Wanderlust Approved: Top 10 Travel Logos You’ll Want to Follow

Wanderlust Approved: Top 10 Travel Logos You'll Want to Follow

For those bitten by the travel bug, the mere thought of faraway destinations can make our hearts beat faster. Whether it's the anticipation of new experiences or the prospect of getting away from it all, travel uniquely fills us with excitement and wonder. But before we even set foot on a plane or embark on a road trip, we often look to social media and travel websites for inspiration. And what better way to capture our attention than with a stunning logo? This article has compiled a list of the ten best travel logos to awaken your wanderlust and inspire you to embark on your next adventure.

Top 10 Travel Logos

1 – Airbnb

Airbnb's innovative approach to transforming traditional accommodation and integrating it into the sharing economy is the cornerstone of the company's remarkable success. However, one factor that has contributed to the company's success is its logo.

Building brand awareness is crucial to the success of any business, especially in a new industry. Airbnb achieved this by raising its profile through aggressive digital marketing. The Airbnb logo played a crucial role in digital marketing efforts.

The Airbnb logo has caught people's attention in various ways. Some even believe that the emblem has hidden meanings. However, before we examine the hidden meanings, let's first look at their superficial meaning.

The Airbnb logo is a distinctive and intriguing design with various symbols. The teardrop shape in the centre of the logo represents the head of a human being and emphasises that Airbnb is a brand that focuses on people. The place symbol is also associated with travel because that is what Airbnb is about.

Besides its superficial meaning, the Airbnb logo has also been subject to various interpretations and theories. Some believe that the design of the logo is meant to convey a sense of belonging and community. Others believe that the logo's design evokes feelings of adventure and exploration.

One popular interpretation is that the Airbnb logo is based on the Hindu symbol “Aum”. Aum is a sacred sound and a spiritual symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The design of the Airbnb logo conveys a sense of calm and relaxation, similar to meditation.

Regardless of the different interpretations, the Airbnb logo has become an iconic symbol for the sharing economy and a brand for community, adventure and travel. It is a testament to the power of branding and the importance of creating a strong visual identity for a business.

2 – Expedia Travel

Expedia is a well-known online platform that caters to the needs of travellers worldwide, offering them a wide range of flights and accommodations. Founded in 2001 in the United States, the company has become one of the most popular online agencies in the world, serving millions of travellers every year.

One of the main aspects of Expedia's success lies in its consistent visual identity, which has remained unchanged since its inception. The company's logo, a modified version of the original design, has become synonymous with the brand and is instantly recognisable worldwide.

The Expedia logo is simple and elegant, featuring a stylised globe with an aircraft in orbit. The “Expedia” typography is clean and modern, conveying a sense of efficiency and professionalism. Blue and white underline the brand's message: reliability, trustworthiness and security.

Over the years, the Expedia logo has undergone only minor changes, such as typography and colour palette adjustments, to keep it fresh and current while maintaining its distinctive identity. However, the core design elements have remained unchanged, making it instantly recognisable to travellers worldwide.

The success of Expedia's visual identity can be attributed to the fact that it effectively communicates the company's message and values to its target audience. The clear and modern design of the logo, in combination with the blue and white colour scheme, underlines the brand's message: reliability, trustworthiness and security.

3 – Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is a world-renowned travel publisher operating since its founding in Australia in 1972. Over the years, the company has expanded its offering to include printed books, mobile apps, and video materials used by travellers worldwide.

In 2022, the company underwent a significant rebranding, including redesigning its visual identity. The new logo features a brighter blue and white colour palette, giving the brand a modern and fresh look. The layout of the Lonely Planet lettering has also been changed, with the graphic element being a globe with blue continents on a white background between the two parts of the lettering. This new layout reinforces the brand's message of global discovery and adventure.

The font for the logo's lettering has also been refined: the bars between the letters have been thinned, and the letters have been given more air. This updated font conveys a sense of openness and accessibility that aligns with the brand's inclusivity values and welcomes all travellers.

The rebranding of Lonely Planet aimed to modernise the brand while maintaining its core values of providing travellers with the best possible resources and tools to explore the world. The updated visual identity has successfully achieved this goal, giving the brand a more contemporary look while maintaining its recognisable and trusted brand image.

4 – Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn, a subsidiary of the InterContinental Hotels Group, is a leading global hotel chain with over 2,600 hotels worldwide. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company has become a household name for travellers seeking comfortable and reliable accommodation.

One of the most striking features of Holiday Inn's visual identity is the bright and intense colour palette based on green. This colour choice represents comfort, success and growth, the most important values the brand wants to offer its guests. The green colour is used in all areas of the brand, including the logo, marketing materials and hotel décor.

Despite the consistent colour palette, the Holiday Inn logo has undergone several redesigns over the years, with five significant changes to the visual identity. Each redesign aimed to keep the brand fresh and relevant while maintaining the core values and identity.

The original Holiday Inn logo had a simple design with a house with a curved roof and a sign saying “Holiday Inn” in front of it. The logo has been revised several times, with changes to the typography, colour scheme and design elements.

The current Holiday Inn logo features a modern and sleek design, with the word “Holiday” in bold letters and “Inn” in a smaller font below. The logo includes a stylised “H” in green, which adds a unique and recognisable element to the design.

5 – TUI

TUI, short for Touristik Union International, is a global travel and tourism company founded in Germany in 1923. Since then, the company has expanded its operations worldwide, offering millions of customers a wide range of travel services annually.

One of the most recognisable aspects of TUI's brand identity is its logo, representing the company's motto, “Discover Your Smile. The logo features the words “World of TUI” in bold red lettering with a stylised symbol of a smiling face directly above the lettering.

The TUI logo was designed by the renowned design agency Interbrand, aiming to create a simple yet meaningful design that captures the brand's essence. The smiling face symbol in the TUI logo is a visual representation of the company's commitment to providing customers with the best travel experiences and creating happy moments that bring smiles to people's faces.

The colour palette of the TUI logo is based on a simple and effective combination of red and white, with bright red representing passion, energy and enthusiasm. Using red on a white background creates a bold, eye-catching design that is easily recognisable and helps establish the brand's identity across different marketing channels.

6 – Trivago

Trivago is an online travel service specialising in providing travellers with a comprehensive metasearch experience. The company was founded in Germany in 2005 and has grown into a global brand represented in over 190 countries. Today, Trivago is owned by Expedia, one of the world's leading travel agencies.

Trivago's visual identity is known for its simplicity and minimalism. The brand's logo is text-based, with the company name written in a clear and modern font. The logo is usually in three bright colours: Blue, Orange and Magenta. This colour palette conveys a sense of energy, vibrancy and excitement and reflects the company's focus on helping travellers find the best possible deals for their trips.

Trivago's visual identity may be simple, but it is also very effective. The clean, uncluttered design of the logo makes it easily recognisable and memorable, while the bold, bright colours grab attention and create a sense of urgency. This is especially important in the competitive online travel market, where customers are bombarded with many options and offers.

Trivago's visual identity is reflected in its logo and the design of its website and mobile app. The company's website features a clean, minimalist layout that is easy to navigate. At the same time, the mobile app is designed to be simple and user-friendly, allowing customers to search for and book their travel accommodations quickly and easily.

7 – Tripadvisor

In 2020, the famous travel company underwent a significant overhaul of its logo. The new design scrapped the previous colourful version and took a minimalist approach, adding bold black lines to the iconic owl emblem. The updated design presents a much stronger and more modern look, in keeping with the company's brand ethos of being forward-thinking and adaptable to the needs of its customers.

The new logo features the iconic owl in black, either alone or to the left of the company's lettering, which is now in capital letters. The owl is a recognisable symbol of wisdom and intelligence, which fits well with Tripadvisor's role as an information provider to travellers. The new green background adds a sense of freshness and vitality and underlines the company's focus on helping people discover new and exciting experiences.

Tripadvisor's new logo perfectly represents the company's evolution and growth in the travel industry. The redesigned emblem is elegant, sophisticated and memorable while retaining the company's iconic owl symbol. Overall, the updated logo reflects their commitment to providing customers with the best travel experience.

8 – Kayak

Kayak is a well-known online travel agency founded in the United States in 2004. Since then, the company has expanded globally, and its website is now available in more than ten international languages.

Kayak's original logo was designed in 2004 and was only slightly changed in 2017. The original concept of the logo was so successful that it did not need to be changed significantly over time. The Kayak emblem consists of a word mark with each letter in white within an orange rectangle. The original logo used a soft, rounded sans-serif font and a thin horizontal line in grey to give the impression of an airport flight tableau.

In 2017, they updated the Kayak logo with a more vigorous and sharper typeface. The wordmark is now in a bold geometric sans serif typeface with straight, clean lines and traditionally cut edges and angles. The grey line that ran through the logo has been removed, resulting in a more uncluttered and minimalist design.

The Kayak logo's bright orange colour stands out and is instantly recognisable to customers. The colour is associated with excitement, energy and warmth, which is very fitting for a company in the travel industry. The simplicity of the design and the bold colour scheme convey the company's commitment to making travel easy and accessible for everyone.

9 – Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) is an integrated transport system in London that manages the city's public transport network, including the London Underground, buses, trams and rail services. TfL is known worldwide for its iconic and unique logo based on a roundel.

The roundel was first introduced in London Underground stations in the early 1900s to help passengers find their way around and locate their location and destination. Today it is a fundamental element of TfL's visual identity and is used across all modes of transport.

Each of TfL's transport divisions has its rondel representing its unique identity while providing a coherent and recognisable TfL brand. For example, the London Underground rondel is instantly recognisable with its red and blue colour scheme and a horizontal blue bar. In contrast, the London Overground rondel is orange and blue with a horizontal orange bar.

The roundel allows TfL to convey a sense of unity and consistency across all modes while communicating that each department has its purpose and identity. It is a testament to the power of strong visual branding and how it can help build trust and recognition across a diverse and complex transport network.

10 – Booking.com

Booking.com is a renowned online travel agency belonging to Booking Holdings. Since its inception, the platform has offered various accommodation search and booking services, ranging from private budget accommodation to luxury hotels. In addition, the company provides transport and leisure options to its users so they can plan their perfect holiday.

Booking.com has a simple and minimalist visual identity, consisting only of the company name in a unique font. The brand has never had a solid background, and the colour scheme has changed slightly. The logo's simplicity is intentional as it is meant to be easily recognisable and memorable to users.

The font of the Booking.com logo is significant, with bevelled edges that tilt 23.5 degrees. This design choice represents the natural tilt of the Earth's axis, paying homage to the planet we all share. The bevelled edges of the letters give the typeface a unique and modern look, ideally in line with the company's mission to provide its customers with a unique and personalised travel experience.

Wrapping Up

In summary, the world of travel is full of opportunities for adventure and discovery, and travel brand logos serve as the first point of contact with potential customers. A well-designed logo has the power to attract and captivate, and the logos of the top 10 travel brands featured in this article have certainly achieved this goal. From the simplicity of Kayak's orange and white lettering to the boldness of TUI's smiling face, each logo tells a story and conveys a unique brand identity.

As well as being eye-catching, these travel logos symbolise the brand's values and mission, reminding us of the beauty and excitement that awaits us on our travels. Whether you are a seasoned traveller or a dreamer, let these travel logos inspire you to explore the world and create unforgettable travel experiences.