A travel website is not an ordinary website. It connects to suppliers, handles payments, issues tickets and supports customers after booking. Choosing a development partner without travel experience often leads to delays, failed bookings and expensive rework. These twelve questions help you evaluate travel website development companies and compare proposals fairly.
Experience and fit
1. Which travel products have you built?
Ask for live examples of B2C sites, B2B portals or booking engines similar to yours, and try them yourself. Search, book a test product if possible, and check how the site performs on mobile.
2. Which suppliers have you integrated?
If you need specific GDSs, aggregators, hotel APIs or bus APIs, check that the company has integrated them before. Experience with the same supplier shortens certification and avoids known pitfalls.
3. Can we speak to existing clients?
References tell you how the company behaves after launch, when problems appear. Ask clients about communication, deadlines and support.
Scope and delivery
4. What exactly is included?
Get a written list of features, integrations, admin tools, reports and content. Vague proposals lead to disputes later. Clarify what is excluded, such as supplier fees, hosting or mobile apps.
5. What is the timeline, and what does it depend on?
Realistic timelines include supplier agreements, certification and testing. Ask for milestones and what you must provide at each stage.
6. How do you test before launch?
Look for structured testing of search, pricing, payments, ticketing, cancellations and emails, plus a soft launch with real bookings.
Ownership and technology
7. Who owns the code and data?
For custom builds, clarify source code ownership. For white label or licensed platforms, make sure you own your customer and booking data and can export it.
8. How is the platform hosted and secured?
Ask about hosting, backups, HTTPS, payment security, access controls and how security updates are applied.
9. Can the platform grow with us?
Ask how new products, suppliers, channels or languages are added, and whether the system can handle higher traffic during campaigns.
Support and costs
10. What support do you provide after launch?
Clarify response times, support hours, how urgent booking issues are handled and what an annual maintenance contract covers.
11. What are the total costs over three years?
Include development or licence fees, hosting, maintenance, supplier certification support and future changes. Comparing only the first invoice hides long-term costs.
12. How do you handle change requests?
Every project changes. Ask how changes are estimated, approved and billed, so there are no surprises.
How to run the evaluation
- Write a one-page brief: business model, products, suppliers, channels and launch date.
- Send it to three or four companies with travel experience.
- Ask each for a written proposal answering the twelve questions.
- Attend a live demo of a similar platform they have built.
- Call at least two references for each shortlisted company.
- Score proposals on experience, scope, support and total cost, then negotiate with your top choice.
A structured evaluation takes a few weeks but prevents months of problems later.
Red flags
- Very low prices with no written scope.
- No live travel projects you can test.
- Promises of unrealistic timelines regardless of suppliers and certification.
- Unclear ownership of code or data.
- No defined support process after launch.
In practice: comparing three proposals
An agency received three proposals for a B2C flight and hotel website. The cheapest had no supplier experience and no post-launch support. The most expensive included features the agency did not need. The middle proposal listed its supplier integrations, a testing plan and a clear support contract, and its references confirmed good after-launch service. By scoring each proposal against the twelve questions, the agency chose with confidence instead of on price alone.
Frequently asked questions
Should we choose a white label platform or a custom build?
White label platforms launch faster and cost less upfront; custom builds give more control. Many companies start with white label and customise later.
Is a local company better than a remote one?
Travel domain experience and clear communication matter more than location, but time zone overlap helps with urgent issues.
Key takeaways
- Verify travel experience, supplier integrations and references.
- Insist on a written scope, testing plan and support terms.
- Compare total cost and ownership, not just the first quote.
See how we work on our travel website development company page, or book a live demo.
