If you’re a fellow DIY travel planner, here’s my secret to mapping out vacations: handy AI tools.
The way I feel about artificial intelligence today is how my parents felt about smartphones 10 years ago. Although my reflex is to Google what I need, I’ve recently discovered a task that AI is a master at: travel planning. The latest and greatest generative AI chatbots, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, are such powerful tools. That’s great news for the Type A travel planner, as we now have access to virtual assistants that come with the widespread knowledge of travel blogs, trip itineraries and online recommendations. Best of all, they offer (free) help any time you want.
Intrigued? Here’s how to plan your next overseas trip with an AI travel planner.
Top tips to use AI for travel planning
1. Discover a destination that’s perfect for you
Picture this: you’re relaxing on your couch while flicking through your photos from last year when you lounged on a beach in Phu Quoc and took a million pictures of Osaka Castle. The travel bug bites, but you haven’t been inspired by any particular destination lately. You open ChatGPT for help…
“I want to plan a solo trip this November. I’ve already travelled to Ho Chi Minh City, Bali, and the UK. I’m open to destinations, but I’d prefer somewhere with a direct flight from Singapore in less than 6 hours. I don’t want to go anywhere cold, but light sweater weather is fine. I’m a big foodie, I prefer urban areas over nature, and I like historical cities with old architecture. Can you suggest three places off the beaten path that will be a good fit?”
Immediately, your handy-dandy pocket AI travel planner provides you with options, including flight times, the weather in November, and a rundown of each destination: how about Tainan, Fukuoka, or Penang?
As you can see, the prompt above is pretty long and specific. That’s the trick to getting the most out of generative AI – the more information you give, the more helpful its response will be. Change your mind about the type of vacation you want? Destinations not obscure enough for you? Just tell the bot and it’ll update its responses. You never have to apologise to your AI travel planner for rambling or being picky.
2. Do all the research you need in mere minutes
Besides being a great brainstorming buddy, AI can also provide concise responses so you don’t have to look at multiple sources for the answer. For example, I had a hard time deciding which neighbourhood to stay in during my recent Sydney trip. So, I turned to Perplexity, an AI tool that focuses on information retrieval and research.
“I’m visiting Sydney in August and I need help with accommodation options. I want something laidback, not too touristy, near the water, and accessible by public transit, with shops and restaurants nearby. Can you suggest a few neighbourhoods and share what each is like?”
Perplexity returned with five options, alongside the travel blogs and tourism guides that it referred to as easy links for me to dig into further if I wished. With the AI’s help, I decided on Bronte, which turned out to be the perfect neighbourhood.
3. Plan a personalised itinerary in a breeze
I’m the type of planner who likes to research and book activities in advance, read top 10 lists, and watch 20-minute travel vlogs. But alas, planning takes time and energy. For my Australia trip, after booking everything in Sydney, I ran out of steam and arrived in Melbourne with no plans. Enter my boyfriend, a non-planner who reached out to his new bestie, Perplexity, for help.
“My girlfriend and I are visiting Melbourne for the first time. Can you suggest an itinerary with free and popular tourist destinations within walking distance from the National Gallery of Victoria?”
The chatbot offered a schedule for the day complete with suggested timings, a stop for lunch, and details about the various sights it recommended. Talk about smooth! And if you want to create a group itinerary that covers all your bases, try using AI to accommodate diverse interests, transportation time, and that 2pm coffee break your friends can’t function without.
“I’m visiting Taipei for 5 days with 4 friends and a 5-year-old kid. We’re staying in the Da’an District. We want to experience night markets and one upscale dining experience. Our travel interests include exploring neighbourhoods on foot, outdoor activities like hiking, visiting historical or cultural locations, and experiencing nightlife. Can you create an itinerary that includes kid-friendly activities? Also, please point out activities I need to book in advance.”
ChatGPT quickly responded with a five-day itinerary that would make any planner’s heart sing. It included a Taiwanese breakfast of soy milk and you tiao (fried dough fritters), nightlife in Ximending, a visit to the Taipei Zoo, and a hike at Elephant Mountain.
While this is a great starting point, I recommend double-checking your AI travel planner’s responses, because AI can occasionally get things wrong. For example, you might find that a restaurant is closed at the time proposed by ChatGPT, or ticket prices for a destination have changed. So, trust the system to give you a broad overview, but do your fact-checks on the nitty-gritty to avoid disappointment.
4. Tick off your travel prep list without effort
Finally, once the flights are booked and the accommodations are confirmed, all that’s left to do is count the days until you depart. But before you leave, make sure you have everything you need. From creating packing lists for specific climates to giving you a rundown about tipping culture at your destination, AI can respond to all your questions, big or small. Here are some examples…
“I’m visiting Hanoi, Vietnam for a week in February. What’s the climate like? Can you create a packing list that takes into account a 4-day motorbike tour? How much cash should I bring?”
“I’m travelling to Kazakhstan for the first time next month. Can you tell me about the culture of the Kazakhs and help me understand important local customs and etiquette to follow?”
“I’m a Singaporean citizen visiting Paris in December. What should I prepare for the trip?”
The possibilities are endless with AI. To make your life easier, treat ChatGPT as your personal travel assistant and let it relieve some of your decision fatigue. For the extra savvy, there are even AI tools built specifically for travel planning, such as Layla, TripAdvisor’s TripBuilder, and GuideGeek, an AI platform that you can message on Instagram.
Just remember to be specific about what you want and check the details provided. Bon voyage, or rather, bot voyage!
