Travel Website Development [Real Projects Cost Calculations]

Building a travel website is no small task, and your first question might be, “Where do I even start?”. And the next question you’re likely asking: “Okay, but how much does creating a travel website actually cost?”

 

To tell the truth, many travel startups struggle with things like staying on budget, defining clear development goals, and picking the right features to stand out in a crowded market.

 

We feel your pain.

 

At Onix, we know how to make a travel website that reaches results. 

 

Here’s the proof: the results of projects we worked on.

 

• Travelbid: a travel booking system that counts 14K+ service providers and adds 5K new users monthly. 
• MisterB&B: a travel web platform that reached 1 million accommodations in 200 countries.

 

So, how can you create a travel website without making costly mistakes that eat up time and resources?

 

That's exactly what we're going to talk about here.

 

By the end of this blog post, you’ll know exactly:

 

• What essential travel website components you need to include
• Intricacies of budgeting and resource allocation
• What unexpected costly expenses may arise 

As a bonus, we reveal our real project cost calculations.

Essential Features for Developing a Travel Website

Before diving into the costs, it's essential to understand the key components that make up an online travel web portal in its development stage. 

 

Multiple payment methods.These components include:

 

User interfaces for all parties

Travel web development involves creating a responsive and visually appealing interface to attract more customers. 

 

1. Administrator interface

The administrator interface is designed for OTA administrators and system administrators responsible for managing the travel platform's operations and functionality.

 

Key features of the administrator interface include:

 

2. Travel agent interface

The travel agent interface is tailored to meet the needs of travel agents and agencies who assist customers with planning and booking travel arrangements.

 

Key features of the travel agent interface include:

 

3. Traveler interface

The traveler interface is designed to provide a seamless and intuitive booking experience for customers who want to plan and book trips. 

 

Key features of the traveler interface include:

 

 

 

Payment gateway

The payment gateway acts as a bridge between the travel website and various financial institutions, enabling the processing of payments for booking flights, hotels, rental cars, tours, and other travel services.

 

Here are the key features of a payment gateway for a travel website:

 

• Secure payment processing.

A payment gateway ensures the security of online transactions by encrypting sensitive financial information such as credit card details, personal identification numbers, and authentication tokens.

 

• Multiple payment methods.

A payment gateway supports a variety of payment methods to accommodate diverse customer preferences and regional payment systems. 

 

Depending on the OTA's target market and customer base, it typically accepts major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.), debit cards, bank transfers, digital wallets (e.g., PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay), and alternative payment methods (e.g., Alipay, WeChat Pay).

 

For example, for TravelBid.com, Onix’s experts integrated Stripe and PayPal. 

 

For MisterB&B, a travel booking platform for renting LGBTQ-friendly accommodations, we integrated Stripe, Paypal, Payoneer, and Adyen payment systems that allow users to accept payments and send payouts securely online.

 

• Automated payment processing.

Payment gateways automate payment workflows, reducing manual tasks and streamlining the booking process. Once authorized, payments update booking records, send confirmation emails, and manage inventory.

 

• Transaction reporting and settlement.

Payment gateways provide comprehensive reporting and settlement functionalities to track transaction activity, reconcile payments, and manage financial records.

Booking engines

Booking engines are software platforms or modules integrated into a travel website or application that allow users to search, browse, and book travel services such as flights, hotels, rental cars, tours, and activities.

 

“For the travel booking website Misterb&b, the Onix team built a search engine that allows quick search within a 2M+ listings database using various filters.”

Oleksandr Bilous, Tech Lead at Onix

Example of search functionality built by Onix

 

Key features of booking engines include:

 

• Search functionality. Booking engines enable users to search for travel services based on criteria such as destination, dates, preferences, and budget. These advanced search filters and sorting options help users find relevant options quickly.
• Real-time availability. This ensures that users see up-to-date information on flight schedules, hotel room availability, and tour availability when making bookings.
• Dynamic pricing. Booking engines calculate and display dynamic pricing based on demand, availability, seasonality, and user preferences. They may offer promotional discounts, package deals, and personalized recommendations to encourage bookings.
• Secure booking process. Booking engines facilitate a secure booking process, allowing users to enter payment details, confirm bookings, and receive instant confirmation emails or tickets.

 

Read also: Overview of online travel fraud and means of its prevention

 

• Reporting and analytics. Booking engines provide reporting and analytics tools that allow OTAs to track booking metrics, analyze user behavior, and measure the performance of marketing campaigns

 

Third-party APIs

Third-party APIs are interfaces provided by external service providers, travel suppliers, and technology partners that allow OTAs to access and integrate travel inventory, content, and functionalities into their own platforms.

 

Some common types of third-party APIs used in travel websites include:

 

• Global distribution systems (GDS).
  GDS APIs provide real-time access to a vast inventory of flights, hotels, and travel services from global suppliers.
• Hotel aggregators.
  Hotel aggregator APIs offer a wide selection of hotels with real-time availability, competitive pricing, and detailed information.
• Airline APIs.
  Allow OTAs to access flight schedules, pricing, and booking directly from airlines’ reservation systems, including low-cost and charter flights.
• Tour and activity APIs.
  They provide access to a variety of tours, activities, and events worldwide. They enable OTAs to offer travelers curated experiences, sightseeing tours, adventure activities, and event tickets.
• Car rental APIs.
  Car rental APIs provide access to car rental companies and local suppliers, enabling them to offer features such as vehicle availability, pricing, rental terms, and booking management capabilities.

 

Check out our travel and hospitality software development services to learn more about integrating these into your platform.

Example of a car rental page designed by the Onix team

 

Content management system (CMS)

CMS allows for managing and organizing various content related to travel services and offerings.

 

Here's an overview of the key features and functionalities of a CMS in an online travel web platform:

 

• Dynamic content creation to create and publish dynamic content such as travel packages, deals, destination guides, blog posts, and customer reviews.
• Content organization and structure to organize content hierarchically, categorize it based on topics, destinations, or types of services, and create taxonomies for easy navigation. 
• Integration with travel inventory to access a wide range of travel inventory such as flights, hotels, rental cars, tours, and activities.
• SEO optimization to improve the travel website visibility and ranking in search engine results.

 

It’s possible to start a travel business online without a proper CMS.

 

For example, MisterB&B ran without a CMS for several years. 

 

However, after the Onix team added the Guides, Events, and Blog sections to the website, we witnessed a significant increase in the number of users and sales.

A travel booking website built by Onix

 

Travel Website Development Cost Breakdown

So, how to build a travel portal and how much will it cost?

 

Let’s see a histogram showing the breakdown of costs by development stage. It helps you visualize where most of the budget is allocated:

In the table below we describe two scenarios: the typical development cost of core features and the cost with optional advanced features:

 

 

Explanation:

• Typical cost reflects the budget for building an essential travel website with must-have features such as user registration, booking capabilities, and search functionality.

 

• The cost with optional features includes advanced features such as AI-based recommendations or virtual tours, which enhance the user experience but require additional investment.

 

The information above can only give you an idea of what to expect because each business and each project is unique. The cost of travel website development can vary based on complexity, features, design, and functionality.

 

Below, our experts prepared a breakdown of the basic travel portal development cost to consider:

 

 

Note: Please note that the travel website development cost provided are approximate and can vary based on various factors such as the complexity of your project, specific requirements, choice of vendors or service providers, geographic location, and market rates.

Here we share prices based on different travel software types:

Travel website development costs

 

It's important to note that these figures provide a sample estimate of costs. After reviewing the estimated cost, reach out for a proposal. This will enable us to align on the best strategy and provide you with an accurate quote to create a travel website.

Additional Cost Considerations When Building an Online Travel Platform

How to build a travel website without stumbling into unexpected costly expenses? It's simple. You just need to be prepared. We recommend anticipating and budgeting for additional costs that may arise throughout the development process.

 

Drawing from our expertise, we can outline additional cost factors to consider while developing an online travel website platform:

 

Unexpected costs

Despite careful planning, unexpected expenses can arise during the development phase. It's prudent to allocate a contingency budget of around 10-20% of the total project cost to cover unforeseen expenses such as additional development requirements, technology upgrades, or changes in project scope.

 

Scalability requirements

As the OTA grows and attracts more users, scalability becomes a priority. Scaling infrastructure, upgrading server capacity, and optimizing performance to handle increased traffic and transactions may incur unexpected costs.

 

Extra features to stand out

Incorporating interactive, user-friendly features into your travel site is essential to stand out in the competitive landscape. These functionalities help you improve user experience and increase engagement and competitiveness.

 

Below, our experts share some key features to consider integrating:

 

 

Read Also: Use Cases of AR/VR in the Travel Industry

 

Partnership and affiliate programs

Consider investing in partnership and affiliate programs to expand your OTA's reach and acquire new customers. Partnering with airlines, hotels, tour operators, and other travel providers can result in mutual benefits and revenue-sharing opportunities, but it may involve upfront costs or commission payments.

 

Ongoing maintenance and updates

Once your OTA is live, ongoing maintenance and updates are essential to ensure smooth operation, security, and performance. Budgeting for regular software updates, security patches, server maintenance, and website backups helps prevent downtime and security vulnerabilities.

 

Onix’s Travel Platform Development Experience [Costs Included]

The Onix team built TravelBid.com, a booking platform designed for travelers ​​in Cyprus. Its UVP was the ability to easily book deals and personalized offers that wouldn’t be found anywhere else.

A travel booking platform designed by Onix

 

Simultaneously, local travel and hospitality businesses can offer special deals with low demand without publishing prices below market average on popular booking engines like Booking.com or Expedia.

 

Solutions we provided

To build a travel website platform, we provided the following solutions:

 

• develop interfaces for two categories of users: travel and hospitality services booking portal and interface for vendors;
• provide a search engine that allows quick search within a listings database using various filters;
• build a mobile-friendly front-end;
• ensure real-time messaging;
• integrate the Stripe and Paypal payment systems to allow users to accept payments and send payouts online securely. 
• create a streamlined and convenient user flow, a delightful clean UI design, and a unique logo for TravelBid.

Design of a travel website platform made by the Onix team

 

The cost required to create a travel website such as TravelBid

Our experts provide a breakdown of the development cost of a mid-range travel website based on TravelBid below.

 

 Travel website development costs

 

TravelBid was launched in June 2022. 

 

Currently, the platform counts 14K+ service providers and adds 5K new users monthly. The platform's development continues as the client works to expand the business to other countries.

 

Summing Up

Throughout this article, we've navigated the intricacies of travel website functionality, shedding light on the actual costs and potential pitfalls in wait.

 

So, now you know how to develop a travel website without making expensive errors that consume significant time and resources.

 

As you start travel website development, remember you don't have to navigate this path alone. Our wealth of experience and proven methodologies stand ready to guide you toward success, saving you valuable time and resources along the way.

 

At whatever stage you are with your travel website or mobile application development, please contact Onix if you need a consultation on how to create a travel portal or assistance.

 

We will be happy to help you build a travel platform!

 

You can find even more helpful tips for creating a travel website in our blog posts.

 

FAQ

 

What factors influence the price when building a travel website?

How to create a travel website without stumbling into unexpected costly expenses? The answer is to be aware of all factors that influence the price. Here are them:

 

• the number and technical complexity of its features
• app architecture solutions
• website design requirements
• technology stack
• integration of licensed APIs and third-party services
• the number and qualifications of specialists on the development team
• their salaries or hourly rates
• their location
• the type of contract with the developers

 

How can I get an accurate cost estimate for my travel platform development?

To get an accurate cost estimate, it's advisable to consult with experienced developers or development agencies.

 

Providing detailed project specifications and discussing specific features and functionalities desired for the travel web platform will help obtain a more precise estimate. Share your travel app idea with us, and our experts will calculate your app development costs.

 

How long does it take to develop a travel website portal?

The development timeline depends on the project's complexity and features. A basic travel platform may take a few months, while a more complex one with advanced features could take several months or even longer.

 

How much does it cost to create a travel website?

A basic online travel website development budget starts at around $70K when outsourced to Eastern Europe, Latin America, or South Asia. Each element expanding the services and improving the customer experience will increase the cost. The minimum budget for an Expedia-like web application will start at $100K.

 

What are the key factors affecting travel website costs?

Key factors affecting travel website costs include features like booking engines, payment processing, and search functionality. Design elements such as custom UI/UX and responsive design.

 

Integration of GDS, hotel aggregators, airline APIs, and security measures like data encryption and compliance with travel industry standards. Development complexity, including custom development, third-party integrations, ongoing maintenance, and support.

 

Which website design mistakes can hurt my tour business the most?

Key mistakes include poor navigation, slow loading times, non-responsive design, unclear calls to action, and a lack of engaging visuals or transparent pricing. These issues can frustrate users and drive them to competitors.

 

How can I estimate the ROI of a travel website?

To estimate ROI, compare your website's development and maintenance costs to revenue generated through bookings, ad placements, or partnerships. Track metrics like conversion rates, average booking value, and customer acquisition cost to measure success.