Expedia uses Hotel Tonight’s visual first approach In new apps — Tech News and Analysis.

The future of travel is visual. You hear that before here I Know, We have been touting that for some time and now OTAs are catching up…

Some comments in this article are to the point.

Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says: “Travel is a sensual experience and travel planning is about as industrial an experience as you can get, We wanted to create an experience that befits travel.”

Yep visuals are sensual as they involve all part of the brain and elicit sensual and emotional responses. See previous blog and infographics on Visual Info Science

Once one starts developing information systems based on visual and emotional triggers the concepts and themes take on new forms. In its new apps landing page Expedia now shows themed “collections” of cities with offers like “Cities that never sleep”.

The problem in travel planning and booking systems today is that they are not driving emotional response very well. Delivering information based on features and benefits is not the answer. Travelers want to be enticed from the start and every choice must provide an immediate visual response. This is what Barbados.org has done with its new visual holiday planning approach.

Below are a collection of relevant video on how the brain works with visuals.