In today’s fast-paced tourism industry, having a standout website is essential for attracting visitors and promoting a destination. At KIMBO Design, we’ve had the pleasure of working on several tourism website projects, including our recent redesign for McBride Tourism. The project allowed us to implement key improvements, such as enhanced visual design, imagery, typography, and a cleaner, more accessible user experience.
Based on this project and our extensive experience, here are some best practices to follow when designing a tourism website:
1. Visual Design: Showcase Stunning Imagery
Tourism websites thrive on powerful visual storytelling. For the McBride Tourism website, we focused on creating a visually captivating experience through high-quality images that highlight the area’s natural beauty. These images not only grab attention but also help immerse potential visitors in what the destination has to offer.
Best Practices:
– Use professional, optimized-resolution images and videos
– Include interactive galleries to feature multiple photos
– Provide Alt text for images
– Balance aesthetic appeal with fast loading times for optimal performance
2. Clean and Accessible Design
Accessibility is crucial, especially for tourism websites that serve a wide audience. The redesign of the McBride website included a clean and accessible layout that ensures all users, regardless of abilities, can explore the site with ease. A clutter-free design keeps navigation simple and highlights important content without overwhelming visitors.
Best Practices:
– Follow web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1)
– Use high-contrast color schemes, readable fonts, and large buttons
– Simplify the layout to ensure ease of navigation for all users
3. Responsive Design: Ensure Mobile Optimization
Tourists are often on the go, using mobile devices to plan trips and book services. Our McBride Tourism project emphasized responsive design, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices. A mobile-first approach is no longer a trend—it’s a necessity in today’s digital landscape.
Best Practices:
– Implement a responsive framework that adapts to different screen sizes
– Prioritize fast load times, especially for mobile users
– Use touch-friendly navigation and interactive elements
4. Improved User Experience
User experience (UX) is at the heart of any successful tourism website. For McBride, we focused on streamlining the user journey—making it easy for visitors to find relevant information, discover local attractions, and engage with the content. By improving UX, we helped create a website that not only informs but also inspires action.
Best Practices:
– Structure information logically, with clear navigation
– Include a search function and filter options for easy content discovery
– Use strategic calls-to-action (CTAs) like “Plan Your Trip” and “View Accommodations”
5. Typography: Enhance Readability and Appeal
In addition to stunning visuals, typography plays a major role in website design. For McBride, we enhanced the typography to ensure that text was readable across all devices while still aligning with the brand’s aesthetic. Good typography improves both readability and the overall user experience.
Best Practices:
– Use web-friendly fonts that align with the brand identity
– Ensure text is legible on all screen sizes by using scalable fonts
– Balance the visual weight of headings, body text, and CTAs for consistency
A well-designed tourism website is essential to attracting and engaging visitors. From visually stunning imagery to seamless user experience and conversion-optimized features, our work on the McBride Tourism website reflects the best practices in tourism web design. By following these principles, you can create a site that not only looks beautiful but also delivers measurable results.
At KIMBO Design, we specialize in crafting websites that drive tourism success. Contact us to learn how we can bring your destination to life online!
