Web Design Case Study: Trace Your Trail
Web Developer for Travel Agency: Building a Trail-Ready Site
We helped Trace Your Trail create a custom travel website that’s as polished, intuitive, and inspiring as the hikes it promotes—turning curious browsers into booked-out tour groups and setting an example in the local travel industry.
The backstory: Why a fresh digital trailhead was overdue
When Jason Tracer, founder of Trace Your Trail, came to us, he had a great reputation for guided hikes on San Juan Island, and local connections with farms and restaurants. But he hadn't launched his business, his online presence, or website.
He wanted something more personal and intimate than just another corporate-looking travel agency website. The goal was to build a digital space that could grow with the business, seamlessly support his online booking system, and finally give visitors a taste of the adventure they’d be signing up for, boosting customer engagement while completing business objectives. Jason doesn't just run tours—he curates immersive outdoor experiences, and the online presence needed to reflect that.
What we built: A custom travel website giving clarity and connection
This website is similar to another travel website design we created for Crux Expeditions. For Jason, we developed a fully custom responsive design tailored to the travel industry, using strategy-first design to meet the real needs of Trace Your Trail's audience: people seeking the best hikes on San Juan Island and meaningful adventures that can only be given by a local-led travel guide.
Here’s what went into the process:
A conversion-focused layout that guides visitors to book
We built a user friendly website structure that helps potential travelers flow, from landing on the homepage to selecting the travel packages that will give them the perfect hike experience. Using clear calls to action, dynamic content blocks, and a streamlined booking system, we planned every step in the development process with the goal of reducing customer friction, creating the essential result every travel agency strives for—a clear, easy-to-use website experience where all user interactions are a breeze.
Clean visuals + natural textures
This wasn’t about using flashy travel site templates that are all too common in the travel industry. We designed a unique aesthetic with custom illustrations that feels grounded, natural, and trustworthy (and screams PNW), calling potential customers in. When you take a look you'll see forest tones and calming color schemes, crisp trail photography, and smart use of white space to let the content breathe. The vibe we wanted was for it to feel like opening a beautifully illustrated trail map, only digital. And we're pretty happy with how we did!
Built-in tools for growth
We baked in everything needed for future success: mobile responsiveness, content management features for real-time editing, and robust Search Engine Optimization tools. The site’s also packed with travel site must-haves like a dynamic booking system, contact forms, and options for customer management—ready to scale as Trace Your Trail grows.
Optimized for visibility and connection
This wasn't just about building a nice-looking front end. Behind the scenes, we fine-tuned the travel SEO metadata, optimized content around keywords like guided hiking, local keywords like San Juan Islands tours, and made sure the structure would work well with Google Search and other digital marketing channels. Now Jason shows up for the right people—whether they're searching for San Juan Islands Washington tours, San Juan Islands image galleries, travel agency in San Juan, and lots of other searches popular in the tourism industry. Jason is now ready to be seen and show off his wide range of extensive experiences around the island!
The impact of this travel web design
Since launching the new site, Jason’s seen a positive shift in SEO. Some standout results:
He's acquired some important keywords like "san juan island hikes" and "pictures of the san juan islands." Potential customers can now find Jason's offering much more easily in the busy travel business marketplace.
Increased customer satisfaction from a faster, easier user experience that boasts a payment gateway for all travel packages, easy-to-use contact forms, and a wide range of booking features.
Consistent positive feedback from both clients and industry peers about the new look and feel, the color schemes, and intuitive navigation all speak to the success of custom travel website designs
And best of all? Jason now has a travel portal he can confidently share with potential travelers, tourism partners, and local networks. It feels like his brand, just digitized.
Here's what Jason had to say when the dust had settled on his new website:
“It has been such a great experience and pleasure working with Noé and the entire Worth The Journey team. It's a lot starting a new business and their digital marketing agency has been instrumental in the branding, website development, and now social media management for my new business. Every aspect of the process has been done with attention to detail, professionalism, and genuine kindness. I'm grateful and appreciative to all the folks at Worth The Journey. Thanks so much!”
Why this travel website design works
This project is a solid example of how professional travel websites can feel personal and powerful at the same time. It shows how the right website development team can help small businesses stand out, not by being the flashiest, but by being the most personal. Digital marketing services provide a wide range of improvements in the professional travel sector, and this project definitely shows off one of them where it matters—to potential customers.
Here’s what makes it work:
Smart structure: Everything on the site is designed with the customer journey in mind—from first visit to confirmed booking, giving the ideal travel business website experience.
Authentic identity: The look, voice, and layout all support Jason’s unique approach to the outdoors. This is not a plug-and-play site; it’s a true extension of the brand and a standout in the local professional travel scene.
SEO-forward: With built-in optimization, Jason’s site isn’t just pretty, it’s performing. It ranks for important search terms and supports long-term business goals like client acquisition and increased conversion rates, opening a wide range of additional business opportunities down the line.
Simplicity with features: We included the essential features (like flexible scheduling, analytics tools, and easy-to-do regular updates) without drowning the experience in overcomplicated tech and ruining the customer experience. We wanted balance: high functionality, low maintenance.
Need travel website design that puts your travel brand on the map?
Whether you’re running hiking tours, planning global retreats, or offering unique travel packages to your potential customers, your website should be working just as hard as you are. We are experienced travel website designers and specialize in web design that blends a wide range of customizable templates, smart marketing strategy, beautiful design, and practical features, all built to convert. And we go the extra mile!
We're here to help you create something that speaks to your ideal traveler and makes booking a breeze. If you're eager for more info, you can book a free 30-minute consultation where we can address any and all questions. And when you want to get started with creating the website you've always wanted, click below and let's get going. We're ready when you are! 🚀
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