For years, digital tourism has revolved around User Experience (UX) to design websites, apps, and processes that make life easier for travelers. But… what if the next revolution isn’t technological, but textual?
In a sector where every interaction involves words—in chats, websites, virtual assistants, or audio guides—text has become an emotional interface . And from this observation, and based on my own experience, I dare to propose a new, equally crucial dimension: Textual Experience (TX).
From visual design to language design
If UX designs how we interact with a page or application, TX designs how we feel when we read it. Every word is a micro-interaction that can generate trust, clarity, or frustration: a simple “Try again” can sound like help or reproach, depending on the tone and context in which it is expressed.
That’s why companies that manage their brand communication don’t just write well: they cultivate a unique voice . They define how their brand sounds, how it adapts to each language, and how it maintains consistency between human and automated messages.
I would venture to say that, in a world saturated with messages, that coherence is the new luxury.
Keys to designing a Textual Experience that connects
- Define a recognizable voice. Every brand needs a clear and flexible verbal identity.
- Integrate the text into the design. Words are part of the user experience.
- Humanizing automation. AI accelerates, but the human gaze gives meaning.
- Measuring textual impact. Analyzing how language influences conversion or brand perception is key for any tourism organization.
- Ensure multi-channel consistency. The voice and tone must be consistent across all channels so that the user perceives a coherent and recognizable brand.
A new strategic competence of digital tourism
The tourism of the future will require teams capable of managing not only data and technology, but also language. And this textual governance —which unites communication, technology, and culture—is the step that connects innovation with meaning.
Because if UX makes an experience work, TX makes it emotional . And in an industry that thrives on building trust, emotions, and stories, that difference is everything.
Ultimately, travelers no longer just click: they engage in conversations with brands. And in those conversations, every word matters. Technology can automate messages, but only a strong text strategy can transform them into valuable relationships.
Diana Argelich Director of textos[hub] and specialist in textual communication applied to tourism and culture
