Scalable Tourism Platform Design
Akinkunmi Ayo
Discover Nigeria
Designing a Scalable Tourism Platform That Converts Exploration into Action
A modern, responsive travel platform built to simplify destination discovery and trip planning across Nigerian cities.
Project Overview
This project focused on designing a tourism discovery platform that allows users to:
Search destinations instantly
Explore major cities visually
Discover top attractions
Access structured travel information
Plan trips with clarity and confidence
The core objective was to transform scattered travel information into a structured, scalable, conversion-ready digital experience.
The Problem
Through competitive analysis and UX review, I identified key issues common in tourism platforms:
1. Information Overload
Users are often bombarded with long paragraphs and cluttered layouts.
2. Poor Navigation Structure
Important sections like attractions, hotels, and travel tips are buried.
3. Weak Conversion Focus
Platforms inspire users visually but fail to guide them toward action.
4. Lack of Scalability
Most designs work for one city but break when expanding to multiple destinations.
The challenge wasn’t just design — it was building a scalable tourism system.
The Solution
I designed a modular, city-based architecture that balances emotional storytelling with structured usability.
The solution focused on four pillars:
1. Emotional First Impression (Homepage Strategy)
The large scenic hero image builds aspiration immediately.
Why this works:
Travel decisions are emotional
High-quality imagery increases engagement
The prominent search bar reduces decision friction
The homepage balances inspiration with immediate utility.
2. Structured Destination Architecture
Each city page follows a repeatable, scalable layout:
Hero banner for emotional context
Tabbed navigation (Overview / Hotels / Restaurants / Attractions)
Structured content blocks
Integrated map for spatial clarity
Curated highlights
Strong call-to-action
This prevents cognitive overload and supports rapid scanning.
3. Decision-Driven Attraction Listings
Instead of generic listings, each attraction includes:
Visual thumbnail
Short digestible description
Rating indicator
Clear hierarchy
This reduces analysis paralysis and improves comparison.
4. Guided Trip Planning System
The “Don’t Miss” section and CTA (“Start Your Trip”) create forward momentum.
The user journey moves from:
Inspiration → Exploration → Validation → Action
This shift turns passive browsing into intentional planning.
UX & Product Thinking Applied
Progressive disclosure to manage complexity
Card-based UI for scannability
Repeatable design system for multi-city expansion
Clear hierarchy and typography scale
Action-oriented CTA placement
Balanced emotional + functional design
Every component was designed to scale as new destinations are added.
My Role
I led the project end-to-end:
UX Research
Information Architecture
User Flow Design
UI System Creation
Component Library Structuring
Responsive Layout Planning
I focused on creating a system — not just screens.
Design System Approach
To ensure scalability:
Built reusable city page templates
Created modular attraction cards
Standardized spacing and typography
Structured consistent content blocks
This allows rapid expansion without redesigning each page.
Business Impact
The final product:
Improves user clarity and engagement
Reduces browsing friction
Encourages deeper destination exploration
Creates a scalable tourism marketplace foundation
The platform is now positioned to evolve into:
Booking integration
Local experience marketplace
Sponsored attraction listings
Travel subscription services
It’s no longer just a tourism site — it’s infrastructure for a travel ecosystem.
Why This Project Matters
Most designers focus on visuals.
I focused on structure, scalability, and conversion logic.
This project demonstrates my ability to:
Turn complex information into structured systems
Design marketplaces and discovery platforms
Balance emotional design with business strategy
Build scalable UI systems for growth-stage products
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Posted Feb 25, 2026
Designed a scalable tourism platform for Nigerian cities that enhances user engagement and exploration.
