TUItogether

Abstract

This thesis explores how TUI can improve its online accommodation booking experience in the context of a changing tourism industry, including TUI’s implementation of its dynamic accommodation model. This model lets TUI offer a larger range of accommodations though third party providers, increasing their dynamic stability and reducing financial risk. This new model also results in a more complex booking environment for customers, especially couples. That is because they not only compare many options but also align preferences, communicate with each other, and make decisions together.

The project direction of this thesis is focused on a relevant challenge. Namely, that couples often struggle to come together and make decisions about their vacations together. Booking together as a couple proves to be a collaborative process, including lots of time pressure, fragmented communication, and difficulty maintaining an overview. TUI’s current digital booking platform is focused on the individual, meaning it does not give the support needed for shared decision-making.

The research done during this project was conducted following the double diamond process and combined literature research together with qualitative methods. During the discovery phase, seven couples were asked to map out their current booking process. Giving a better understanding of the current booking scenario of couples. This was concluded into a customer journey, displaying that the largest pain point was finding time to physically sit together and make decisions. The second finding was that couples were overwhelmed by the amount of accommodations they had to choose from, and comparing them. Research also showed that in the current scenario, certain psychological needs were not adequately supported.

Based on these insights, the final concept was developed, TUItogether. TUItogether is a digital platform integrated into TUI’s existing app that works as a shared planning environment for couples. It lets partners link their accounts, explore accommodations independently, communicate with each other, and make decisions together in a structured way. The concept's focus is on reducing friction between partners, supporting asynchronous collaboration, improving the overview, and finally increasing the confidence of the couple after they have made their final decisions.

The concept was validated with three couples and internally with an employee of TUI. The couples responded positively, saying they found the concept to be clear, organized, and supported then to make decisions together about accommodations. TUI also saw strategic value in the concept, especially the opportunity to increase app engagement and strengthen its app as a key touchpoint. While the concept was seen as realistic and valuable, further technical validation is still required.

Overall, this thesis concludes that improving the online accommodation booking experience for couples requires a digital environment that supports them in navigating complex decisions together. TUItogether offers them a way to do so.