As a travel agency, your website is the first impression potential clients have of your business. You want a professional, responsive design that highlights your offerings and makes booking convenient. However, building an attractive website requires technical skills and can be time-consuming. Using a simple yet powerful website builder tool allows you to create a customized site without needing to know how to code.
One such tool is Unicorn Platform, an easy-to-use drag and drop website builder perfect for travel agencies. With designer templates tailored to the travel industry, you can quickly set up a landing page for your business. Add eye-catching photos of destinations, describe your services, and enable online booking right on your site. Unicorn Platform's intuitive interface means you can build and edit pages in just a few clicks without needing a developer. Focus on what you do best - crafting memorable travel experiences for your clients - and let Unicorn Platform handle your website. Travel agencies of any size can benefit from a professionally designed site to attract new customers and boost online bookings. Unicorn Platform makes the process simple so you can get back to growing your business.
If you want to learn more about creating an amazing tour and travel website design even if you're not a designer, check out Unicorn Platform's article on how to make an amazing tour and travel website design.
Why You Need a Website for Your Travel Agency
As a travel agency, having an informative and appealing website is crucial to your success. Here are a few reasons why you need a professional website:
- Build Credibility. A well-designed website establishes your agency as a legitimate, professional business that values quality and service. It gives potential clients confidence in your abilities and a good first impression.
- Attract New Clients. Many people research travel agencies and destinations on the internet before booking a trip. An attractive, user-friendly website allows you to showcase your services to attract new customers. Optimizing your site for search engines like Google can help drive organic traffic and leads.
- Provide Helpful Information. A good website educates visitors about travel options, destinations, accommodation types, and more. This added value positions your agency as a helpful resource and builds trust in your expertise. Share details on popular locations, tips for families or solo travelers, updates on travel requirements, and the latest deals.
- Enable Online Booking. Allowing customers to book travel on your website makes the process more convenient for them and efficient for your agency. Online booking options are increasingly expected, especially for simple reservations. Integrate booking functionality to keep up with trends and make it easy for people to use your services.
- Stay Connected. An active website and social media presence keeps your agency connected with both current and potential customers. Share blog posts, photos, travel stories, newsletters, promotions, and updates to stay engaged with your audience in between bookings. Build a community and following around shared interests in travel.
- Analyze Performance. Monitoring analytics for your website provides valuable insights into how people find and interact with your digital content. See which posts and pages are most popular, where your traffic is coming from, and how well your SEO and marketing efforts are performing. Make data-driven decisions to optimize your website and better serve clients.
Website Builder Platform for Travel Agencies - Unicorn Platform
For travel agencies looking to establish an online presence, a dedicated website is essential. When choosing a website builder platform, consider one that provides useful features tailored to the travel industry like Unicorn Platform.
Unicorn Platform offers an intuitive drag and drop website builder with designer-made templates focused on destinations, tours, hotels, and travel experiences. With guided setup, you can quickly launch a professional travel agency website.
- Image galleries: Showcase vivid photos of popular destinations, hotels, and travel experiences. Image galleries are a key part of any travel website.
- Blog: Share travel guides, tips, reviews, and stories to establish your agency as an industry expert. A blog also helps with search engine optimization.
- Contact forms: Make it easy for potential clients to get in touch. Contact forms allow people to request information, book services, or ask questions.
- Booking functionality: For some travel agencies, online booking is important. Unicorn Platform integrates with booking platforms to allow clients to schedule and pay for travel services on your website.
- SEO tools: Unicorn Platform includes SEO tools to help your website rank higher in search engines like Google. Features include meta title and description customization, alt text for images, internal linking, and more.
- 24/7 support: As an agency owner, you want a website platform with helpful support. Unicorn Platform provides 24/7 live chat and email support in case you have any issues building or managing your travel website.
With the right website builder like Unicorn Platform, developing an eye-catching, user-friendly travel agency website has never been easier. Focus on what really matters - crafting amazing travel experiences for your clients. Let Unicorn Platform handle the website.
Website Development For Travel Agency on Unicorn Platform
To build an effective yet simple website for a travel agency on Unicorn Platform, there are a few key steps to follow:
Choose a template
Select a template from the variety of options that is suitable for a travel agency website. Some good options include:
- Travel - Focused on destinations, tours and booking
- Services - Highlights the agency's offerings and expertise
- About Us - Emphasizes the agency's story and team
Add content sections
Include essential content sections like:
- Home page - Feature alluring images of destinations, a welcome message and call to action buttons
- About Us - Share the agency's mission, values, credentials and team
- Services - Detail offerings like flights, hotels, guided tours, cruises, etc. with descriptions and visuals
- Destinations - Highlight top locations with enticing photos, facts and itineraries
- Blog - Publish regular updates on travel news, tips, experiences and promotions
- Contact - Provide phone, email, address and an easy contact form
Include booking functionality
Integrate a booking system or work with a third-party to allow visitors to easily book flights, hotels and other services. This functionality is key to converting visitors into customers.
Optimize for search engines
To improve search ranking and visibility, be sure to:
- Choose a keyword-rich domain name and page titles
- Include important keywords in page content, meta descriptions and image alt text
- Build internal links between relevant pages and blog posts
- Gain quality backlinks from other trusted sites
Launch and promote
Once the website is ready, launch it and start promoting to drive traffic. Some strategies include:
- Social media marketing on platforms like Facebook and Instagram
- Pay-per-click advertising with Google Ads targeting travel-related keywords
- Search engine optimization to improve organic rankings in search results
- Email marketing to share updates and special offers with subscribers
- Partnerships and referrals from complementary businesses
Building a simple yet effective website for a travel agency requires focusing on the essential elements that will resonate with visitors and motivate them to become customers. By following the steps above, you can develop an attractive website on Unicorn Platform that highlights your services, destinations and expertise. Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Building an About Us Page That Converts
Focus on Your Audience
When building an About Us page for a travel agency website, keep your target audience of potential clients and customers in mind. Explain your services and offerings in a way that appeals to their desire for exciting and memorable travel experiences.
Share Your Story
Briefly explain how the travel agency came to be. Share your passion for travel and helping others fulfill their wanderlust. Outline your experience in the travel industry and the expertise you have gained over the years. Explain what makes your agency unique and the type of experience or service you aim to provide for clients. Keep this section concise while conveying your key message.
Highlight Your Services
Clearly list the specific services you offer, such as:
- Customized tour packages - Describe the locations and types of pre-planned trips you specialize in.
- Independent travel planning - Explain your process for helping clients self-design their own trips.
- Corporate travel management - Discuss how you handle business travel arrangements if that is part of your services.
- Luxury travel - Promote any high-end travel options and experiences you provide if applicable.
- Additional services - Include booking accommodations, flights, rental cars, travel insurance, etc.
Share Your Team's Expertise
Introduce your team and highlight each member’s relevant experience, certifications, expertise, and the types of trips they specialize in planning. Explain your vetting and training process to ensure high quality service. Share any industry awards or recognition you have received.
Call Them to Action
End with a call-to-action inviting the reader to contact you to start planning an exciting trip. You might say something like: “We're passionate about crafting custom travel experiences. Contact us today to start designing your dream getaway!” Provide your contact information and any links to contact forms to make it easy for them to get in touch.
An informative yet concise About Us page that highlights these key elements will help establish your authority, build trust, and convert readers into customers. Focusing on your ideal clients and the experiences you provide will inspire them to embark on a new journey with your travel agency.
Creating an Impactful Services Page
To effectively showcase your services, you need an impactful services page on your travel agency website. This page should highlight each offering you provide to capture potential clients' interest.
Clearly Define Your Services
Describe each service you offer in detail using concise yet compelling copy. Some examples for a travel agency may include:
- Vacation Planning - Help clients plan memorable getaways by handling details like booking hotels, flights, and activities.
- Guided Tours - Offer pre-planned guided tours for popular destinations. Highlight what is included in each tour package.
- Corporate Travel - Assist businesses in booking travel for work events, conferences, and employee trips. Explain the end-to-end services provided.
- VIP Travel - Provide luxury travel services for discerning clients with an emphasis on exclusive experiences.
Use Visuals to Enhance Your Page
Include eye-catching photos for each service to give visitors a sense of what they can experience by using your agency. For guided tours and VIP travel, feature images of previous destinations you have arranged trips to. For corporate and vacation travel, use generic photos of people traveling for business or leisure.
Focus on Client Benefits
For each service, emphasize the key benefits to clients. For example, for vacation planning you may highlight how you handle time-consuming details so they can relax, or for corporate travel you ensure cost savings and efficiency. Put the spotlight on how you make life easier and enhance experiences.
Include Client Testimonials (If Available)
Add authentic reviews and ratings from your clients discussing their experiences using your services. New visitors will appreciate hearing directly from past customers about the value you provide.
Call Them to Action
End your services page with a clear call to action like, "Contact us today to start planning your next memorable trip." Then provide your contact information prominently. A strong CTA will prompt interested visitors to reach out for a quote or consultation.
Following these tips will result in an impactful services page that resonates with your target audience and inspires them to use your travel agency. Crafting compelling copy, incorporating visuals, focusing on benefits, adding social proof, and including a CTA are key to creating a high-converting page.
Designing an Easy-to-Navigate Site
Designing an easy-to-navigate website is crucial for any travel agency. Follow these steps to build an intuitive site:
Choose a Simple Layout
A clean, minimal design works well for travel websites. Focus on a simple layout with plenty of white space, a balanced grid system, and consistent styling across pages. This makes it easy for visitors to find what they need.
Include Clear Navigation
A navigation menu is essential for travel sites, allowing customers to browse destinations, packages, guides, and more. Use simple and semantic menu item names like “Destinations,” “Travel Packages,” “Travel Guides.” Place the main menu prominently at the top of each page for easy access. You may also want to include footer links to secondary pages like “About Us,” “Contact,” and “Terms of Service.”
Optimize Page Load Speed
With many high-quality images, travel websites can become slow to load. Employ techniques like image compression, caching, and CDNs to optimize page speed. Studies show that even minor delays in page load time can significantly impact visitor experience and conversion rates.
Highlight Visuals
Travel is an inherently visual experience. Include eye-catching photos and videos throughout your site to capture the spirit of adventure. Showcase destination highlights, hotel accommodations, landmarks, and activities. For the home page, use a large banner image with text overlay to make a bold first impression.
Include Calls-to-Action
Strategically placed calls-to-action (CTAs) encourage visitors to contact you or book a trip. Use compelling CTAs like “Discover Thailand Now” or “Plan Your Dream Vacation.” Place CTAs prominently on page sections where visitors are engaged with content about destinations or travel packages. This motivates them to take the next step.
By following these best practices, you can build an intuitive travel website that provides an exceptional user experience. Visitors will appreciate the simple design, clear navigation, engaging visuals, and strategic CTAs which make it easy to explore exciting travel options and book their next adventure.
Optimizing for Mobile: Why It's Essential for Travel Agencies
The Rise of Mobile
According to recent studies, over 50% of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices. As a travel agency, optimizing your website for mobile is critical to reach potential customers and drive conversions. If your site is not mobile-friendly, you could be missing out on a huge number of bookings and leaving money on the table.
Responsive or Mobile-First Design
The best approach is to use a responsive or mobile-first web design. A responsive site automatically adjusts for the screen size of the device being used to access it. Content and images resize to fit everything from a small mobile phone up to a large desktop monitor. A mobile-first design starts with the mobile interface and then scales up components as needed for larger screens. Either of these approaches will ensure your site is easy to use and navigate on any device.
Essential Elements for Mobile
Some key things to focus on for mobile optimization include:
- Large tap targets: Make buttons and links easy to tap with fingers by increasing their size.
- Minimal navigation: Keep the menu simple with only essential items. Nest secondary pages under main menu categories.
- Clear call-to-action buttons: Prominent 'Book Now' or 'Contact Us' buttons should be prominently placed on each page.
- Fast load times: Compress images and minimize redirects to allow pages to load in 3 seconds or less.
- Easy form filling: Use drop-down fields and minimal form fields that can be completed quickly on a small screen.
- Prominent contact information: Your phone number, email, and address should be clearly visible on all pages.
- Readable text: Use a simple, clean font with adequate spacing for easy reading on small screens.
By optimizing your travel agency website for mobile, you make it as easy as possible for visitors to find the information they need and complete a booking. Focusing on mobile-friendliness and conversion is one of the best ways to drive more business and increase revenue in today's marketplace. Your customers will appreciate the great experience, and your business will reap the rewards.
Driving Traffic to Your New Website
Once your travel agency website is built, it’s time to drive potential customers to discover it. Generating traffic and interest in your new site will be crucial to gaining new clients and growing your business.
Search Engine Optimization
Optimizing your site for search engines like Google is one of the most effective ways to increase traffic. Include important keywords in your page titles, headers, content, image alt text, and meta descriptions. Publish high-quality blog content regularly to establish your agency as an authority in the travel industry. Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console to help them index your new site.
Social Media Promotion
Promote your new website on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Share blog posts, photos, agency updates, travel inspiration, and special offers to increase engagement and drive traffic to your site. Invite followers to explore your services and contact you for a free consultation. Build your social following by posting daily and engaging with your audience.
Paid Advertising
Investing in pay-per-click ads (PPC) on search engines and social media is an effective way to drive targeted traffic to a new website. With PPC, you only pay when someone clicks your ad. Options like Google Ads and Facebook Ads allow you to set a budget and bid on relevant keywords and audience interests. PPC gets your site in front of people actively searching for travel agencies and travel services.
Email Marketing
If you have an existing customer base, email marketing is one of the best ways to announce and promote your new website. Send a dedicated email highlighting your new site, redesigned services, special offers, and a call-to-action to visit the site. Feature your website in your regular email newsletters, promotions, and updates to continually drive your subscribers to your site. Offer an incentive for subscribers to explore the new site.
Driving consistent traffic and interest in your website from the start is key to gaining new clients and building a successful travel agency. A combination of search optimization, social promotion, paid advertising, email marketing, and other strategies will ensure your new site is discovered by your ideal potential customers.
Website FAQs: Common Questions From Travel Agencies
What platform do you recommend for a travel agency website?
For travel agencies, we recommend an easy-to-use website builder platform that provides templates and features geared specifically toward the tourism industry. Some highly-rated options include:
- Unicorn Platform: Drag-and-drop builder with stylish travel website templates, booking features, and marketing tools. Integrates with major booking engines and CRMs.
- Wix: Popular website builder with beautiful, mobile-friendly travel templates, booking functionality, and useful apps for marketing and SEO. Easy to set up but may require more advanced knowledge to fully customize.
- Squarespace: Stylish templates, ecommerce features, and integrations ideal for travel agencies. Intuitive interface but less flexibility for customization. Plans start at $26/month.
How much does it cost to build a travel website?
The cost to build a travel website can range from under $100 to $5,000 or more, depending on the platform and features. Some options include:
- Free or low-cost website builders (Weebly, Wix, etc.): You can create a basic but professional site for little to no cost. Limited design options and functionality.
- Mid-range website builders (Unicorn Platform, Squarespace): Plans starting at $10-$30/month with better templates, features, and support. Suitable for most small travel agencies.
- Custom web design: Hiring a web designer to build a custom travel site typically starts around $3,000-$5,000 or more. Greatest flexibility and customization but higher upfront cost.
- Booking engine integration: Adding a booking engine to process reservations through your site may incur additional fees of a few hundred to $1,000 or more per month, depending on the solution.
In summary, you can expect to pay between $0 to $500/month for a DIY travel website builder solution, or budget at least $3,000 or more for a custom design with booking functionality. The investment can be well worth it to establish a professional online presence and drive more direct bookings.
Conclusion
As you have seen, creating an engaging yet simple website for your travel agency business does not have to be complicated or expensive. With user-friendly website builders like Unicorn Platform that offer drag and drop functionality and stylish templates specifically tailored for the travel industry, you can have a professional site up and running in no time. Focus on highlighting your unique offerings, sharing photos that capture the essence of the locations and experiences you provide, and including a clear call to action on every page to capture leads and drive sales. A well-designed website is a smart investment that will allow your travel agency to establish credibility and connect with new clients searching online. Take advantage of the opportunity and tools available to build a site that reflects your brand and passion for crafting memorable trips.
