An interactive site for active travellers
Boasting white sand beaches, verdant mountain peaks, and over 250,000 acres of state parks to explore (not to mention four distinct seasons!), North Carolina’s incredible diversity makes it an ideal destination for travellers of all stripes. It also means they needed a website that would help visitors navigate the state’s astonishing variety of options with ease, while also inspiring them to stop dreaming and book their trip. To bring this new site to life, our team created a strategic outline that included advanced mapping and trip planning tools, as well as integrated AI search functionality using the Algolia platform. The result is a website that’s as useful as it is beautiful, while showcasing everything that makes North Carolina an unforgettable destination.
Maps with more
In a state with three distinct regions, each offering a seemingly endless menu of activities, amenities, and attractions, we needed an intuitive, user-friendly way for visitors to explore the state and even create their ideal itinerary. But this website couldn’t be all function and no flash; it was equally imperative that it feel vibrant, immersive, and authentic to the destination. The solution? Layered maps that allow users to click through to increasing levels of detail, including dozens of customized trip itineraries for all types of visitors.
Colours & fonts
To help convey the incredible vibrancy of North Carolina, while also nodding to the tremendous diversity of stunning landscapes, we retained their existing colour palette, which features bold, eye-catching hues from every corner of the state. With teal and cyan to represent the sea and sky, and deep green and gold that nods to the seasonal diversity of the forests, the palette feels fresh, inviting, and authentic to the place. We also retained their existing brand font, Tungsten Bold, an unmistakably confident typeface that’s both flexible and easy to read.
Mobile-first approach
It’s no secret that modern travellers do most of their trip planning and booking on their phones. Our designers designed and tested every aspect of the new site with this in mind, ensuring a seamless, user-friendly, and immersive experience that packs an entire state into a smartphone, making it easy for visitors to do their planning whenever and wherever is convenient for them.
Itineraries
Some travellers like to play it by ear; others want to know exactly where they’re going, what they’re doing, and when. For the latter group, we incorporated bespoke itineraries that are easily accessed from multiple points on the site, ensuring that visitors are never more than a click or two away from their perfect itinerary. From beaches to BBQ to football and fine dining, these detailed itineraries take all the stress out of planning an unforgettable trip to the Tar Heel State.
Traveller quiz
Because every traveler is unique, we implemented a traveller type quiz that assesses region and activity preferences, along with individual personality traits to help steer visitors in the right direction. Not only does the quiz help visitors plan their perfect trip, it also keeps them engaged and exploring more of the site, resulting in an even more immersive experience.
Trip planning tools
Comprehensive trip planning tools can be found throughout the site, including crucial transportation information such as bus, rail, air, and even ferry services. We also incorporated an events and festivals calendar, making it easy for visitors to plan their trip around a specific occasion.
Sponsored content
By incorporating sponsored content into the site, we made it easy for local vendors and destinations to showcase their offerings. These modules are seamlessly integrated into the rest of the website, ensuring a consistent user experience, while maintaining the overall look and feel.
