages)
• Lack of localized recommendations   

8. Rough Guides 

Initially,  Rough Guides  was solely focused on selling travel guidebooks in paperback and eBook formats. These books are still a popular choice among travelers today. They provide:

• Itineraries.
• Background information.
• Maps to help you find the way around.
• Independent recommendations of the writer.
• Detailed regional coverage.

Books are available at varying prices.

At present, Rough Guides also specializes in providing tailor-made travel guides to suit your personal preferences. You can connect with a local expert to create a special itinerary for you by entering your budget, destination, accommodation and dining choices, preferred activities, and other details. Depending on what you need, you can get everything planned and booked by a local expert or only resort to insider tips. The prices vary based on the kind of service you need.

Besides this, you can also find articles on travel advice, top destinations, and other travel-related subjects on the website. So, even if you are planning the trip by yourself, Rough Rides is a good place for inspiration. 

• A wide range of travel guidebooks 
• Personalized itineraries 
• Local knowledge and recommendations 
• Not very user-friendly 

7. ViaHero 

If you are more inclined towards personalized travel guidebooks by locals,  ViaHero  is one of the best to consider. The platform also promises to take the hassle of planning by outsourcing a day-by-day traveling guide from an expert, aka a 'Hero.' The good thing, however, is that you will be updated about every step of the planning.

You can select the destination and review the Heroes available there. Each Hero has a detailed bio outlining their personality, travel specialty, and expertise. You can also check the reviews left by past travelers about them. All you have to do is pick a Hero and specify your requirements. The cost of a customized itinerary is $40 per day. 

The Hero won't be accompanying you, although you will be in touch via email or messaging. ViaHero also posts travel articles for users to read and be informed about the destination(s) they plan to visit. If you want to learn more, check our ViaHero  review . 

• Convenient 
• Travel guides focus on local and uncrowded attractions 
• Quality, well-detailed itineraries 
• Service is available only to limited destinations

6. Frommer's 

Frommer's  remains one of the best travel sites because it is very resourceful for travelers. Frommer's offers guidebooks, podcasts, and the latest travel-related information for wanderlusts. They're also one of the oldest travel guide publishers. 

Its titles cater to a range of travel styles, covering every major destination around the world. Its travel guidebooks are available in both eBook and paperback formats. The books are pretty similar to others in the market.

Frommer's website has a treasure trove of travel content, and you can browse them by 'Destination' or 'Trip Ideas.' There's also a separate section dedicated to travel 'Tips and News.' It is especially helpful as travel rules and restrictions are constantly revised and updated on the pandemic. 

There's also a 'Deals & Bookings' section to help you grab great discounts on accommodation, airfares, cruises, and car rentals. Even if you don't want to purchase travel guides, Frommer's is a good website for updated travel information. 

• Updated travel information 
• Over 350 travel guidebooks 
• Good choice of accommodation
• Guidebooks cover only major highlights 
• Website looks outdated 

5. Tripadvisor 

Obviously, you know  Tripadvisor , famed for both its usefulness and weird reviews. It is a one-stop place to read travel guides, get advice and tips, make reservations, and plan trips.

Tripadvisor is one of the most  popular travel apps  travelers use to seek advice and recommendations from locals or other travelers. It's a great place to find and read reviews – just about any restaurant, hostel, attraction, or different travel experience anywhere in the world. If you can't find a review or discussion about the topic, you can start a discussion in their forum! 

You will also find a lot of content for travel inspiration, including travel guides from ardent travelers and 'Things to Do' lists on different destinations. Besides guides from experts, you can use Tripadvisor to book hotels, tours, activities, accommodation, etc. It's one of the best travel deals websites .

You can also save your favorite places and experiences in a destination and view them on a map. However, if you are looking for a planning tool, we recommend trying a  better travel planner .

• Active travel forum for trip guidance and tips 
• Plenty of user reviews to help your decisions 
• Loads of travel content
• Attractive travel deals 
• A mobile app for convenience 
• Infamous for  fake or biased reviews  
• A glorified checkout cart, not great for inspiration
• Reserving and managing bookings is not always streamlined

4. Localeur 

Localeur  is one of the best travel websites for travelers who want to avoid tourist traps and enjoy local and authentic experiences. It offers useful insights and recommendations from local insiders as opposed to tourists. At present, it covers over 200 destinations and has a user base of 5 million worldwide.

You can find recommendations on everything from road trips to places to eat to shopping tips on the platform. Their local expert base consists of writers, artists, foodies, and other specialists from different fields. It's great to plan your trip and want to cover the best attractions in your itinerary. 

Localeur's main features are only offered to its subscribers. You can go for a lifetime subscription of $150 or a monthly subscription of $10. You get recommendations, personalized travel guides, and two weekly emails for travel inspiration.

But, you can still check out its travel content, featured guides and recommendations, and 'localeurs' for free. Subscription to their newsletter is also free of charge. Read our full review of Localeur  here ! 

• Reliable and quality recommendations 
• Information of local experiences
• Wide range of choices
• Costly subscription 
• Limited destinations
• Recommendations could be biased

3. Atlas Obscura 

Atlas Obscura  is about intriguing people to travel with its attractive and quirky guides and travel content. It publishes stories focusing on nature, science, culture, history, food, and hidden wonders. If you love sights that are hidden, weird, or rare, this travel guide is the perfect choice for you. 

It has an extensive collection of content on unusual attractions and cool dining places in destinations worldwide. They seem to be very informative and attractive to add to the itinerary. The community forums under each destination help you discuss travel-related topics with fellow users. 

Another specialty of Atlas Obscura is their guided tours to amazing places described by them. Most of them are adventure trips to less-traveled places, so there's no doubt that travelers are in a for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The traveling guide website also offers virtual travel experiences. 

Although you can browse travel content for free, membership is mandatory to access experiences and events hosted by Atlas Obscura. There are both monthly and yearly plans to choose from. 

• Amazing and high-quality travel guides 
• Focuses on unique attractions 
• Availability of virtual experiences and guided tours
• Not so much of a place to get travel guides and tips 
• Not ideal if you are looking for guidance on usual tourist spots 
• Paid membership 

2. Travel + Leisure 

Of course, no list of best travel sites is perfect without mentioning this leading travel and leisure magazine. While  Travel + Leisure's  focus is primarily on an exotic holiday destination, high-end vacations, its high-quality content is worthy for every traveler. From best places to travel to best gadgets to carry, it is a very informative source that educates travelers on how to best prepare for an upcoming trip. 

Travel +Leisure provides unique accommodation, dining, attractions in different destinations. You will also find content on the latest travel news, deals, tips, accessories, and inspiration on the site. In the 'Travel Guides' section, you can filter guides based on location, language, the best time to visit, and activities.

Last year, the magazine launched its trip booking and subscription features. The Travel + Leisure Go platform lets you book trips to destinations published on the website and other exclusive itineraries. The travel and leisure magazine's subscribers ($9.95 per month) can enjoy discounts on accommodation and other services. 

• Very informative and updated content 
• Covers a wide range of travel-related topics 
• Convenient trip booking feature
• Travel deals 
• Limited destinations under 'Travel Guides' 
• Doesn't offer detailed travel itineraries 
• Expensive subscription fee

1. Condé Nast Traveller

Condé Nast Traveller is another magazine & travel guide website that caters to luxury travel experiences. The website is a ripe source for travel inspiration, albeit for quite pricey staycations. On the plus side, there's some focus on budget travelers as well. Nevertheless, we think it's one of the best travel guide sites out there with up-to-date information. 

The articles on this travel leisure magazine cover a wide range of topics from best pizza places to shooting locations of famous films to activities for kids while traveling. On the Condé Nast Traveller, you can browse for the best accommodation and dining choices and travel content on style and art. It's a good website for you to get travel ideas from experts in the industry.

You will also find travel news and tips to help you plan and navigate. For those interested, Condé Nast Traveller also offers subscription plans to get its digital and/or print magazine copy delivered to you. The cost varies based on your country.

• Great, informative content 
• Promptly updated travel news
• Focus on unique destinations and attractions 
• Not for budget backpackers 
• No trip booking feature

Pair the best travel guide websites with Pilot.

We hope our list of the best travel websites has satisfied your wanderlust or has inspired you to travel! 

If you are looking for a reliable trip planner, try Pilot!

Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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The 10 Best Designed Tourism Websites in the World 2022

Mary Ann Ha , Skift

June 15th, 2022 at 2:30 AM EDT

In a frantic attempt to avoid being left behind, official tourism organization websites are doing their best to catch up to the high expectations of the new traveler — tourists of the post-pandemic digital age.

Mary Ann Ha

Almost every tourist these days is making decisions about their travels based on what they see online. From themed trips to budgeted food tours, travelers crave previews of potential destinations and surf the internet to learn anything they can about a new and exciting spot.

Due to intense levels of pent-up travel demand followed by impulsive and impatient post-pandemic travelers, tourism website design is more important now than ever before. The competitive space for well-designed websites is more ambitious, and reliance on digital platforms as a dependable resource for travel inspiration is at an all-time high. Looking at the Gen Z traveler, it’s easy to notice that attention spans have shortened immensely, and tourists are treating trip planning like a shopping experience, picking and choosing elements of their vacations after engaging in a few seconds of appeal.

With that being said, tourism organizations are slowly learning that the old ways simply don’t work anymore — paragraphs of information on the screen, redirection that continues tab after tab, slow and clunky navigational experiences, depressing color palettes, and promotional descriptions of sites that don’t answer any of the truly important questions, especially for a more conscious traveler worried about climate change, and other threats.

After two years of rapidly-evolving digital growth, several websites have succeeded in breaking out of that dull and repetitive cycle. Here is Skift’s 2022 list of best designed tourism websites — ones that hit the spot both visually and navigationally, and are taking note of what the modern traveler wants, how they think, and most importantly, how they behave.

1. Visit Iceland

The clean-cut and minimalistic nature of Nordic graphic design works well to communicate visual appeal, send concise messages with clarity (or humor), and entice further curiosity with minimal effort, especially in the website world. Visit Iceland leads our list with a transitional homepage display, decorated with background images that hover along the page as they overlap and interact with the text on the screen, making the website feel inviting and alive.

As users scroll further down, the website displays excellent examples of utilizing the organized nature of drop-down menus and vertically moving lists. With a clean white background and bold capitalized black font, readers are able to quickly catch sight of what they want to read, without feeling overwhelmed by options. Blog articles of potential itineraries and Iceland travel tips are also organized in a format reminiscent of Youtube, integrated with carousel elements that are easy to view via mobile phone. 

Accessibility to greener travel options within the website is always a plus — Visit Iceland has an entire page dedicated to helping travelers join in on Iceland’s commitment to preserving their nature, including a list of environmentally certified businesses, a carbon footprint calculator, and an easy-to-follow list of tips for sustainable travel in Iceland.

2. Visit California

While the homepage might look typical at first glance, Visit California’s “Experience California” layout is one of the best designs we’ve seen in the tourism website game. Swipe left as soon as you get onto the landing page (a surprising, but not too complicated way to navigate the site, which keeps visitors engaged), and users are immediately whisked into a three-dimensional space to explore what the state of California has to offer to their tourists.

To the new millennial and Gen Z traveler, design and aesthetic can be just as or more important as destination information and travel guidance. Interactive visuals and bold colors speak to the character of California as a vacation spot, filled with globally cultural experiences and advanced businesses in design and technology — adding to the visitor’s impression of what a trip to California could be like. 

As the home of Los Angeles and the land of influencers, Visit California also fully embraces the use of User-Generated Content as a promotional tool, and displays this in an easy-to-digest format.

3. Z ürich Tourism

Speaking of Nordic graphic design and user-generated content, the official website for the city of Zurich is another example of the excellent use of white space. Dedication to sans serif typography, a two-to-three cool tone color palette, and an extremely simplistic, clean layout keeps visitors from feeling overwhelmed and allows for a breathing space to go through all the activities offered on the website. 

Beneath several of the suggested activities, restaurants, and bars, the Zurich website also labels whether the business is open or the service is being offered in real time, a unique feature that can be extremely helpful for travelers who are looking for last minute places to enjoy or spontaneously plan a day trip.

Their user-generated content page is a delightfully neat design, with the page tab linked as a single hashtag in the top menu. The entire page acts as a unified social media feed, making all their social media coverage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram visually accessible in one view.

3. Visit Brazil

Visit Brazil has all information and links available on their homepage, split into four sections: Experiences, Destinations, Regions, and Travel Information. 

Aesthetically, a framework of yellow is filled with a line-up of action-packed visuals, picture and video, and a section dedicated to Instagram content. They know their visitors, and they recognize that in-your-face video content appeals to those who are looking for some sort of adventure. The video that takes up the entire homepage display keeps visitors engaged at initial glance, and while the website prioritizes promoting their adventurous activities, they balance “fun” with “necessity” and make sure to give easy access to the safety information travelers will need to know when coming to Brazil.

We all know New York City could be its own state, with experience offerings that are equivalent to those of a country.

Set up like a booking site, the NYCgo’s most impressive elements include the UX framework that is deeply familiar to the modern traveler — searching for hotels or accommodations via a search engine reminiscent to short-term rental or airline sites, being able to “like” and save posts or articles for later referral, and of course, a function that offers filtered options to find activities and locations catered to the visitor’s personal preference.

The bold, graffiti-like font that covers the homepage and is used throughout the website is simple, which is a necessary move considering how much text is on the front page. It’s also a great aesthetic choice, a subtle way of speaking to the headlines that cover billboards in NYC. While the website offers slews of information on the homepage, the way it is formatted and presented to the user keeps the aesthetic uncluttered and down-to-earth.

6. Visit Finland

From the logo, to overall design, to choice of font, Visit Finland’s website displays similarities to another extremely popular rental booking site, but when it comes to approachability and visual appeal, borrowing those design elements works in their favor.

The website is a smooth, transparent, and, of course, familiar experience — one that is both modular and linear, showing dedication to navigational simplicity. The design does not shy away from white space and minimalism much like its Nordic counterparts also on this list. Complete use of full-screen photos and stunning imagery is a highlight, as well as the level of scroll-responsive interactivity visitors experience as they explore the site. 

This website also displays various Finnish activities and locations through the save/heart feature, referencing a user experience often seen in online shopping or Pinterest mood boards. The layout feels particularly responsive to the nature of the Gen Zers who spend all their time on social media “saving” posts and ideas.

7. Visit Australia

Like we’ve seen on other websites on the list, the Visit Australia website is hugely loyal to the tile format, which could feel silly if overused, but because the tiles are lined up and sectioned in a cohesive manner, visitors will find it extremely easy to find options for each and every aspect of destination planning. The homepage is lined with left-right carousels of vertical images, appealing to younger generations and optimized for mobile formats.

Drop down menus are also a highlight for this website design. Instead of cluttering the frame with an overwhelming amount of text, the tile format keeps the menu options visually engaging for the user. Integration of beautiful imagery within every step of the user experience shows great dedication towards marketing the destination, which is, ultimately the main purpose of a tourism organization. 

The Visit Australia website offers everything, from itineraries and cultural or geographical activity guides to budgeting and accommodation deals. Recognizing that budget is an important factor for many travelers is also a major plus for any tourism website, as it keeps website visitors within the website instead of browsing other platforms for “best or most affordable deals”. 

Perhaps the highlight of the site is Explore Australia in 8D, an interactive exploratory experience that allows visitors to move through a map of the entire mainland of Australia, including a few islands surrounding the area, and see what each region has to offer, from attractions to lodging and food.

As much as Peru is receiving growing interest as a travel destination in recent years, the country also seems to be extremely conscious about communicating COVID safety measures and restrictions to potential tourists. The immediate landing page of the tourism website gives visitors easy access to ways to prepare and plan for a trip to Peru from home, beginning with multiple avenues to check and double check updated Covid protocols. Showing this level of diligence to Covid measures not only communicates the fact that Peru takes safety protocols seriously, but also allows for international travelers to cross ‘testing or vaccination requirements’, still a major concern at this time, off their list of potential worries.

The team at Peru Travel also takes advantage of the numerous recognitions, media coverage, and awards that Peru receives as a tourism destination, and pushes that at the forefront of their website design. 

The most exciting part of the website is perhaps the VR page, called Peru 360, where one can “visit” various sites throughout Peru in a virtual reality. While this is a method that has grown in popularity amongst a lot of brands during the pandemic, very few official tourism websites have been successful in offering a well-established experience that feels interactive beyond typical images or videos. 

9. Visit Italy

Italy has long-been a tourist-heavy destination, and the team at Visit Italy knows it. At the forefront of their website are easy ways to search, budget, and book the top tourist attractions through the best deals. Viewers barely need to scroll down the homepage before getting immediate access to the Ticket Carousel, with exact prices listed by attraction or location.

Visit Italy’s website isn’t the most ambitious platform design-wise, but it prioritizes digestible formats, such as buttons for each step in planning or tiled carousels, and feels easy-to-navigate overall, especially considering all the information on their homepage.

It’s clear that the website knows what their visitors need — to beat lines, to get the best prices, and to make the most of their time in one of the most famous cities in the world that Italy has to offer. The site is ideal for the tourist who needs to prioritize planning and booking over aesthetic photo inspirations. The website also acts as a search engine of sorts, and does not shy away from redirecting their visitors to other booking sites or options in order to make the best decisions.

10. Visit Greenland

Visit Greenland’s website also sets up like a familiar search engine site (a trend we are observing across most of the designs on this list) but serves mostly for travel inspiration and local informational purposes. The layout of the website is simple and loyal to the use of white space, which allows for their unique graphic design elements to shine through in this particular design. 

Not only are the three-dimensional illustrations beautiful, but they are also interactive, acting as links to the respective relative pages. 

Aside from engaging geographic and cultural graphics, the website also lines up options of various package tours that lead to external provider links, who are more well-versed in helping potential visitors move forward in their planning and exploration process. Because Greenland is a nature-heavy travel destination, the website focuses on displaying a variety of outdoor activities — based on personal interests or geographical location — in order to prevent travelers from feeling deprived of diverse activities. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Innovative methods in the digital world are getting increasing ambitious day by day and website designs are trying to be as responsive as possible, as to make sure they maintain their presence in the travel planning space.

In addition to the websites on our list, several other tourism organizations are diving into unique measures to gain attention from the ever-so-hungry tourist of the post-pandemic travel world. Interactive games, like Cape Town’s Virtual Game Tourism Campaign , are one of the few ways these organizations hope to attract younger audiences and give a virtual taste of their destination to potential travelers. The Machu Pichu 360 website invites visitors to enter the world of VR and includes auditory stimulants, a step up from the Peru 360 page in our list, that engages both eyes and ears to fill the void travelers have all been experiencing during Covid.

With the competitive space for tourism websites expanding at an increasing speed and mobile apps taking the spotlight from website platforms , tourism organizations and designers will most likely continue to borrow elements of the newly digital world to keep their platforms running.

Tags: climate change , design , digital , Digital Marketing , generation z , online booking , online travel , pandemic , tourism , tourism boards , tourism campaigns , websites

30 Examples of Stellar About Us Pages for Inspiration

It isn’t enough to just market your product to consumers. You need to earn their trust too.

One way to do this is by explaining who you are and what your company is about . The easiest and most effective way to achieve this is with an About Us page.

You’ve probably stumbled on a bunch of About Us pages, but how do you know which ones are most effective?

In this post, we’ll share some of the most effective About Us pages for specific niches and explain why they are so impactful.

Before we dive in, let’s look at an overview of About Us pages and dissect a commonly-used template for them.

What Is an About Us Page?

An About Us page exists to share a business’ story and history and provide a deeper connection with customers.

Consumers want to know the team behind the brand they are supporting. An About Us page provides the perfect real estate to pull back the curtain and reveal who is working behind the scenes.

Most importantly, though, an About Us page facilitates trust between the consumer and the business.

More than 33% of consumers say that “trust” is a core factor when deciding which businesses to support.

With an About Us page, you can begin to form an emotional relationship with customers and engage with them on a deeper level.

So how can you create one that resonates? Let’s look at some of the components you need to include in your About Us page.

How to Write an About Us Page

The best About Us pages share the company and founders’ stories. It’s a chance to pull back the curtain on the business and showcase the people who make it happen.

Some of the most effective About Us pages:

• Connect the consumer to the business on a deeper level
• Provide contextual insight into why the founders created the business
• Share the business’s core values, mission, beliefs, and vision
• Answer any questions that consumers may have about the business

How can you accomplish those objectives through your About Us page? First, let’s look at a commonly-used About Us page template that drives success.

About Us Page Template

There are four main components to an About Us page:

1. Share the story of why the company was founded

This is your chance to focus on your company’s “why.” It could be what sets you apart from other competitors on the market.

Share the moment you gained the inspiration for your business and what motivated you to start it.

2. Highlight your background and your founding team’s role

Who are you? Why are you the right person to lead your company at this time? Share your background and personal story. That’ll connect you to your customers.

3. Document the evolution of the company

State everything from the obstacles to the product enhancements. Bring your new customers up to speed. Where is the company today? How is it different from where it was before?

4. Document the mission and vision

What is your company trying to solve? Where is it going? End the About Us page by detailing the steps you’re taking to transform the business into your ultimate vision.

With these four components, you’ll create a stellar About Us page that will wow prospects and convert new customers.

Combining these elements with the right website builder and proper page design will help you transform a visitor into a customer .

It’s important to remember what your customers want, too.

Users in your target audience want to see your mission statement, social proof, and an example of using your product. These elements on your About Us web page will build trust with the target audience.

Now, let’s look at some companies that championed those components and brought them to life.

30 About Us Page Examples (by Industry)

No matter what industry you’re in, you could use an About Us page on your site.

While the four components listed above are necessary for every About Us page, different industries sometimes take different approaches.

Below, you’ll find 30 of the best About Us pages categorized by industry. Learn from their successes and adapt some of their strategies when creating your own.

Technology Companies

HubSpot , Buffer, and Vidyard are three examples of technology companies with amazing About Us pages.

HubSpot’s About Us page opens with its mission and flows directly into the company’s story. In addition, this page features a video from the CEO that discusses his initial interactions with Hubspot’s founder and his vision for the company moving forward.

By including a video on the About Us page, HubSpot engages browsing prospects in a new medium they may be eager to consume.

Buffer’s About Us page focuses on the team behind the tech. A catchy headline doesn’t greet you as you click onto the page. Instead, you see a photo of Buffer ‘s team members who contribute to creating its product.

This is a great way to shine a line on the entire organization and embody a truly collaborative mindset. Instead of focusing solely on the founders, businesses can highlight the team that powers the product daily and makes the magic happen.

Vidyard’s About Us page leads with a headline highlighting its mission and flows directly into the core functions of its product. The page has a product demo video that you’ll stumble across as you stroll, revealing additional use cases. Finally, the leadership team is featured.

This high-level approach to an About Us page places the primary focus on the products’ benefits with a secondary focus on the team. If your product is complex, this may be an approach that you should consider.

Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) Industry

RXBAR, The Sill, and Hydrant are three examples of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies that effectively use an About Us page to tell their stories.

RXBAR positions its About Us page around the company’s history, dating back to 2013. The bold headline draws the reader in by highlighting the company’s conception.

“It’s 2013, and we called B.S. on protein bars,” it says.

The reader continues to discover more about the brand and the company’s evolution with a “Then and Now” slider. A slider is an excellent multimedia option to consider. It takes the consumer through your company’s history without taking up too much space on the page.

The Sill, a direct-to-consumer plant company, has a simple but effective About Us page . It focuses mainly on the company’s origin story, highlighting basic facts about its founders and evolution. Then, it invites consumers to apply for an open role.

This is effective because it’s simple and straight to the point. It shows that About Us pages don’t have to be packed with information. Instead, you can straightforwardly introduce yourself and your company and still effectively get your point across.

Hydrant’s About Us page opens with an inviting image of two people toasting while holding the product in their hands. After reading the copy, one might guess that those hands belong to John and Jai, the company’s two founders.

The page is broken into three sections, making it easy to digest in chunks. This format is a perfect way to set up your page because it guides the reader slowly down in a way that isn’t overwhelming.

Each section is designed to hook the reader and bait them into reading a little more. Finally, the page ends with John and Jai’s signature, giving it a personal touch from the founders, who you feel like you can now call friends.

The Zebra, Lemonade, and Clearcover are three companies in the insurance industry that are paving the way with amazing About Us pages.

The Zebra’s About Us page focuses on the future almost as much as it does the past. The company opens with the headline, “Our path to success.” The paragraph about the business is concise, and the page immediately flows into a section about the company culture.

With a culture and leadership section, The Zebra focuses on people creating the company rather than itself. This is a subtle shift from some of the other About Us pages. Approximately two-thirds of The Zebra’s About Us page is devoted to company culture and the leadership team.

Lemonade’s About Us page is centralized around its “makers.” Through this messaging, the company highlights that all of its employees are proactively building the product and are “makers” in their own right.

Lemonade has minimal information on its About Us page, but that’s on par for its branding. For example, the company uses excess white space on its landing pages to illustrate a pink pop dash. This page is no different.

With only two lines of text and an illustration, Lemonade provides a high-level look at its company and those building it.

Clearcover uses a traditional About Us page template to guide the reader through the company’s history. The page focuses solely on the company’s story, dividing it into five core parts: the beginning, challenging, evolving, leaving, and creating portions.

With interactive chapter markers, you can drive engagement on the page and let the reader jump around to the sections and topics they wish to read. This interactive element can increase the time the consumer spends on the page and their information.

Dave, Chime, and Riskified set the standard for engaging About Us pages in the fintech industry. Let’s take a look at why.

Dave, a banking company designed with humans in mind, offers an About Us page that includes simplified text and engaging illustrations.

The alternating sections are formatted in a two-column layout, making it easy for the reader to jump back and forth from different topics like its mission, founding story, and more. Plus, the illustration style is beautifully inviting (and on-brand), making the user want to keep scrolling down the page to view more.

Chime’s About Us page relies heavily on copy to contrast Dave’s. Chime uses an explanatory approach by sharing its partnerships with regional banks and highlighting the value proposition that separates it from competitors.

This is not a surprising approach for a company like Chime. The fintech industry has many regulations, and Chime wants its customers to understand why its tech is different.

By focusing on the messaging and eliminating all excess content from the page, you can drill down on the critical points of your company and brand.

Riskified highlights its history on its About Us page uniquely and engagingly. It can be a task to try and consolidate your company’s history into bite-sized chunks. Even worse, if you spell everything out, the About Us page can drag on forever.

Riskified featured an interactive timeline that highlighted seven key milestones in its evolution. The viewer can toggle back and forth and receive a new illustration with a one-sentence description of a core company milestone. This is a great way to engage and educate your potential customers simultaneously.

Wheel, Clear, and Healthgrades lead the healthcare industry regarding About Us pages.

Wheel’s About Us page breaks down everything you need to know into bite-sized chunks. This format highlights the critical details you need to know about the company. Everything from its funding success to headquarters location is neatly packed into its section.

Consider using this format for the essential details you think every consumer should know about your business. By simplifying some of the basic information into these sections, you can leave room for a more engaging narrative on another part of the page.

Clear’s About Us page focuses on three distinct parts: the vision, core values, and network. Clear uses a company video to introduce the business and what is still to come.

Feature a video prominently at the top of your About Us page. Videos are engaging, and consumers like to watch them. In addition, you don’t scare off the consumer with long blocks of texts. You can draw them in with a video and invite them to stay for a while.

Healthgrades

Healthgrades’ About Us page uses a built-in navigation bar to enable the user to toggle through four subheaders: About, Hospital Awards & Ratings, Quality & Reports, Careers. This secondary navigation bar simplifies the About Us page, so it doesn’t extend too far.

It keeps users engaged when they don’t have to scroll to get new content continuously. The consumer may toggle back and forth between some subpages and learn a little more than they would have if it were simply a static landing page.

BarkBox, Wag, and Ollie are the leading pet supplies and pet care companies with memorable About Us pages.

BarkBox’s About Us page uses memorable imagery of dogs. The company keeps the page simple by highlighting the different business verticals it offers. Each has its designated section with corresponding text and images.

This About Us page shows that you don’t have to dive too deep into your company’s story if you don’t think it’s needed. BarkBox has many different properties, so it uses this space to ensure its customers understand what is being offered.

Wag has a straightforward layout on its About Us page featuring a hero image with a woman and her dog, a headline, a short description, and a call-to-action asking viewers to “Meet our leaders.” This is a simple approach that would give the consumer everything they need to understand the basics of the company.

Wag’s About Us page is an effective reminder that you don’t have to go overboard with your About Us page content. Instead, concentrate on giving a high-level overview of your company and emphasizing a few key points.

Ollie’s About Us page utilizes a secondary navigation bar to split the content into distinct sections: Our Story and Our Team. Additionally, each page uses motion graphics to engage the reader and draw their attention to different areas featuring essential information.

Find new ways to draw the reader down the page and continue reading. One way to accomplish this is with subtle motion graphics, Javascript , or GIFs. Even the slightest motion will attract the readers’ eye and make them want more.

Transportation

Lyft, Uber, and Bird all take different approaches in sharing their stories.

Lyft’s About Us page focuses on the team powering the company behind the scenes. The page is offensive to new drivers and new internal team members to join the organization. This is different from most About Us pages that we’ve seen.

This strategy is used by larger organizations that will often be hiring for many positions at any given point in time. Lyft is an organization that is always recruiting , so focusing its About Us page on the team makes sense.

Uber’s About Us page highlights a letter from its CEO. In addition, the CEO’s profile photo is featured as the hero image of the page. Since most people worldwide are familiar with the Uber brand, the company uses this page to chart its roadmap.

By publishing this letter from the CEO, Uber gives consumers a glimpse into how the company is evolving.

Bird’s About Us page is structured around the company’s core values. Bird outlines its values by creating a unique icon that corresponds with each pillar of the company.

The use of iconography on your About Us page is an effective strategy. Distinct icons can be memorable and help break down the text into bite-sized ideas.

Spotify, Mighty Audio, and WaveXR have unique About Us pages as leading music tech companies.

Spotify’s About Us page consists of only text and no images. Most of the content on this page is addresses, customer service emails , and a brief company description.

Spotify’s direct approach on its About Us page shows that you can just include the basics or core company information, as long as you’re a global, world-renowned brand.

Mighty Audio

Mighty Audio shares its story with two chunks of block text before highlighting the team on its About Us page . The contrast of a dark background and the light blue header text pops.

Consider how you can involve contrasting colors on your page to ensure that the most important information stands out.

WaveXR divides its About Us page into four distinct parts: the team, values, careers, and press. The page opens with a brief company description and then invites the reader to click on one of those four subheads to learn more.

It is always a good idea to include press mentions on your About Us page. Press can help build social proof and boost the credibility of your business. Consumers can learn about your company through any relevant news stories you receive.

Chargebee, ReCharge, and Cedar are prime examples of adequate About Us pages in the billing space.

Chargebee uses social media hashtags to connect its About Us page with social media. Headers greet consumers with a hashtag, encouraging social shares on Twitter.

Consider how you can convince your consumers to share your About Us page on social media . Highlighting a branded hashtag is an excellent place to start.

Ask one of your most passionate customers to share a testimonial. Feature it on your About Us page to increase credibility.

Cedar combines many design elements, including text, illustrations, photos, and contrasting colors on its About Us page . It opens with a company description and immediately introduces the co-founders.

Use as many different design elements as you can on your About Us page that are in line with your brand. Varying elements of different styles can keep the consumer engaged with the content.

Collective Retreats, Localeaur, and Away lead the travel industry in innovative About Us pages.

Collective Retreats

Collective Retreats offers a basic yet effective approach to its About Us page . The page features three sentences covering the business description and a brief overview of the overall approach to its product.

Distill your company down to one or two sentences, and make sure you add that to your About Us page. A simple company description will be helpful on the page.

Localeur showcases an employee photo on its About Us page as the main content. This is an obvious choice for the community-focused business.

Consider adding a photo of your team at the top of the page. This shouldn’t be a stock photo but an authentic image at an offsite event or employee bonding experience.

Away’s About Us page is centralized around what the company believes in. This approach is similar to the companies that lead with their values.

Away offers a polished, memorable approach to sharing what its business stands for with high-quality imagery and sharp copy.

Best About Us Page

Dave had the best About Us page due to its simplistic design, straightforward copy, and engaging illustrations.

The page matched the company’s brand and shared the founding story in a fun, light-hearted way.

Your website deserves an amazing About Us page. This is your opportunity to tell your story and the business’s mission and vision.

With a powerful About Us page, you can connect with customers better and build trust. Over time, that trust will turn into recurring revenue from loyal shoppers who continue to support your business.

Want to share your About Us page ideas? Please share them with our community in the comments below!

Content & Marketing Editor at Kinsta, WordPress Web Developer, and Content Writer. Outside of all things WordPress, I enjoy the beach, golf, and movies. I also have tall people problems ;).

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“Exceptional About Us pages serve as a cornerstone for building a strong brand identity and fostering meaningful connections with your audience. This insightful blog post unveils 30 stellar examples of About Us pages, offering valuable inspiration for businesses looking to elevate their online presence. From compelling narratives to visually engaging layouts, these examples showcase the power of authenticity and creativity in crafting a compelling brand story. Dive into this collection to glean insights and ideas that will undoubtedly help you enhance your own About Us page, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and establishing a memorable brand presence.”

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What It Means to Travel as a Gazan

By Yousef Aljamal

This essay is the second in a series about traveling after confinement . Look for the next one later this summer. I dream of seeing Gaza by plane.

Instead, I see Gaza through drone footage. It shows a place in rubble—my many memories and dreams and close friends buried with it. But wherever I am in the world, I always think of home. I’ve traveled to dozens of countries now, but nothing beats the golden shores of Gaza.

I grew up in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. It wasn’t until 2002, at the age of 12, that I left Palestine for the first time on a two-month-long trip to Jordan with my aunt and sister, Zainab. Our Palestinian commercial flight was one of just a few in operation after Israel first bombed Gaza’s only airport in 2001: With no airport inside its home country, Palestinian Airlines restarted operations until 2005 at El Arish International Airport in Egypt, which was used by Palestinians in Gaza to travel outside of the Gaza Strip.

Back then, and as of this writing, no planes flew out of my hometown, which meant that the excitement of boarding a flight was almost too much to handle for someone doing it for the first time, and I insisted on taking the window seat. Pressed against the window, I gazed at the Mediterranean sparkling down below with its beautiful waves; Gaza was just visible on the horizon, its borders suddenly less clear. And then, the vast expanse of the Sinai Desert—a reminder of a world far bigger than the confinement I had known.

For a moment, I felt like the birds that flew over me each day without restrictions. Stepping off the plane in Amman meant discovering there were no checkpoints like the ones we had to cross on our way out. Gaza’s access to the world has always been restricted, including for patients in need of good healthcare, and my aunt had taken Zainab and me to Jordan for treatment. But we were also going to be spending time with relatives we rarely got to see—both from Jordan and the West Bank . We suddenly felt connected with the rest of our family, even if just for a short while.

During the two months we spent there I remained amazed by the high buildings. The infrastructure was so much more developed than it was in Gaza. It meant I could learn how to ride a scooter and a bike for the first time, zig-zagging down paved roads and past flashes of green space. It was so different from home, but I didn’t fully understand that I’d been living in a concrete jungle until years later—when I left Gaza for the first time as an adult to study in Malaysia.

The tropical scenery in Kuala Lumpur was beyond the imagination of someone who grew up in a refugee camp. The sounds of the birds reminded me of the shrinking number of them in Gaza; the thick clusters of tropical trees of Gaza’s concrete walls, built in places where trees once stood. I discovered that I love to visit waterfalls and go hiking. Gaza is flat and seeing big mountains breathed life into me. The experience was akin to something I call “green shock.” As the Gaza Strip’s population has increased from 80,000 after 1948 to 2.3 million in 2023, per the United Nations , green areas and orchards have disappeared, only to be replaced by more buildings and more walls. The contrast was impossible to ignore.

But while my new life felt so far from home, I also found friends who helped me feel closer to it: Refaat Alareer, the writer and poet, and my mentor; his flatmate Mohammed Hassouna, an IT expert; and Raed Qaddoura, a classmate studying for his PhD. Home is a scary idea when the streets you once walked as a child are no longer recognizable—its landmarks no more—and so we began to build our own Palestine. We’d meet for dinner to share plates of maqluba and talk about our home. Through those stories (Refaat was very good at telling stories) it began to feel so rich in history, culture, and scenery, just like the places I’d read about in novels. And for the next two years we began to make new stories of our own, the four of us traveling all over Malaysia together, hopping between places like Malacca and Labuan for vacation and learning. Moving around so freely like we did gave us a sense that we as Palestinians could one day exist as a nation without restrictions—and do normal things other people do, like travel.

After we went our separate ways—some of us back to Gaza—we’d occasionally meet up. But mostly we kept our Malaysia memories alive through a Facebook group with other Palestinians we’d met during that time. Doing so is no longer possible: Mohammed and Raed were both killed by Israeli airstrikes following the outbreak of the current war, and Raed’s wife had given birth by C-section without anesthesia just two weeks earlier. Refaat, not just our storyteller, but Gaza’s storyteller, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in December. His poem “If I Must Die” has been shared around the world to honor his legacy.

I've now settled in Istanbul, a city that bridges two continents. But the more I travel, the more guilty I feel. For Palestinians, especially Gazans, moving across borders has always served as a reminder of a life under siege, death, missed opportunities, and the guilt of leaving family and friends behind. When I board a plane, I think of the generations that never stepped outside Gaza—like the students who lost their scholarships waiting for crossings to open. I think of Ahmad al-Haaj, a 90-year old Palestinian refugee from Gaza who did his Masters studies back in the 1970s, sending and receiving his educational materials via the British Council in Jerusalem. Ahmad, who was displaced from his home twice in his life, passed away in the north of Gaza in January this year. And I think of the patients who lost their lives because of the lack of travel permits, including my sister Zainab. When the Rafah Crossing closed in 2007, she wasn’t able to get out for additional treatment.

Yet, it’s also through travel that our diaspora survives, bringing together Palestinians who may have never met in Gaza due to the restrictions we are forced to live by. The relationships Refaat and I forged with others in Malaysia were a means of connecting Gaza with the outside world (and better yet, are). There are so many of us living in forced exile, and while much of my family remains in Gaza and I have lost numerous relatives, I was able to get my mother and 18-year-old brother, Omar, out.

A few months ago, Omar flew on a plane for the first time. Amid the anguish and grief, he saw the world from above.

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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2024

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Executive Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Caroline has a passion for adventure travel and has hiked to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the bottom of the Grand Canyon in pursuit of a good story. Follow her around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2024 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Adventure Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Adventure Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten-path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Adventure Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 8-16 people and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Adventure Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Aventure Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Adventure Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Adventure Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,014 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $799 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $749.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 10 million dollars to over 160 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-35 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience foodie trip of a lifetime Intrepid Travel’s South Korea Real Food Adventure , which includes time in three cities and an overnight temple stay.

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination. For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina).

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $6,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to closer destinations like Mexico or Costa Rica—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife & Nature: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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25 Best Photography Websites of 2024 for Your Inspiration

Looking to create a beautiful photography portfolio website? These 25 examples from various genres will give you a wealth of ideas and inspiration.

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Your photography website showcases your best work, shares details about you, and provides a way for potential clients to get in contact.

Even if you’re not a professional photographer, having your own photography website is great for displaying your latest photos, making it easy to share them with friends and family.

For your inspiration, we’ve selected 25 photography portfolio websites from various popular genres built with popular website builder Pixpa.

Each shows a different style and approach to showcasing photos online.

If you’d like to have a go at building your own photography website, tap here to try Pixpa free for 15 days.

25 Great Examples of Photography Websites

All of these websites for photographers were built using Pixpa and its photography website templates . Notice how photographers in different genres have selected templates that highlight their photography style and meet their business goals.

Wedding Photography Websites

The portfolio website of a wedding photographer is their primary sales tool.

Like all portfolios, it needs to showcase your talent. But more importantly, it needs to communicate to potential clients precisely what they’d get if they booked you.

Many wedding photographers like to include a sample gallery that shows a wide range of shots captured during a typical wedding ceremony.

Another handy tool for wedding photographers is Client Galleries by Pixpa. These allow your clients to view and proof their images and order prints or downloads.

Some businesses have a full e-commerce solution that takes bookings and handles payments, while others keep it simple with a photo gallery and basic contact information.

Here are some great examples of wedding photography websites.

William Lambelet

Lambelet is an award-winning photojournalist and wedding photographer from France. He travels worldwide to capture amazing moments at all types of wedding ceremonies.

His website is minimalistic and simple. There are slideshows of his best works, and albums load in the same photo-centric format. This showcases what makes his site one of the best photographer websites. Note that Lambelet keeps a separate site on a different domain for his work as a photojournalist.

This is an inspiring website for photographers who are starting out.

Andrew Guy Studio

Guy’s wedding photography portfolio website is eye-catching and effective. Color and black and white photos of different orientations are shown in a collage-style gallery.

Larger photos can be viewed by clicking each image, which opens a slideshow viewer. Guy only includes his best work and doesn’t overcomplicate his portfolio with too many categories or choices. He has a simple FAQ page and a contact form.

Drew Makenzi Photography

Here’s one of the many popular photography websites to take inspiration from.

Makenzi uses a more complex site that feels more e-commerce based than a portfolio. But it’s full of gorgeous images, with a full-screen slideshow taking up the landing page. Below the fold, you’ll see the quick bio of Makenzi and gallery choices for each of her specialties.

Portrait Photography Portfolio Websites

Portrait portfolios are similar to wedding photography websites: you aren’t just showcasing your best work – you’re trying to land new clients.

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Since all photographers have a distinctive style and specialize in different types of portraiture, you need to curate your albums to clarify what your clients get from you.

This isn’t to say that you should feel limited. Most portrait photographers have a favorite field, but it might not be their primary money-maker. Include multiple galleries on your site so that the right client connects with the right images to make the sale.

Here are a few sites to visit and get awesome photography website ideas.

Knolton Photography Co.

If you are looking for photography website examples for inspiration, this is worth checking out.

Knolton’s landing page has a unique twist. Their large banner image features four of their best portraits, framed on the wall above a comfortable bench seat. His photographer website is a great place to find inspiration for your own photography projects.

The result is a little more personal and puts the product into clear perspective. Lower on the page, you’ll find individual galleries for their target markets – weddings, seniors, families, and sports. Lastly, there’s a quick-and-easy contact form.

Olga Miljko

Miljko is a Miami-based fashion and portrait photographer who has done projects for Chanel, Ritique, and Katana swimwear. Her galleries are divided into her focus areas, and project requests link to a calendar for booking or quotes.

The portfolio is collage-style, with large striking images showing her talent and specialties.

Josh Loves Light

Josh is a commercial portrait and brand strategy photographer from California. Since his business is structured a little differently than other photographers, so is his website.

His home page features a scrolling gallery of his best images. In addition, links take you to portraits and individual “Featured Clients” pages. Likewise, a “Projects” page links to photo sets based on specific photo shoots and objectives.

Studio J Photo Group

Studio J focuses on headshots and event photos in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Their website makes an impression with their best work, which is a powerful marketing tool since this is exactly the impression you want to make if you’re in the market for a good headshot. Headshots have a horizontal-scrolling gallery bar with a highlight focus effect.

Abstractt Studios

Nitin Patel of Abstractt Studios is a portrait, film, fashion, and theater photographer from India. His site is striking in that it is mostly black and white images and mostly presented in symmetrical squares.

The tidiness and order compliment the complex and deep portrait style. Color images are used but are carefully grouped in the layout to not ruin the balance of the website as a whole.

Family Photography Websites

Many wedding and portrait photographers also shoot families, but these are different sorts of shoots. If family pictures are part of your business, dedicate an album to showing them. A family photography album includes big families and lots of kid shots.

There are often lifestyle shots as well, something that highlights the group’s common interests.

Even family photography can be segmented, of course. Maternity, newborn, newlywed, and kid photos are all unique subsets.

Consider dividing your portfolio to include lots of variety so that clients can imagine what their final images would look like. Here are wedding photographers’ websites to get inspiration.

Organic Aperture Photography

Organic Aperture Photography of Lubbock, Texas, specializes in portraits. Their galleries highlight their primary markets – seniors, families, pets, couples, and weddings.

The website is e-commerce centric, with purchase options for one, two, or three-hour sessions and prints right on the website. The portfolio section is a gallery view of color images. The website also links to client galleries, each locked for client privacy.

RedC Photography

RedC is the brainchild of Maurice Redrick of San Antonio, Texas . His tagline is fun, natural, and understated – all qualities that shine through on his professional photography website.

His work includes portraits, sports, headshots, and newborn photography. His galleries are divided into his target groups and curated with his best images.

Rose Boutique Photography

Rose Boutique is a full-service photography studio located in Chicago. Their site is divided into business branding, family photography, and milestones. Their story-driven style is evident in every step of their website. Photos are grouped into sets for the impact of the story.

Lifestyle Photos – Best Photography Websites

Lifestyle photography is a blend of portraiture and commercial photography. It can also be an editorial, like a magazine or photojournalistic endeavor.

Every lifestyle photographer has a little bit of a different take on what they’re after, so each one has unique needs from their portfolio.

Many times photographers will want to combine lifestyle photography with other genres. It’s important to keep in mind how your customers will be searching to find you – will they be looking for a lifestyle photographer, or are they more likely to be looking for portraits or weddings?

Don’t overlook the most common names for what you do, and then get descriptive from there.

Christopher D. Bates

Bates toes the line between commercial brand-building photography and lifestyle shoots.

He not only includes galleries of spectacular images on his page but also has pages dedicated to the services he offers and who would be interested.

His galleries are equally divided between lifestyle and editorial shoots, but the quality of his storytelling is apparent in both.

Miranda Mazza

Mazza is based in Texas and specializes in lifestyle portraiture. Her galleries feature fewer images that are presented bigger than most.

Her outdoor settings compliment the organic nature of her photography, as does the scrolling gallery style of the website.

Monica Christensen Photography

Christensen is a lifestyle photographer from Michigan. Her site has personal touches you don’t see in many photo portfolios. For example, a large part of the home page is dedicated to a personal welcome message.

Below the fold are links to booking a session, features work, and more about her. Of course, there’s also a quick contact form. Her portfolio consists of open galleries from her best shoots.

This technique works well to show what a family lifestyle shoot looks like – a collection of pictures that work together as a set.

Fine Art Inspirational Photography Websites

Fine art portfolios are much less commercial than other types of photo websites. These images are likely divided into projects or sets, where the photos’ purpose is to tell a complete story.

Another thing to keep in mind with fine art websites is the look and feel of the website. The backgrounds should complement the photography. A plain black or white background is usually best, especially if you’re using black and white photography.

Yanagi is a Japanese fine art photographer based in Tokyo. Her work is black and white and spans from “Sha-Bokusho,” the three-dimensional expression in ink, to nudes and still lifes.

For a photography website, the portfolio is simple – four galleries accessed from the home page. Each gallery is dedicated to a particular photo project or set.

Tyler Grace

Grace is a conceptual artist from Australia . His work is described as cinematic, dark, and thought-provoking. His website is too, with dark background colors that add to the tone of the imagery.

The home gallery features a set of his best and most memorable works, while individual project galleries add an artist’s brief.

Grace keeps a separate web portfolio site for his fashion portrait and commercial photography business since these have different audiences.

If you like to be inspired by eye-catching and unique photos, this is one of the best photographer websites to keep an eye out for.

Commercial Photography Portfolio Websites

Commercial photographers are usually booked for a project, so this is a good way to organize your portfolio. By showing the variety of images you can create on one topic, you give your potential clients an idea of the package you could create for them.

All clients like some choice, so you want to prove you aren’t a one-shot wonder.

Some photographers create a main gallery with a mix of their best photos. This catches the eye and gets customers to investigate deeper.

Then, there are separate galleries dedicated to each project, so they can get an in-depth look at the detail and organization you could bring to their job.

André Ormset

Ormset is a photographer and digital artist from Norway.

His composite photographs are unique and catching. From “Houses in Strange Places” to “Children’s Fantasy,” each gallery on his site highlights one of his favorite projects.

In addition, he has added an “Other Projects” gallery to capture an assortment of great stand-alone images.

Ormset has created the perfect portfolio – somehow, he has perfectly showcased a commercial photographer’s career but maintained the feel of an artist’s portfolio.

Duncan Fenn Photography

If the afterburners of the F-18 fighter jet on the homepage don’t give it away, Fenn is an aircraft photographer. His images are mostly captured at airshows around Australia.

Galleries are divided by airshow and by aircraft type. The site relies on a handful of striking images that fill your screen, while the galleries require scrolling down.

The site is busy overall, but the layout works well and is eye-catching given the subject matter.

Landscape Photography

Landscapes are all about big pictures of big places. A popular technique for organizing a landscape photography portfolio website is to use a large home page image or slideshow to draw a viewer’s attention.

If you’re shooting landscapes, your clients are more likely to be professional photo buyers than consumers. In this case, you can spend less time on the “about me” and more time displaying your best work. Here are photography pages and sites to watch out for in Landscape Photography.

Leroy Souhuwat

Iceland-based Souhuwat’s nature photography is presented in a minimalistic and impactful photography website.

Symmetrical galleries with dark backgrounds highlight his striking compositions.

Beyond one gallery, the website is pretty sparse. There’s an Instagram gallery stripe on the bottom of the homepage, but Souhuwat skips the standard contact form and About Me section.

Travis G. Decker

Decker is a landscape and travel photographer from New Mexico with collections of classic lens photos, landscapes, and specific destinations. His photography website is simple.

The home page features a large, high-resolution version of four of his favorite images in a small slideshow that serves as his introduction. More galleries are found below the fold of the site.

Travel Photography

Travel photography websites share much in common with landscape sites. Many times, travel will be integrated into a gallery with one or more elements, like landscapes or portraits.

Travel photography is a broad category and could include anything from scenic shots to food or even lifestyle.

Marcel Steinegger Photography

Steinegger’s portfolio immediately catches your eye with a full-page slideshow of his best images. A selection highlights each gallery of the site – stars, clouds, beings, black and white, drama, and views.

Clicking each takes you to an individual slideshow. The site avoids the gallery layout, which can feel crowded on a webpage like this. Instead, each image is displayed individually on a black background .

The only other content is a short about me page and a contact form. It’s simple, but it’s still captivating.

MODzent has many galleries, so they’ve cleverly divided their galleries page into subsections based on keywords. The effect is neat for anyone with an extensive photo collection they want to share online.

In travel photography, it would work very well with different destinations. MODzent uses their photography blog with great effect, with a separate blog post highlighting each photo expedition.

Black and White Photography Sites

Artists who work in black and white will undoubtedly understand the importance of elegant and understated web design. The point is to let the work speak for itself without any interference or distraction.

Lola Wajskop

Wajskop is a film photographer with a striking web portfolio. S

he understands the impact of black and white photography, so she has two galleries on her site – one for black and whites and one for color images. Each collection is a simple gallery.

Thomas Striegl

Striegl is an artist through and through, challenging not only your visual senses but also your notions about the terms we use to describe our photography.

He has a home page with a traditional-looking left menu bar. To the right, a large slideshow presentation shows each gallery.

Van Andre Rensburg

Rensburg captures black and white portraits with a fine art aesthetic. There are only two collections: photo and video. The collections are scroll-through galleries of the artist’s best works.

The effect is fluid and works very well – Rensburg obviously spent plenty of time curating the images for the site.

Should Photographers Have a Website?

There are plenty of ways that photographers can share their photos online. While many love sharing them on social services like Instagram, Flickr, or 500px, having your own portfolio site gives you authenticity.

Social sites are marketing opportunities for professionals to help them create a following. But if you’re selling your work, there is an expectation that you’ll have a website.

So does every photographer need a portfolio site? Probably not. Casual weekend hobbyists might be happier to keep it simple and stick to social media or photo-sharing sites.

On the other hand, if you’d like to offer your services or sell your work, having a portfolio is the first step toward making money from your photography.

Best Photography Websites FAQs

How many photos should I put on my photography website?

A photo portfolio should be a collection of your absolute best work. In nearly every instance, your motto should be “less is more.” Every single image should be unique and impactful. Ideally, you only want one picture of each shoot – avoid having multiple images that feature the same scene or model.

There are exceptions, however. For example, a wedding or event photographer might want photo galleries that show what complete sets of photos look like. Likewise, a commercial photographer might want a photo gallery highlighting the final set of iamges they delivered to a client. These would be in addition to the photographer’s primary portfolio gallery.

What should a photography website include?

If you’ve ever wondered what you should put on your photography website, here are the main things.

• Branding – your name, logo, and company colors to make the website your own
• Primary photography portfolio – collection of your absolute best work
• Artist info – a little about yourself and how to get in touch or book a session
• Call To Action (CTA) – contact form or links to your social media

How much does it cost to build a photography website?

The overall cost of a photography website varies depending on how you want to build it and what you want it to be able to do. There are free options, but most of these will be too limited for businesses and photographers with growing portfolios. You’ll find that free options may force you to have ads on the site or limit your SEO options. Many free options are also limited to single-page business listings.

With a hosting provider and a WordPress site, you can get a portfolio setup for very little money – usually less than $10 per month. However, working in WordPress requires a lot of practice, numerous third-party plugins, and a ton of patience to learn how to make it all work.

Website builders like Pixpa can save you a lot of time and aggravation. Pixpa’s pricing plans range from $5 to $25 per month, depending on your required feature set. And building a site on Pixpa, with a range of professionally-designed templates, is easy as pie.

You can also check this list of other great website builders from our friends at Dorik.

How do I create a free photography website?

The exact process you use to make a free photography site will depend on the hosting provider you choose. They all work a little differently, but many have setup videos and training to get you started quickly. Remember that most free sites limit the number of pages you can create or limit your use of features like custom domains and SEO support.

Photographers who are selling their work need the best photography websites they can make. Portfolio sites are simple to make and easy to maintain, but you do have to have your eye on exactly what you want the site to do for you.

From sharing with family and friends to marketing a busy photography business , your photography portfolio can rock on Pixpa. You can try out Pixpa for free and start building your portfolio website right away – tap here to get started today >>

Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.

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I would like to add another factor, your portfolio website should have good performance. It is extremely important now days as Core Web Vitals are a crucial factor in your chances to rank reasonably in search results. Not all platforms have the same performance, invest your time and money wisely.

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20 of the coolest travel adventures for 2024

From a horseback safari in Kenya to river rafting in West Virginia, here’s our ranked list of the top travel experiences right now.

This page is a portal.   No, really, it is: Our annual Best of the World feature is a gateway to the streets of Paris , the snowy Caucasus Mountains of Georgia , the ancient rock art of Algeria . To help us engage with places more deeply and meaningfully, we drew on National Geographic’s global community of experts to create the following ranked list of 20 great adventures for 2024. Read on and you’ll discover that this page is also a celebration—of travel’s power to transform us and our connections with one another.

#1: Go on horseback safari in Kenya

A safari in Africa usually conjures an image of mud-spattered 4x4 vehicles bouncing through the bush. But there’s another way to travel: on horseback .  

Although horse safaris originated in Kenya in the 1970s, they’re a perfect fit for today’s growing number of travelers looking for more engaging, sustainable wildlife encounters. At the 32,000-acre Borana Conservancy , two stables house thoroughbreds and ex-polo ponies for riders of all skill levels. Visitors can book half-day, full-day, or overnight rides. July through September is the prime time to go.

Since wildlife perceive equines as just another animal, exploring the landscape atop a horse makes for an intimate experience. “To journey on horseback is to break down the walls—meant to protect but also to separate—between oneself and the natural world,” says Nichole Sobecki , a photographer and equestrian who’s ridden in Borana. “Your horse is a translator, responding to the low growl of the lion, the soft scent of a herd of elephants.” A horse’s ears are an advance warning system, she says, helping knowledgeable guides navigate routes.

#2: Run an Olympic marathon in Paris

For the first time, members of the public will be able to run their own marathon during the 2024 Summer Olympics , in Paris, France , just one initiative aimed at creating a more inclusive Games.  

Slated to be held the evening of August 10, between the men’s and women’s official races, the Marathon for All will allow 20,024 qualifying lottery winners on the 26.2-mile route that links Paris and Versailles , a loop beginning at the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and passing through nine arrondissements before finishing at Les Invalides on the banks of the Seine. Before or after the big event, learn the route to follow in their tracks.  

#3: Ski tour UNESCO sites in Georgia

Long a means of transportation, exploration, and hunting, skiing is still a way of life in the mountainous republic of Georgia. Now visitors can enjoy some of the nation’s best backcountry skiing in the Caucasus with the help of outfitters such as Svaneti Ski and Georgia Ski Touring . In Svaneti, excursions may lead skiers through panoramic Gvibari Pass or to medieval Ushguli villages, among the highest continuously inhabited in Europe. The best times to experience this are December to April.

#4: Bear watch in Katmai National Park

Alaska ’s Katmai National Park is home to one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in the world. Far from the crowded viewing platforms of the Brooks Camp Visitor Center, a guided trip along the Katmai coast with outfitters like AK Adventures reveals a different side of the park.

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Here, the bears feast on a diversity of foods: sedges, grasses, razor clams, salmon. “For me, seeing a single brown bear in the wild is meaningful because it is a sign that the landscape is healthy enough to support it,” says Alaska photographer Acacia Johnson , a frequent National Geographic contributor.

#5: Hear legendary live music in Kyoto

Guidebooks speak of Kyoto as frozen in time, with hushed temples and meditative gardens. But after hours, Japan ’s former imperial capital reveals a live music scene that can be loud and irreverent. At venues like Jittoku and Field , rock, swing, and even Irish music echo into the night. Whatever you’re into, from jazz to punk, there’s a community to share your jam. “This is what happens in Japan when the mask comes off,” says Kyoto guide Van Milton.

#6: Cruise an epic river in Colombia

About 80 percent of Colombia ’s population lives in the river basin of the Magdalena, which flows for nearly a thousand miles from the Andes to the Caribbean. AmaWaterways’ new cruises on the river—said to be the first by a major cruise operator—take seven-night trips from Cartagena via Mompós to Barranquilla. Stops at colonial towns, performances of vallenato   and cumbia music, and visits to a stilt-house village highlight the region’s culture along this mighty waterway.

#7:   Road trip Route 66 in New Mexico

For nearly a century, Route 66 has beckoned to travelers. A trip along the Mother Road through New Mexico hits timeless landmarks , such as quirky motels and curio shops in and around Tucumcari and symbolic etchings in Petroglyph National Monument . In Gallup—mentioned as one of the places to “get your kicks” in Nat King Cole’s 1946 hit song “Route 66”—you can take in performances featuring Zuni, Lakota, and Diné (Navajo) dancers.  

Some 18 miles of the highway traverse Albuquerque , the longest urban interlude of the route in the United States. And it’s getting a half-million-dollar glow-up with the ongoing restoration of vintage neon signs along Central Avenue.  

While cruising down the brightened strip, stop at the new West Central Route 66 Visitor Center , with its museum and outdoor amphitheater. The center will host events like lowrider car shows, drive-in movies, and artisan markets.

#8: Explore ancient art in Algeria

Algeria is home to Africa’s largest national park, which holds one of the world’s greatest concentrations of ancient rock art. Tassili n’Ajjer National Park is a geologic wonderland of sandstone towers, arches, and sculpted outcrops. But these rock forests are only half the story.  

Neolithic herders and hunter-gatherers carved 15,000 petroglyphs here, including images of elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. These animals are more commonly associated with sub-Saharan Africa—a hint that this arid wilderness was once a grassland crisscrossed by waterways. Five- to seven-day guided tours with Fancy Yellow take in the most spectacular works of Tassili’s art, like the “Crying Cows,” engraved at the base of a stone pinnacle 7,000 years ago.  

Travelers with more time might want to combine a trip to Tassili with a visit to the Algerian Sahara’s other great geologic marvel: the extraordinary mountain range of Ahaggar National Park .

#9: Dive with sharks in Western Australia

Stretching almost 700 miles along the Indian Ocean north of Perth, Western Australia’ s Coral Coast is studded with natural wonders. But Ningaloo Reef is the star. Here, you can dive with giants: Some 300 to 500 whale sharks ,   one of the largest congregations on Earth, gather along the reef each year between March and July. Ethical outfitters ensure divers give the sharks space and avoid feeding them or using flash photography.  

Even more megafauna abound from July to October, when about 40,000 humpback whales migrate along the Coral Coast. You can also commune with more than 10,000 dugongs in Shark Bay or swim with manta rays at Coral Bay.  

#10: Hike a volcano in Panama

A sustainability leader, Panama recently launched its “1,000 Kilometers of Trails” project , which seeks to bring outdoor recreation and green tourism to rural communities and protected areas.

First out of the gate is the Ruta de la Caldera , a system of five trails around the extinct Valle de Antón volcano . The treks take in waterfall-speckled landscapes, according to photographer Rose Marie Cromwell , who hiked sections of the Ruta de la Caldera over five days.

“There were some spectacular views on top of the volcanic crater—interesting land formations covered in so much green,” she says.

#11: Catch the eclipse at Niagara Falls

Directly in the path of totality, Niagara Falls will offer views of a total solar eclipse, which won’t occur again in the contiguous U.S. until 2044. For about three and a half minutes, beginning at approximately 3:18 p.m. on April 8, the sky will darken over the thunderous cataract as the moon crosses between Earth and the sun.  

On the U.S. side of the falls , Terrapin Point, Prospect Point, and the Observation Tower will be prime viewing areas (if clouds stay away). From the Canadian side, an excellent vantage point is Table Rock. A side bonus: The sunny-day rainbow that hovers above the falls will become pink.  

#12: Trek a glacier in Chile

In Chilean Patagonia‘s Laguna San Rafael National Park , visitors can trek to glaciers, taking in a panorama of pale blue ice massifs and glacial waterways. Some 17,300 glaciers still cover the whole of Patagonia’s ice fields, but rising temperatures are rapidly melting them. Climate scientists say sustainable tourism , such as hikes with Chilean outfitters like Turismo Valle Leones , supports local communities and inspires travelers to learn more about how to protect glaciers.

#13: Step back in time on Menorca

Spain ’s Balearic Islands are best known for the jet-set beach destinations of Ibiza and Mallorca . But quiet, less developed Menorca has a unique mother lode: The archipelago’s greatest repository of ancient architecture.

In an area of just 270 square miles, Menorca has a total of 1,574 inventoried archaeological sites , ranging from the foundation blocks of small dwellings to well-preserved village centers that existed long before the Roman Empire. Most striking are the navetas,   megalithic tombs dating back to 1600 B.C.; talayots, watchtowers built from mortarless blocks of limestone; and   taulas,   shrines exclusive to Menorca that evoke Stonehenge pillars. These remnants of the Talayotic Menorcan culture, the first civilization to inhabit the island, have now been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List .  

The open-air monuments are easy to visit; the island’s Me-1 road passes by some of the best-preserved sites, including the settlements of Talatí de Dalt, Naveta des Tudons, and Taula de Torretrencada.

Reenter the 21st century at the new Hauser & Wirth gallery in the picturesque town of Mahón. Housed in repurposed 18th-century hospital buildings, the cultural venue presents contemporary art exhibits and has an outdoor sculpture trail with works by Louise Bourgeois and Joan Miró.

#14: Ride classic rails in Scotland

Exploring Scotland ’s wild, scenic Highlands doesn’t have to mean roughing it. The Royal Scotsman train glides among the moody lochs and dramatic peaks in style. New suites debuting in May 2024 sport interiors that reflect the compelling landscapes through dark woods, wool tweeds , and richly patterned bespoke tartans crafted by Scottish brand Araminta Campbell . After a day spent hiking to waterfalls or playing rounds of golf (a sport inextricably tied to the nation), guests can wind down with a massage at the onboard spa.

Departing Edinburgh ’s Waverley Station, the two- to seven-night rail journeys cross the heart of the Highlands, from Perthshire to Inverness to the rugged west coast. During stops guests can tour castles, stargaze in Cairngorms National Park , sample whisky at revered distilleries, and even take a dip in a loch.

#15: Find authentic flavor in Thailand  

The Isaan region in northeastern Thailand is known for its distinctive cuisine that reflects influences from bordering Laos and Cambodia. “Isaan is a hidden gem of Thailand,” says Weerawat “Num” Triyasenawat, the chef at Samuay & Sons , a Michelin Guide -recommended restaurant in the Isaan city of Udon Thani.

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One key ingredient of the region’s delicious food is pla ra, a fermented-fish seasoning that boosts umami flavor. Local dishes include laab   (minced meat salad), traditionally served during celebrations.

#16: Wander tea trails in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is virtually synonymous with tea. The island nation is one of the world’s top producers of tea leaves. British colonists introduced the first bushes about 200 years ago. Now visitors can trace the footsteps of historic planters on the new, nearly 200-mile Pekoe Trail , the country’s first long-distance walking route.  

Starting just outside Kandy, the trail follows the 19th-century tracks upon which workers and horse-drawn carts transported freshly plucked leaves. Hikers pass through hill towns and tea estates and can stop to take a cooking class or savor a cup of aromatic Ceylon tea.

#17: Gallery hop in São Paulo

São Paulo, Brazil ’s largest city, is an art lover’s paradise, home to numerous galleries, exhibitions, and street murals. The crowning jewel is the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), which is expanding to showcase more of its 11,000-plus artworks, from pre-Renaissance paintings to contemporary sculptures. Departing from the usual model of exhibiting works on walls, MASP hangs some pieces against clear panels, allowing visitors to view the art from all angles.

#18: Raft the rapids in West Virginia  

Despite its name, West Virginia ’s New River is actually one of the oldest on Earth, perhaps as old as 360 million years. The river falls 750 feet in only 50 miles between sandstone cliffs. It eventually merges with the Gauley River.   Outfitters such as ACE Adventure Resort can arrange whitewater rafting trips here on Class III to V rapids through the longest and deepest river gorge in the Appalachians.  

#19: Go antiquing in Hudson Valley

The bucolic Hudson Valley is booming, thanks to an influx of New York City residents during the pandemic. But it’s long been a mecca for creatives: Its landscapes inspired America’s first artistic fraternity, the Hudson River School. Antique collectors will be drawn to the hundreds of stores, boutiques, craft shops, and flea markets that sell everything from colonial furniture and rare books to mid-century modern decor. For vintage finds, head to the Antique Warehouse in Hudson, Sister Salvage in Catskill, and Opera House Co. in Athens.

“There’s a common denominator here—the charming historic villages,” says Sarah Gray Miller, owner of Coxsackie antique store UnQuiet . From Stuyvesant to Saugerties, these towns “share a strong commitment to preservation.”

#20: Sleep on the water in British Columbia

The newly reopened Tofino Wilderness Resort , owned by the Ahousaht First Nation, is an idyllic base from which to explore the western coast of British Columbia ’s Vancouver Island. In the heart of Clayoquot Sound, the luxury floating lodge was renovated with lumber cut from timber which fell on-site. Through guided whale-watching trips or visits to the Freedom Cove artists’ sanctuary, the Ahousaht share with guests their philosophy, hishuk ish tsawalk (“everything is one”), celebrating the interconnectedness of people and nature in a land they’ve occupied for thousands of years.

Editor's note

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