Designing a smooth holiday booking flow — search, compare, book and play

This project focuses on improving how users book attraction and theme park tickets directly from their phones. Users wanted something fast and trustworthy. They needed to see available packages, choose a date, pay instantly, and skip the ticket counter. The goal was simple — remove every barrier between “I want to go” and “ticket confirmed”.

1. Discovery: the real problem was not the price — it was uncertainty

We spoke to families, couples, and students who frequently visit theme parks such as Sunway Lagoon and Lost World of Tambun. Everyone complained about the same issues:

People didn’t know which ticket to pick because packages are confusing. Payment flows are slow due to TAC SMS delays. Some users reserved tickets online but still queued up at the counter.

Users wanted confirmation instantly. No stress about “Is this ticket valid?” or “What if the date changes?”.

2. Research: observing behaviour at theme parks

We did on-ground observation on weekends. Families usually arrive without planning and buy tickets at the counter. Many had actually seen the online price earlier, but did not complete the purchase because:
A) too many package variations, B) not confident the ticket is valid without printed receipt, C) payment friction caused by TAC timeout.

3. Data that shaped the product

From usage analytics:
48 percent of drop-off occurred at payment stage. 64 percent of transactions were via mobile banking that requires TAC. 72 percent searched for promotions before selecting a ticket.

This showed that the booking journey should highlight savings and certainty first, and payment later.

4. Persona

Aiman. Father of two kids. He wants to buy tickets fast while managing his children. He prefers instant confirmation and wants to see exactly how much he saves. If plans change, he wants to cancel or modify easily.

5. Journey mapping: reducing cognitive load

Before: Too many ticket types to compare. Users jump between pages. TAC fails. User restarts. At the entrance, users still queue to print tickets.
After: Choose attraction → Pick a date → Pick package → Add guests → Pay instantly → QR e-ticket appears in app.

6. Wireframing and testing

Initial sketches focused on visual clarity. Price, date selection, and availability are shown immediately. Users can increase guest count without leaving the screen. We ran testing with families who travel often and iterated based on their feedback.

7. Final design decisions

Clear package comparison. Users can tap to expand and view what is included. Date selector shows only available dates; unavailable dates are dimmed. Guest selector allows quick add or remove for different categories: Adult, Child, Senior. Promo visibility is moved upfront because users actively search for discounts.

8. Seamless payment experience

Multiple payment methods: FPX, eWallet, debit and credit cards, PayLater. Saved cards allow tokenized payments without TAC, reducing friction. FPX shows banks directly instead of redirecting through multiple layers. Everything is designed for one-hand usage, optimized for mobile.

9. Upsell designed with intention (not force)

Users can add optional benefits such as RM1 insurance. The system calculates total price in real-time and updates the receipt before the user pays. Upsell is always optional and never blocks progress.

10. After booking: reducing anxiety

Once payment is successful, the e-ticket and QR appear instantly. Users can resend e-receipt to email with one tap. The Activity screen keeps all bookings in one place, including past and cancelled trips.

11. Results after redesign

Checkout conversion improved. Payment completion time became shorter. Fewer customers contacted support to ask “Is this ticket confirmed?”.

Outcome

Users now book confidently. No more complicated package decisions. No more TAC frustration. Instant QR means no need to queue at the counter.

Holiday planning should feel like a decision — not a struggle.