Solo adventure seeker
I want to discover adventurous places like trekking and surfing spots, so I can plan an exciting trip without existing trip experiences.
"This introduces a theme-based layout with intuitive navigation, real traveler stories, and booking features. It focuses on accessibility, clarity."
Jayaprakash J
Visual & UX Designer
Why this matters to the department
Business goals
User research pointed to real business stakes - a redesign only earns its budget if it moves these too.
GOAL 01
Convert visits into direct bookings
Verified listings keep travelers booking through the government site instead of leaking to OTAs like MakeMyTrip.
↑ booking conversionGOAL 02
Cut bounce and drive return visits
Interviewees described the old site as unusable on mobile - a clearer structure keeps them exploring instead of leaving.
↓ bounce rateGOAL 03
Spread tourism revenue beyond hotspots
Theme-based discovery surfaces lesser-known temples, hills, and coastal towns - not just the destinations everyone already knows.
↑ destination reachGOAL 04
Build trust a government platform can own
Travelers said they don't trust official sites the way they trust private platforms - real stories and photos close that gap.
↑ platform credibilityThe route
Design process
Four legs of the same journey - from open-ended discovery to a shipped UI, each stop narrowing the problem down.
LEG 01
Discover
- UX research
- Brainstorming
- Interviews
LEG 02
Define
- User personas
- User stories
- Hypothesis
LEG 03
Develop
- Prototyping
- Testing
LEG 04
Deliver
- UI design
- Development
Where the market falls short
Competitor analysis
Three competitors were benchmarked. The pattern: shallow theming, weak booking trust, and almost no traveler voice - which shaped where this redesign chose to lead.
| Feature | Kerala Tourism | Incredible India | MakeMyTrip | TN Tourism (redesign) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theme-based exploration | Limited | Limited | Good | Strong |
| Booking support | None | None | Strong | Strong |
| Traveler stories | Limited | None | None | Strong |
| Virtual tours | Good | Good | None | Strong |
| Cultural personalization | Moderate | High | None | High |
| Accessibility | Good | Good | High | High |
Listening first
Interviews
Eight interviews surfaced the same friction again and again - with competitor sites and with wishes for what an ideal platform could feel like.
08
respondents interviewed
across the discover phase
across the discover phase
01
The current site feels like a notice board, not a travel guide.
02
I plan trips around themes - like temples or hill stations - but I had to Google everything separately.
03
It's hard to know what's trustworthy online. Government sites should feel more reliable.
04
The homepage should tell me what's new or seasonal.
Who this is for
User personas
Three personas structured the platform around the tour organizer and the traveler - not the department publishing the content.
The IT Professional
26 yrs · loves weekend travel
Goal
Easily find destinations that suit family interests - temples,
hill stations, and more.
Motivation
Create lasting memories with his family through safe,
enjoyable travel.
Pain point
Difficulty navigating the old Tamil Nadu Tourism website on
mobile.
Happiness
A clean, user-friendly layout with clear travel themes.
The Traveller
34 yrs · loves to travel
Goal
Access sanitized and safe accommodation options.
Motivation
Discover hidden destinations and authentic local experiences
in Tamil Nadu.
Pain point
Lack of filters or themed recommendations - content felt
generic.
Happiness
Family-friendly features like "top activities for kids" and
weekend family packages.
What each traveler needs
User stories
Twelve stories were written to pin down what situation, and for what purpose, the platform would be used.
Family traveler
I want to explore destinations that are safe and family-friendly, so I can plan a trip without worrying about logistics.
Cultural tourist
I want to find pilgrimage destinations and cultural events, so I can plan my trip during important festivals.
Visual learner
I want to read real traveler stories and see actual photos, so I can feel confident and inspired before booking.
Betting on a fix
Page hypotheses
Each hypothesis links a design decision to a problem found in research - so every screen ships with a reason attached.
If
we organize website content around user intent and travel themes
Then
users will find relevant destinations, activities, and accommodations faster
Because
they aren't currently able to filter or explore based on specific interests like adventure, honeymoon, or religious tourism on the site
If
we let the site offer booking or inquiries through verified listings
Then
travelers will avoid third-party uncertainty and prefer using the government site
Because
trust in authenticity and safety is a major concern
If
we show real traveler stories and photos
Then
users will feel more confident exploring lesser-known destinations
Because
social proof builds trust and inspires exploration
If
we introduce a clear, mobile-friendly navigation structure
Then
engagement and return visits will increase
Because
the current bounce rate suggests users leave due to poor usability
From structure to shipped screen
Final design
The homepage carries every research decision through - theme-based browsing, a persistent booking widget, real traveler stories, and a trust strip built to compete with private platforms.
01
Persistent booking widget
Hotel, location, date, and package fields sit directly in the hero - no digging before you can start planning.
→ Goal 01 · Booking conversion02
Explore by theme
Honeymoon, Adventure, Family, Religious, Water Activities, and Weekends replace one long undifferentiated destination list.
→ Hypothesis 01 · Intent-based nav03
Real Travelers, Real Stories
Named travelers, trip photos, and star ratings sit right on the homepage - not buried in a blog.
→ Hypothesis 03 · Social proof04
"Why Choose Us" trust strip
Sanitized premises, trusted advisors, safe & secure, 24/7 support - addressing the credibility gap travelers named directly.
→ Goal 04 · Platform credibilityHow browsing becomes a trip
Information architecture
Four different entry points - hotels, packages, themes, virtual tours - all funnel into one consistent path toward booking, with trust touchpoints placed exactly where research showed hesitation.
Core booking flow
Trust touchpoint
Before the visual layer
Wireframes
Low-fidelity structure locked the hierarchy in before a single color or photo was chosen.
Brand foundations
Typography & colors
A geometric type pairing and a palette drawn straight from the hero image - sky blue, alert coral, and a brass note for the state's temple heritage.
Gilroy
Outfit
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