Traveling in the digital age is more accessible and convenient than ever, thanks to online platforms that allow you to book services for all of your needs during your trip. From plane tickets to hotel rooms, car rentals, vacation packages, and restaurants, chances are there is a website or an app where you can schedule and reserve your slot.
Around 65% of leisure travelers use various web resources to choose their destination and customize their experience. It is likely that during the planning process, a traveler will visit several websites to find what suits their needs. It is, therefore, essential for a hospitality business to incorporate crucial elements into their web design, which can increase client engagement, brand recognition, and increase conversions.
In addition to making sure that the user experience is excellent, you can improve your website by making sure that the following elements are present:
- Clean and straightforward layout where vital aspects are easily visible. By incorporating a booking button, for example, the user experience can be swift and seamless.
- Remove annoying features such as animation and music.
- Do not lead customers to click on attachments and files that they cannot view using a browser.
- Make navigation bars simple and easy to navigate.
- Information should be accessible and complete.
It is also vital to have links to review websites and have feedback from customers on the site to give visitors greater confidence.
What does it mean to have a responsive web design?
‘Responsiveness’ is the ability of a website to adapt to various conditions, such as varying computer resolutions and the type of device used by the viewer. Responsive web design is made possible by using specific techniques, such as fluid images and media queries, so that the website will display on a large desktop computer and reformat automatically to fit a tablet or mobile device.
It can be highly frustrating for a traveler to have to continually depend on a website that only displays well on a computer and does not load well on a mobile phone. Imagine the experience a customer will have while making a last-minute booking, perhaps in a café using their phone, but they have to continually scroll, resize and rotate the page to access the information they are looking for.
Integrating social media
Social media integration is another critical element of successful web design. In the hospitality industry, social media plays a significant role in helping businesses gain recognition. Travelers today are eager to post on social media about their experiences, and companies can capitalize on these posts as a form of free advertising.
There are many reasons why social media integration is a crucial element of web design for the hospitality industry and should be a priority. Firstly, businesses can use social media platforms to respond to customer queries and concerns in real time. These platforms are also cost-effective for advertising promotions and rewards. Also, you can give customers a behind-the-scenes look at how the business operates by posting stories on Instagram and Facebook.