Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT promise to change everything, including how we travel. However, are they currently capable of magically replacing a travel advisor or even your own common sense? We investigate while teaching you some tips on travel planning with ChatGPT as your tourism assistant.
What is ChatGPT?
The first step in leveraging a tool is to understand its advantages and limitations.
The creators of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and similar tools describe them as “artificial intelligence,” which implies they have actual intelligence, understanding, or even emotion. In reality, these technologies are classified as large language models.
In simple terms, ChatGPT and its rivals don’t give you an opinion based on experience; instead, they respond to your commands based on the sources they were trained on, without reasoning or context.
Limitations of Travel Planning with ChatGPT
Given these constraints, ChatGPT isn’t very reliable for planning travel itineraries. Still, we wanted to try it out for ourselves.
We prompted ChatGPT, “Make recommendations on things to do tonight in Buenos Aires, Argentina.”
It immediately compiled a list of expected responses (Teatro Colón, tango dinner shows, bars in Palermo, walks through Corrientes Avenue or Puerto Madero). When we asked for an itinerary, the tool wrote a timeline featuring some of these activities spanning between 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
What it didn’t verify was the availability of those activities based on the day. It couldn’t interpret “tonight” as “Monday night” (when we wrote the prompt) or specific numbered night of the month. As a result, many of its suggestions weren’t open or didn’t have performances scheduled for the date in question.
Furthermore, aside from its suggested walking routes, it never suggested how we should get from one part of the city to another, nor did it take travel times into account. A big deal considering the size of Argentina’s capital and its diverse transportation options. (Trains, taxis, subways, buses, etc.)
If ChatGPT can hallucinate on a simple request for a single night, we can’t imagine how many mistakes it could make when working on a complex trip lasting several weeks across different countries.
Tips for Travel Planning with ChatGPT
In any case, AI tools like ChatGPT still show potential and can be helpful for organizing your travel plans as long as you keep the following in mind:
1 Write a Detailed Prompt
The more information your prompt contains, the better the odds are for ChatGPT to generate a working travel plan for you. Indicate your destination, departure city, number of travelers, number of days, means of transportation, desired accommodations, activities you’re interested in, and so on.
2 Avoid Personal Information
For your security, avoid providing ChatGPT with compromising personal data as much as possible. This includes names, phone numbers, payment methods, user account credentials, or banking information. Remember, any web platform is susceptible to identity theft attacks, even large language models.
3 Clear Your Memories
When you frequently consult ChatGPT, the platform stores relevant data learned or interpreted from previous prompts. These memories may or may not affect the veracity or accuracy of your travel itinerary request, so you may want to delete them.
You can find these memories within ChatGPT under Settings > Personalization > Memory > Manage Memories.
4 Double-Check EVERYTHING
Never take ChatGPT’s responses as gosple, but rather as a guide. Think of ChatGPT less as an infallible expert and more like a friend with whom you can brainstorm travel ideas.
If it mentions a hotel or attraction, confirm that it exists or is open on your desired date. When suggesting prices and purchase platforms, confirm the legitimacy of those payment options and their current rates. In the case of transfers between two locations within a given time, check Google Maps to see if the distances between these places are correct and if the suggested modes of transportation are available.
Share Your AI-Generated Travel Proposal and We’ll Make It a Reality
AI technology improves every day, but it still lacks the subtlety, emotion, and experience that advisors like those at Destinos Ahora bring to travel planning.
We rely on our own experience as travelers, as well as our certifications in various destinations and tour providers. National Geographic Expeditions; Expedia; Royal Caribbean; Adventures by Disney; the destinations of Miami and Orlando; Disney Cruise Line; as well as Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and Busch Gardens theme parks both in the United States and around the world.
Already created a travel itinerary with ChatGPT? Share it with us so we can verify its feasibility, provide you with our own recommendations, and confirm all the costs. You can also take advantage of our current deals.
Contact us via WhatsApp, email, or our Facebook sales page. We’ll reply promptly to help organize your trip with what AI still lacks: emotional intelligence and a passion for tourism.
Image: © Freepik.
