Since launch 64% more users are starting an online booking and conversion rates are up 10.4%

Overview

Imaginative Traveller (part of the TUI Group of Companies) are one of the world's leading operators of small group adventure travel and provide a choice of inspiring holidays to hundreds of worldwide destinations.

The Imaginative Traveller website is an integral part of their proposition. It allows the company to connect with both new and existing customers on a daily basis - informing, educating and inspiring them to explore the world in all its glory. It is also generates the business significant sales revenue and is a hub for most of the company's marketing activity.

Their existing website was underperforming on a number of levels and needed to attract, engage and convert visitors into paying customers.

Objectives / Approach

To deliver a successful solution it was important for us to understand the Imaginative Traveller brand and proposition on multiple business levels.

When developing our approach we looked closely at:

• The brands history and heritage
• Business infrastructure and lead distribution channels
• The holidays/tours and the people that go on them
• Competitor activity
• IT infrastructure and all the technologies in play
• Leads tracking and distribution
• Existing marketing and PR activity

Throughout the research and development phase we worked closely with the client and TUI's internal development team to develop a strategy that would deliver class leading solution that would deliver:

• An improved user experience
• A clearer and logical route to enquiry
• Increased online bookings/sales
• Encourage users participation and repeat visits/purchase

A staged approached ensured that the wireframes and design prototypes were thoroughly tested and catered for every user group, allowing the final design iteration to progress smoothly and efficiently.

This project was delivered with:

• Digital Strategy
• Developing the online brand
• Information architecture and prototype testing
• Design
• CSS/HTML template build
• Drupal integration consultancy

Results

The feedback on the new platform has been extremely positive from both an end-users perspective and within the TUI group itself.

The new site effectively positions Imaginative Traveller as of the world's leading adventure holiday specialists and now supports visitors through every step on the user journey, from research through to sale.

In the 2 months (Aug 2010) the new site has been live:

• 64% increase in users starting the online booking process
• 10.4% increase in online bookings
• Improved natural search position for both brand and non brand keywords/phrases
• Increased repeat visits

Testimonial

Imaginative Travellers Online Marketing Manager Russell Morling comments:
"From the initial wireframes, through design and coding, to supporting our web development team with implementation and testing, Soak were extremely professional and worked within budget and tight deadlines to produce an extremely attractive, but still functional, website, which has enabled Imaginative Traveller to start to see immediate growth in it's online transactions.

I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Soak to undertake any website project, large or small."