This project is pertaining to my ongoing work with the Government of Bahrain.
For further background context, check out the preface linked here.
I am redesigning the Official Bahraini Ministry of Tourism website - a comprehensive and compelling website hosting content of all local tourism related items in the Kingdom.
Designer (Lead), Serefin Travel — Ideation, Visual Design, User Flows
Omar Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer
Paul Methot, Chief Technology Officer
Megan Rideout, Chief Revenue Officer
1 Month, V1 Mockups Delivered, On Hold
I am redesigning the official Ministry of Tourism website - a CMS site that empowers tourism suppliers to showcase their services in a dynamic and visually appealing way,
My primary role was to propose a new creative direction, which included a revised colour palette. The remaining website design and development are set to be delegated to a separate third-party development agency based in Dubai.
This portfolio piece primarily concerns UI Design.
Revitalizing the Official Bahraini Ministry of Tourism Website
Serving as a centralized platform and content management system (CMS), the Bahrain Tourism website will simplify the curation and marketing processes for tourism suppliers, allowing them to better showcase unique events, experiences and offerings.
This redesign exercise will also better enable the Government of Bahrain to better chronicle their rich history - presenting itself through a new, contemporary, and unique visual identity.
The main question we’re answering here is: Why would I decide to travel to Bahrain?
The Existing Website
The site plays a pivotal role in shaping the user's perception and decision-making process, transforming the idea of travel into an exciting and well-informed adventure.
How does the existing website fail at executing upon this?
This limits the ability for suppliers to promote the uniqueness of their experience.
Social media continues to cement itself as a crucial ingredient for many travellers, with 75% using social platforms as a source of inspiration for travel.
Recognizing this trend, a primary design objectives for the Bahraini tourism website is to create a cohesive online presence that aligns seamlessly with supplier-side marketing campaigns, supporting a unified marketing effort.
My approach aims to provide a fluid transition both coherent visually and in story-telling, driving both interest and action among potential travellers.
75% using social platforms as a source of inspiration for travel. The site design should allow a seamless integration with the social media campaigns of our tourism suppliers.
A better answer to “Why am I going to Bahrain?”
From Activities to Experiences.
The redesign will introduce a variety of customizable template options that allow tourism suppliers to rapidly tailor their presentations to their unique offerings and better tell their story. This flexibility enables them to incorporate different design blocks, such as videos, multimedia galleries, and interactive maps, to enhance their profiles.
By empowering suppliers to showcase their services in a dynamic and visually appealing way, the website not only helps their offerings stand out but also caters to the diverse preferences of potential tourists.
Design Ideation and Approval:
Although many designs are still in the ideation phase, the creative direction has received enthusiastic approval from the Ministry of Tourism.
The Bahraini official tourism website project is likely to be handed off to another Bahraini-based development agency, with my role shifting toward creative direction.
This transition will involve overseeing the project's visual and creative aspects, and to ensuring each of our products within the Bahraini travel ecosystem align visually.
Experiences are becoming increasingly important in terms of driving travel. The redesign focuses on empowering tourism suppliers with the tools necessary to better communicate why to go to Bahrain.
Through the Looking Glass... What’s Kevin saying?
During another one of Kevin’s doom scroll sessions on car TikTok, he stumbles upon a short video about an upcoming Formula 1 event being held in Bahrain next month. Possessing little knowledge of the country, a curious Kevin cautiously clicks the comment’s Learn More call to action, dipping his toes into the proverbial rabbit hole.
He is met with prominently featured, vibrant display about the upcoming Formula 1 event. The dynamic content, which includes videos of past races, interviews with drivers, and a virtual tour of the circuit, captures his imagination and excitement for the sport. He begins dreaming of himself sitting in those bleachers off to the side, cheering with all that he’s got.
This discovery, facilitated by the engaging and informative layout, ignites his interest in visiting Bahrain, transforming his casual browsing into a real desire. This is Kevin’s call to adventure.
