Invited by a group of investors, I led the creation of a scalable digital product in the travel sector, tasked with solving real traveler problems while building equity for a future business exit.

The goal was to differentiate the product from existing market options by offering a more efficient experience for booking tours and tourist guides, bridging the gap between independent travelers and local experiences.

Discovery & Research — We kicked off with a deep discovery phase, utilizing a CSD Matrix to map pain points and market opportunities within the post-pandemic context—a period that accelerated tourism digitalization and shifted consumer behavior towards independence.

• Quantitative Research: A survey with 78 frequent domestic and international travelers.

• Qualitative Research: 6 in-person interviews to uncover deep-seated frustrations, such as the difficulty of finding tours aligned with personal profiles and the reliance on traditional agencies.

Strategy & MVP — Insights led to key hypotheses: enabling direct booking of private guides, personalizing itineraries based on user profiles, and integrating rich content (reviews, photos, video).

• Business Model: We used the Business Model Canvas to structure a scalable marketplace model, ensuring user safety while allowing guides and tour providers to register directly, bypassing exclusive agency contracts.

• Design Execution: I designed the user flows and wireframes for the MVP, focusing strictly on essential features for initial validation and testing.

  
  

Outcome & Key Takeaways — Following the MVP delivery, the investors took over the development roadmap, validating the project's potential for growth. This experience provided valuable lessons on the convergence of strategic design, deep user understanding, and business objectives in a dynamic sector like tourism. It reinforced the importance of iterative processes to adjust the product to real market needs constantly.