Intrepid Travel Case Study
Small group travel that makes a difference.
Please note: This case study is still in progress and will be updated periodically.
“Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind and fills you with stories to tell.”
— Paula Bendfeldt
Now more than ever, the world needs more Intrepid people.
Background
I love to travel. I know everyone says that, but it has been ingrained in me from a very young age. I’ve been traveling since before I was aware I was traveling. I flew by myself for the first time when I was 5 years old. I went on an international flight by myself when I was 17 and when I was 19, I studied abroad in Argentina for two months with a group of strangers. With covid-19 ruining all travel plans for 2020, I’ve been obsessing over trips I want to take once traveling becomes safe again in 2021 (hopefully). A lot of these are to destinations that aren’t easy to visit without going in a group.
My favorite website to pore over for the last year (and even a few years before then) has been Intrepid Travel. They’re all about small group travel with local guides. They seem to be a little more geared toward younger people but don’t have any age limits. Go to their website here. During my months of obsessing over this website, I’ve noticed a few things that have frustrated me.
So I decided what better way to stretch my UX skills than to make some small changes to the design to make the website easier to use for myself and other like-minded individuals. Plus, it’s much less depressing than staring at amazing trips while being stuck at home.
My Design Process
I went with IDEO’s Human-Centered Design and Lean UX Design Thinking process because it will ensure that I’m backing my decisions with user research and data. I’m very familiar with this method and thinks it fits this kind of project best.
Empathize
I miss traveling. This year was so full of plans and adventure for so many people. And then it just…wasn’t.
By just some cursory research on Google, I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Everyone wants to take a trip once this is over.
The travel industry, though hurt greatly by this year’s lack of travel, is gearing up for bigger numbers next year. One thing going up in the trends is group travel. Group trips used to be only geared toward the older generations, but now younger travel group sites are gaining popularity. Considering how hard it is to align budgets, dates, etc. among a group of friends, these trips are looking more and more attractive for those that seek adventure with other like-minded individuals.
Insights
Millennials lead all other generations in trips planned for 2022 (average of 4.4 trips during the next year according to travel reports)
Young adults are more and more interested in group trips and activities (63% of millennials plan to book group tours compared to 41% in all other age groups according to TripAdvisor)
While cost is an important factor, it is not as important as the experiences and people involved according to an informal Facebook survey conducted
Group travel sites need to take advantage of this. Millennials are the most likely generation to travel and value trips and experiences far more than physical things.
Define
User Interviews
Research Goals
Understand how users explore options for future trips
Discover common pre-conceived notions of groups travel and barriers to booking
Document frustrations and pain points with using travel websites