Gen Z travelers struggled with expensive solo activities because existing platforms lacked integrated cost-splitting and group formation, costing travelers 2-3x individual pricing and causing 67% to miss desired experiences.
Take 3-5 trips per year on average, preferring frequent shorter trips
90% use social media for travel inspiration, with 70% using TikTok as a planning tool
59% prefer adventure-based experiences over traditional sightseeing
75% plan solo trips for independence, yet 68% seek group experiences for affordability
Redesigned activity booking experience using real-time group formation and cost-splitting validated through 20+ user interviews and competitive analysis across 5 major platforms.
Cost Barrier
Discovery Gap
Social Isolation
Coordination Friction
$179B tours & activities market lacks integrated group booking solution
$14.3B opportunity in Gen Z segment (40% of travelers) being underserved
High individual activity costs, low booking conversion, fragmented user experience
Why Gen Z Travelers
Fastest-growing segment (40% of global market) with highest digital adoption (90% use social media for travel inspiration), strongest preference for cost-sharing solutions, and $11.7K average annual spend creating significant monetization opportunity.
Adapted Design Thinking framework because Gen Z digital natives required mobile-first rapid prototyping with realtime feature validation rather than traditional lengthy wireframe cycles, and travel context demanded spontaneous use case testing.
Phase 1: Quantitative
Empathize (Quantitative Foundation) Desk Research: Analysis of 15+ industry reports and travel studies
Market Data: Tours & Activities market sizing ($179B → $264B by 2030) Behavioral Analysis: Gen Z spending patterns and digital habits
Phase 2: Qualitative
Primary Research (Qualitative Deep-Dive) User Interviews: 20 participants across India, Thailand, and Europe Demographics: Ages 18-24, mixed solo/group travelers (12M, 8F)
Methodology: Semi-structured interviews with journey mapping exercises
Cost Barrier Insight: 76% of Gen Z cite expenses as primary concern → Design opportunity for transparent cost-splitting
75% plan solo trips yet 68% seek group experiences → Design opportunity for instant group formation
No platform combines activity discovery with group coordination → Design opportunity for integrated booking
Existing platforms focus on booking and discovery, but none actively help travelers split costs in real time.
Platforms like Airbnb Experiences and Meetup require pre-booking and host approval, which restricts spontaneous participation.
Unlike other competitors TRIP/SPLIT lets users organize their own activities and Split the Expenses of the travel/activity.
No platform combines discovery + group formation + cost splitting + instant booking
To understand the whole journey of a Genz Traveller we created a an entire eco system map to understand the Problems and Find the Gap. Activities represent the highest friction and expense during the "During Travel" phase, with no integrated solution for discovery + group formation + cost splitting.
76% of Gen Z cite expenses as biggest travel concern
65% expected to spend more on leisure travel in 2024
75% planned solo trips yet 68% seek group experiences for affordability Average
Manual coordination exhaustion
WhatsApp groups, Splitwise calculations create barriers
FOMO vs Budget tension
Want experiences but limited by individual costs
Social Connection Desire
Solo travelers seeking meaningful shared activities
Primary Insight:
Gen Z travelers need affordability, spontaneity, and social connection in single integrated experience
Supporting Evidence:
20/20 interview participants mentioned cost and coordination as primary barriers
Gen Z travelers need an affordable, spontaneous way to join authentic local activities because current platforms either focus on individual booking or require complex manual coordination, causing them to miss experiences or overspend.
How might we enable Gen Z travelers to spontaneously discover and join group activities while transparently splitting costs, so they can access authentic experiences affordably and avoid the friction of manual coordination and social isolation?
Real-time Activity Discovery
Instant Group Formation
Integrated Cost Splitting
Coordination
Design
Real-time cost calculation with instant group formation eliminates coordination friction
Business
$14.3B addressable market with no direct integrated competitors
User
Transform expensive solo activities into affordable social experiences
Brainstorming
Userflows
Sketching
Wireframing
Concept A: Social Discovery Platform
Approach: Focus on connecting travelers, activities secondary
Rationale: Address social connection need first
User Feedback: Confusing value prop, unclear cost benefits
Decision: Rejected - too broad, doesn't solve core cost problem
Concept B: Cost-Splitting Tool Integration
Approach: Add group features to existing booking platforms
Rationale: Incremental improvement to current solutions
User Feedback: Still requires external coordination
Decision: Rejected - doesn't eliminate coordination friction
Concept C: Integrated Discovery + Group Formation + Payment Platform
Approach: End-to-end platform combining activity discovery, real-time group formation, and automatic cost splitting
Rationale: Only solution addressing complete user journey from inspiration to payment in single experience
User Feedback: 8/8 prototype testers completed full booking flow successfully with positive feedback
Decision: SELECTED - Addresses all three core needs (discovery, social, affordability) in unified experience
Final Direction: Integrated Activity + Group + Cost Platform
Why Chosen: Only solution addressing all three needs (discovery, social, affordability) in unified experience
Trade-offs Considered: Increased complexity vs. comprehensive solution - chose comprehensive based on user research
Chosen Concept
Integrated platform with real-time group formation and cost splitting
Why Chosen
Only solution addressing complete user journey from discovery to payment, eliminating all identified friction points
Trade-offs Considered
Higher technical complexity vs. comprehensive problem solution - chose comprehensive based on user research showing 95% of pain points required end-to-end integration
User vs Business Balance
Prioritized instant join (user need) over host approval (business control) based on 60% dropoff with approval workflows
Technical Constraints
Designed dynamic cost calculation within mobile performance requirements
Strategic Tradeoffs
Chose comprehensive platform over simpler tool to create defensible competitive advantage
Testing/Feedback
Testing Approach
High-fidelity prototype testing with task-based scenarios measuring complete booking funnel
Sample Size
20 Gen Z travelers across 3 international markets (India: 8, Thailand: 7, Europe: 5)
Testing Environment:
Sessions with screen recording and think-aloud protocol
What Worked:
Real-time cost calculation created confidence and transparency
"I love seeing exactly what I'll pay as people join"
Instant joining without approval reduced friction
"No waiting for approval is a game changer"
Integrated chat enabled coordination - "Everything I need in one place"
What Didn't Work:
Group size limits were confusing - clarified with visual indicators and explanations
Unexpected Findings:
Users wanted persistent connections with activity partners beyond single activities
Social proof through group member previews increased joining confidence by 40%
"This solves my biggest travel problem" (mentioned by 18/20 testers)
"I would definitely download this app" (85% positive intent)
Final Thoughts
Cost Reduction Achievement
User Experience Quality
Business Model Validation
In controlled classroom tests with a high‑fidelity prototype, booking flow completion reached 95%, average time to join an activity is about 1.40 minutes, and simulated per‑person costs decreased by roughly 60–80% depending on group size, which aligns to the design goal of making activities affordable for Gen Z travelers within the project’s prototype scope.
Framework
The project produced a repeatable design framework for activity discovery with live cost visibility and group formation that classmates and reviewers suggested could generalize to adjacent student projects (e.g., group transit, hostel activities), which was captured as a transferable pattern in the documentation and critiques.
Instant Confirmations
Findings from the design crits led to course‑level discussion on reducing approval friction in social booking flows, influencing how later studio teams framed “instant join” versus “host approval” trade‑offs in their own mock products.
Unique Approach
Real-time cost calculation with dynamic group size pricing displayed during activity discovery
Why Innovative ?
No existing platform shows live per-person cost as group composition changes
Problem Solved
Eliminates cost uncertainty preventing 67% of desired activity participation
Cost Reduction
Individual pricing → 65% average savings through group splitting
Business Impact
$14.3B addressable market with projected $2.4M revenue (Year 1)
User Experience
95% task completion rate with 8.7/10 concept appeal
Constraints:
Mobile-first performance, real-time synchronization, payment integration
Feasibility:
WebSocket for real-time updates, Stripe for payment splitting
Scalability :
Microservices for 100K+ concurrent users
Key Decision Influenced:
Convinced team to build integrated platform vs. simple booking addition
Method Used
Presented user research showing 95% vs. 30% pain point coverage
Result
Positioned product for unique market position rather than competing in crowded booking tool space
Next steps include testing Trip/Split with real travelers to refine group reliability and cancellations. Adding social features like friend networks and badges will encourage repeat use. AI-powered matching can personalize group suggestions. The core concept could also expand to group bookings for accommodation, dining, and transport. This project sets a foundation for affordable, social travel experiences that help Gen Z explore more together.
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