TripEase: a travel mobile application for Kelantan tourism and local discovery

Tourism is an important contributor to Malaysia’s economic growth and cultural preservation, with domestic tourism playing a crucial role in recent years. Kelantan, a state rich in heritage, natural beauty, and traditional crafts, holds great potential for tourism but is currently underrepresented on digital travel platforms. Most tourists planning a trip to Kelantan face difficulties due to fragmented information spread across multiple websites and applications for destinations, attractions, and accommodations. To address this issue, this project developed TripEase, a mobile tourism application designed specifically to streamline and enhance travel planning within Kelantan. The app consolidates destination browsing, attraction discovery, accommodation booking, and navigation assistance using Google Maps into a single, user-friendly platform. The system was developed using the Rapid Application Development (RAD) methodology, which allowed for iterative design, fast prototyping, and user-focused improvements. TripEase integrates Firebase Firestore for real-time data management and provides separate interfaces for tourists, accommodation providers, and administrators. All planned features were successfully implemented and tested, with real device testing used to ensure accurate location services. The application improves user experience by reducing planning time and increasing accessibility to both popular and lesser-known local attractions. Future enhancements could include secure payment gateway integration, multi-language support, and expanding the app’s coverage beyond Kelantan. TripEase contributes significantly to the digital transformation of regional tourism in Malaysia by offering a comprehensive, efficient, and scalable solution.