Travel websites often lose bookings to frustrating user experiences. From cluttered layouts to uninspiring content, these 10 UX problems are costing brands real revenue. The good news? Contentsquare’s analytics and optimization tools help you spot, understand, and fix every one—so you can delight travelers and drive conversions.
1. Cluttered layouts
The problem: overloaded homepages distract, overwhelm, and push visitors away.
How to fix: use a clean, focused design that prioritizes the search bar and clear calls to action.
Contentsquare solution: visualize where users get lost with Heatmaps. Quickly identify clutter, understand what’s drawing attention (and what isn’t), and declutter for a frictionless first impression.
On the landing page, the user is greeted simple layout that focusses on the search bar with a clear call-to-action. Once the user starts typing, the page changes to a more dynamic search page. Trivago understands their customers’ objectives and presents them with a clear and clutter-free search experience.
2. Unintuitive fields
The problem: confusing drop-downs and input fields slow users down.
How to fix: use hybrid search fields, autocomplete, and avoid hiding options.
Contentsquare solution: Form Analytics reveals where users hesitate, abandon, or make errors. Optimize forms based on real behavior to streamline search and booking.
A drop-down menu for the destination, especially when most of the text is obscured, slows down the search tremendously. If input values or destinations are limited, a hybrid text box and drop down menu works best. During exploratory sessions, users may conduct several searches at a time and will be slowed down by drop down menus.
Autocomplete search not only helps the user execute a search quickly but can also guide users who want to explore options in a specific country rather than a city.
3. NO TRACKING OF PROGRESS
The problem: guests get lost in long booking flows without knowing where they are.
How to fix: add clear progress trackers to booking steps.
Contentsquare solution: Session Replays let you see where users drop off. Use journey analysis to pinpoint friction and add progress indicators that guide users to completion.
Progress trackers can inform the user where they are in the buying process, what’s to come, and drives users to seek completion. This feature is a must-have for airlines and helps to logically structure the booking process.
4. NO MAP SEARCH TOOL
The problem: static lists limit exploration and inspiration.
How to fix: offer interactive maps that update results based on geography.
Contentsquare solution: Contentsquare shows how travelers interact with map features. Spot missed engagement opportunities and optimize your map search for discovery and delight.
An interactive map gives users a dynamic method of searching. Maps that refresh the search parameters based on geography or destination-based pricing can also be a source of inspiration for travelers.
5. Not personalised for the user
The problem: one-size-fits-all experiences ignore user intent and history.
How to fix: customize suggestions, currencies, and languages for new and returning visitors.
Contentsquare solution: Segmentation and Experience Analytics reveal what different user groups want. Personalize journeys, offers, and content to increase conversions and loyalty.
TripAdvisor gives users the option to choose their currency and language. Unlinking the two offers a truly customisable user experience.
New visitors vs. returning visitors
When new visitors land on your page, recommendations and popular destinations are ideal for creating inspiration if they are not set on where to go.
On the other hand, returning visitors should be greeted with recently viewed or recently searched offers that give them a more personalised experience. Returning users are 2x more likely to purchase during a session, hence the importance of personalising the page.
6. Choosing a date is tedious
The problem: pigid or clunky calendars make finding deals hard.
How to fix: use smart, flexible calendars—show price trends and “cheapest month.”
Contentsquare solution: analyze calendar interactions to spot confusion or abandonment. Test and refine calendar UX to speed up and smooth out bookings.
Finding the best deal on flights can be a long process and can be tough when the prices are so volatile. Skyscanner makes researching easy based on the certainty of the users.
If a customer has specific travel dates, choosing the date is easy on the calendar. An important UX point is to include the days from the previous and following month.
If dates are flexible, Skyscanner gives the option of choosing the month, even the cheapest month.
7. Neglecting Mobile UX
The problem: poor mobile sites drive users away—especially last-minute bookers.
How to fix: optimize for mobile with large buttons, easy inputs, and fast load times.
Contentsquare solution: Mobile Session Recordings and Mobile Heatmaps uncover device-specific issues. Prioritize the most impactful fixes for mobile travelers.
Optimising your content across all devices should be standard in 2016. Users are likely to conduct some portion of their research on mobile. Although the sessions may be shorter, users need to be able to find information quickly.
HotelTonight is geared towards the spontaneity of booking last minute hotel deals. With this in mind, they optimised their mobile site with UX best practices such as larger buttons and ensuring that the credit card input field prompts the number pad.
8. Ignoring the power of copywriting
The problem: bland or unclear copy fails to reassure or inspire action.
How to fix: use persuasive, contextual language—leverage urgency and social proof.
Contentsquare solution: use A/B Testing and Engagement Metrics to see which messages convert. Optimize microcopy (button labels, tips, warnings) for clarity and motivation.
Copywriting is often an afterthought in UX. Reassuring language can help ease anxiety about the booking. Also, giving customers contextual information, such as limited inventory or other customers, nudges them to purchase. A great example is seen on Booking.com:
Customers often open multiple tabs or “page park” when trying to find the best deal. When a user switches back and forth between tabs, the title of the page changes to the price. A minute detail like this that transforms and expedites the discovery process helps the user to purchase faster.
9. Not including reviews
The problem: lack of social proof reduces trust and increases drop-off.
How to fix: surface genuine customer reviews and highlight top-rated options.
Contentsquare solution: Contentsquare’s Journey Analysis shows the impact of reviews on bookings. Test placements and formats to maximize trust and conversion.
In the search listings page, Hotels.com not only integrated TripAdvisor reviews with their own customer reviews but also highlighted listings that were favoured by other users. Social proof is an important driver to purchase.
10. User inspiration
The problem: functional but uninspiring sites miss the emotional spark of travel.
How to fix: use high-impact images, wishlists, and shareable content to evoke wanderlust.
Contentsquare solution: track engagement with inspirational content. See which visuals and features actually drive exploration and sharing—and double down on what works.
In general, e-commerce websites with clean, efficient designs to promote professionalism and win the customer’s trust. However, the differentiating factor for getting your customer to purchase rests on the brand’s ability to inspire wanderlust.
High-impact images
Onefinestay uses large, high-res images with a lot of light and makes the rooms look spacious and inviting. High-impact images evoke emotions with the user and draws the user in visually.
Wishlists
When researching for an upcoming holiday, customers often gather as many options as possible. The wishlist function on AirBnB is easy to use and can be shared with traveling companions or your brand’s community-at-large.
Conclusion
Travellers’ needs are constantly evolving. Travel brands need to find the right combination of user-focussed functionality with inspirational content. The consumer purchase journey is a long process and the travel sector is highly competitive. By offering a pleasant and efficient user experience, travel brands can compete on other factors other than price and drive consumer loyalty.
We’re an international team of content experts and writers with a passion for all things customer experience (CX). From best practices to the hottest trends in digital, we’ve got it covered. Explore our guides to learn everything you need to know to create experiences that your customers will love. Happy reading!
