“Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs That is what we have set out to do: to define how a modern travel experience should work. That is what we are going to honor with our inaugural Skift Design Awards, what we hope will become the most aspirational awards in the global travel industry and help elevate the role of transformational design experiences that enhance the traveler journey. We believe the role of design cuts across every part of travel: the physical and digital touch points, the built environments, tech-enabled services, and experiential moments during and post travel. So we have come up with a manifesto on how to understand design’s role in the travel industry: it will help the travel and allied companies understand the broader role of design and its application to the traveler experience, and its implications on business transformation and customer loyalty. In today’s consumer-centric world where experiences, personal fulfilment, and transformative moments are revered as the ultimate currency, the role of design – in every sense of the word – has never been more important. Learn more about Skift Design Awards and apply here: https://skift.com/awards/ Updated: May 22, 2019

1. DESIGN
MANIFESTO
El
evating Design in t
he
Experience World
THE SKIFT
DESIGN
MANIFESTO
skift.com/awards

2. Design is how it works.”
“
­— Steve Jobs
to define how a modern travel experience should work. That is what we are going to honor with our
inaugural Skift Design Awards, what we hope will become the most aspirational awards in the global
travel industry and help elevate the role of transformational design experiences that enhance the
traveler journey.
We believe the role of design cuts across every part of travel: the physical and digital touch points, the
built environments, tech-enabled services, and experiential moments during and post travel.
So we have come up with a manifesto on how to understand design’s role in the travel industry: it will
help the travel and allied companies understand the broader role of design and its application to the
traveler experience, and its implications on business transformation and customer loyalty.
In today’s consumer-centric worlad where experiences, personal fulfilment, and transformative
moments are revered as the ultimate currency, the role of design – in every sense of the world – has
never been more important.
That is what we have set out to do:

3. Design is the act of creating a product or
service with the intention of improving human
experience with respect to a specific problem.
It is a deliberate act with a pre-set intention.
That’s what separates “design” from “art”.
Design is not about creating something pretty
for the sake of being pretty. It is a solution.
The goal of design is to
improve human experience.

4. Figuring out the multiple use
cases of a hotel lobby
Mapping out how an attendee
will experience a conference
Designing the customer service
experience of a luxury cruise
Creating the look and
feel for a mobile app
Creating the right flow
of an airport
DESIGN
IN
TRAVEL

5. Who is responsible
for creating travel
experiences?
Think:
Brand marketers, strategists or event
planners creating new experiences for guests.
CEOs, CMOs or Chief Product Officer thinking
through all the touch points for consumers.
Consultants and agencies tasked with driving
digital transformation, designing physical
spaces like hotel lobbies and airport lounges, or
delivering tech to make travel more seamless.
WHO THINKS
ABOUT DESIGN
IN THE TRAVEL
INDUSTRY?
Many roles in the travel sector touch
upon design whether they know it or not.
Besides the obvious ones like architect,
interior designer, UX, service, or interaction
designer, smart business operators
recognize where else design sits.

6. THE
Design is the
new marketing
The role of the
designer is at the
center of the company
Great design is
often invisible
Design is
empathetic
Design is holistic
and based on user
outcomes
The best design
enhances the wellbeing
of the end-user
2.
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
SKIFT

7. Design reduces friction across the traveler journey,
enables personal fulfilment, and facilitates greater
connections between people and places.
In the travel and hospitality industry, design is more
than just making something look pretty. Design is about
creating an environment for the end-user to thrive and
achieve their goals.
THE BEST DESIGN ENHANCES THE
WELLBEING OF THE END-USER.

8. ...by Increasing Personal Fulfilment –
the user feels joy, excitement, a sense
of wonder.
Travel brands do this by creating
emotive experiences.
...by Reducing Friction - the user feels
content, at ease, uninterrupted.
Travel brands do this by deploying
problem-solving solutions.
HOW IS
“WELLBEING”
ACCOMPLISHED?

9. Good design looks beyond the surface
and digs deep into the psychological
needs of consumers.
DESIGN IS HOLISTIC
AND BASED ON USER
OUTCOMES.

10. Better sleep?
More meaningful connections
to people and destinations?
Greater understanding
of cultures?
Greater sense of purpose?
Understand your customers’
needs and design that outcome.
WHAT’S
YOUR GOAL
FOR YOUR
CUSTOMER

11. DESIGN IS
EMPATHETIC.
It should have a positive,
purposeful impact on the user
human being interacting with
your experience.
Good design puts humanity first.

12. This evolution is part of the wider shift from the
Experience Economy to the Transformation Economy,
where the product that is purchased is not an
experience, but rather the improved self that results
from it. Stemming from consumers’ desire to move
up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, luxury has moved
beyond the second tier of the hierarchy, “esteem,” to
the inward-looking, highest tier of “self-actualization.”
-Meghan Carty, Skift
Personal Fulfilment Is the New Ultimate Luxury
“

13. Travelers might not notice and give
praise when everything is going
right, but they’ll be quick to point out
inefficiencies like long wait times and
hamfisted customer service. Some of the
best design work, especially the kind that
enables travelers to move seamlessly
between Point A and Point B will go
unnoticed unless there is friction.
That is to say, the “thing” you are
designing is not necessarily something
the consumer can see, touch, and feel…
the “thing” is the feeling the consumer
walks away with.
GREAT
DESIGN
IS OFTEN
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE.

14. THE ROLE OF THE
DESIGNER IS AT
THE CENTER OF
THE COMPANY.
Smart businesses are giving designers and agencies a seat
at the executive table, integrating them into the strategic
decision-making meetings to map the vision at the start of
new projects, as opposed to bringing them in only to execute.

15. Design is the strongest asset a travel
brand can own. It’s not the targeted
ad or flash sale created by a marketing
or ecommerce team. It’s the core
product and services that leave a lasting
impression in the minds of consumers.
DESIGN IS THE
NEW MARKETING.

16. Design is the new marketing. It is the product itself,
not the ads or the slogan. Design is the supply
chain of Patagonia, the ethics of Purple Carrot and
the customer service at Union Square Cafe. It’s
design, not advertising, that turned Apple into the
most valuable luxury brand (and the most valuable
company) in the world.”
- Seth Godin
“

17. is the travel industry’s recognition of the designers
and businesses transforming the end-to-end traveler
experience, celebrating the best work across design
disciplines like architecture, interior design, experiences,
digital, and UX.
Winners will be revealed at Skift Global Forum on
September 17th, 2019 in New York City.
Regular Submission Deadline: June 7
Final Submission Deadline: June 21
AVIATION EXPERIENCE
GUEST EXPERIENCE
PUBLIC SPACE
CRUISE EXPERIENCE
RETAIL ENVIRONMENT
ENTERTAINMENT SPACE
EVENT SPACE
ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGN
F&B OR ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
EVENT NETWORKING
ACTIVATION AT A CONFERENCE OR EVENT
AR, VR, AND MIXED REALITY EXPERIENCE
IN-DESTINATION EXPERIENCE
BUSINESS TRAVELER EXPERIENCE
DESIGN FOR WELLBEING
Categories
Apply now:
SKIFT.COM/AWARDS
THE SKIFT DESIGN AWARDS

18. Words
Matt Heidkamp
Rafat Ali
Art
Ping Chan
Questions? Contact:
awards@skift.com
skift.com/awards