Acting initially as Content Creator and Travel writer (and subsequently also as web/ui/ux/presentation designer), my collaboration with Frommer's has been showcased in numerous publications. However, as the tide turned, it became impossible to ignore that the landscape of information gathering and sharing was rapidly changing and moving predominately into the digital arena.
Print, was suddenly a supplementary medium rather than the primary focus.
So how does one contemporize and revitalize a brand that had become legendary in the travel literature genre since its inception in 1957- with an impressive catalogue (350 guidebooks and 15 series)- yet had done so exclusively in the print publishing industry?
How can it enter and thrive in the digital world?
How to contemporize and revitalize a brand that had become legendary in the travel literature genre since its inception in 1957- with an impressive catalogue (350 guidebooks and 15 series)- yet had done so exclusively in the print publishing industry? How can it enter and thrive in the digital world?
A responsive website with a visually appealing interface featuring comprehensive details about different destinations, attractions, and accommodations and well-planned itineraries to help users make detailed travel plans keeping with the legacy of the Frommer's brand-trustworthy, thorough and honest. With a modern responsive site, users can access this wealth of information and plan their trips conveniently across various devices while ensuring a seamless browsing experience enhanced by video, image galleries & slideshows, spotlights, detailed current reviews, social media, continuously updated content, interactive maps & itineraries, helpful tips, Q&A, off the beaten path highlights and user participation via the blog and socials.
How to contemporize and revitalize a brand that had become legendary in the travel literature genre since its inception in 1957- with an impressive catalogue (350 guidebooks and 15 series)- yet had done so exclusively in the print publishing industry? How can it enter and thrive in the digital world?
Observed the actions of our contemporaries, analyzing their effectiveness and short comings.
Engaged with our readers through our blog and website, conducted online surveys via our site, social media, and email campaigns.
Examined the evolving terrain, including platforms like TripAdvisor where travelers congregate to share their own recommendations and reviews, as well as the soaring popularity of Airbnb.
With this comprehensive understanding, I embarked on crafting tailored customer journeys for every type of traveler: from the daring solo adventurer to college students seeking affordable and thrilling destinations, from families and couples in search of budget-friendly deals to those for whom money posed no limits.
In my role as the author and researcher for the captivating city of Athens and the enchanting island of Mykonos, I carefully delineated journeys for these two destinations, thoroughly considering all that they had to offer. Included well-known attractions that most travelers were familiar with, as well as hidden gems off the beaten path, cherished secrets known only to the locals. In this interactive process, we warmly encouraged our users to actively participate by sharing their comments, ideas, opinions, personal experiences and what they wanted from a travel guide, what was lacking from ones they used in the past, what info did they want, how did they prefer to access it etc.
The overwhelming majpority wanted a travel guide that was continuously updated, had all current info, was easy to access and navigate through. They wanted it to be like a friend thay had in the place they were visiting rather than a traditional travel guide, with in the know places and deals. They also wanted to be able to store info in case of limited or no wifi access and even a print version if it weren't too bulky to carry around.
The process of logging in is effortlessly simple.
The navigation is instinctively intuitive, ensuring that finding the desired categories is a breeze.
Our information is neatly organized into easily searchable and identifiable categories.
The Call-to-Actions are crystal clear and distinguishable.
Returning to the main home page is just a click away, making it incredibly convenient.
Contacting us is made simple and hassle-free.
The journey commences upon arrival at the airport, where finding the most convenient way into the city is a seamless experience.
The city is skillfully delineated into neighborhoods, catering to customer preferences, with interactive maps showcasing enticing routes of interest, ranging from historical landmarks to vibrant bar crawls, as well as a plethora of "off the beaten track" recommendations. Our curated "best of" lists come to life with interactive walks, mouth-watering menus, and informative pop-ups.
Each historic location is accompanied by suggested time to be spent there, along with a detailed account of its rich history. Additionally, the content is continuously updated in a city where establishments such as bars, clubs, and restaurants are in a constant state of flux, a phenomenon that print mediums struggle to keep up with.
Our social media presence is fun, negaging, informative, interactive and constantly updated.
I concentrated primarily on the historic downtown section of Athens with its abundance of historical sites, museums, galleries and wine/dine options.
The Archaeological ticket gains one access to all the sites for 3 days so we created entire itineraries focused on the Archaeological Promenade and then venturing further downtown.
We had overlapping points of interest but also stark differences depending on the target audience: solo, couples, groups, families, children etc.
We used the maps we had used in the past when mapping out the points of interest and suggested establishments then created wireframes and interactive prototypes.
At hover a pop up would appear that would inform the user of the site, its location and suggested the adequate time for making the most of each visit plus a CTA to book tickets online via our site/app.
Through testing we discovered though the users were generally impressed and quite pleased with the overall experience they had a few suggestions.
They wanted more options.
So we went back to the drawing board and came back with unique options for each site.
For example the pop up for the Acropolis Museum would also include links to the Gift Shop. options for guided tours with local professionals, a map of the museum's layout and direct link to the museum's cafe and restaurant's menu and reservation options.
For the walk on the 3 mile Promenade we included options for bicycle rentals, map of the area, suggested points of interest along the way, cafes and restaurants in close proximity and the location of kiosks for water, snacks and beverages as well as the location of public restrooms and public wifi spots.
A responsive website with a visually appealing interface featuring comprehensive details about different destinations, attractions, and accommodations and well-planned itineraries to help users make detailed travel plans keeping with the legacy of the Frommer's brand-trustworthy, thorough and honest. With a modern responsive site, users can access this wealth of information and plan their trips conveniently across various devices while ensuring a seamless browsing experience enhanced by video, image galleries & slideshows, spotlights, detailed current reviews, social media, continuously updated content, interactive maps & itineraries, helpful tips, Q&A, off the beaten path highlights and user participation via the blog and socials.
Increase in interaction with the site/blog: +120%.
Increase in sharing via our social media: +61%.
Increase in sales of print guide: +18%.
Increase in download of digital guide: +53%.
