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Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is all the rage these days. Everyone is talking about how it\u2019s going to change the world. It\u2019s making waves in design, art, graphics, and contracts. <\/p>\n
But will it change travel? <\/p>\n
I actually don\u2019t think it will that much. At least, not in the near term. <\/p>\n
Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n
The internet is littered with failed companies that tried to reinvent travel planning. They failed because people actually want<\/em> to plan their travels, as it gives them ownership of their trip. People like<\/em> researching restaurants, finding hotels, reading blogs and guides, and figuring out what to do. <\/p>\n All this lends a sense of discovery to the endeavor. Planning a trip<\/a> gives people an emotional connection to their experience. Companies that tried to remove that have failed or pivoted to booking corporate travel.<\/p>\n Which is why I don\u2019t think people will say, \u201cHey Google! Make me an itinerary for Hong Kong!<\/a>\u201d any time soon. <\/p>\n First, AI isn\u2019t that great yet. It still scrapes (steals) content from blogs like this, or from outdated posts and old websites. I\u2019ve played around with many AI sites, asking them to plan a certain trip, and I\u2019ve gotten results filled with closed restaurants, poorly rated accommodations, and other outdated information. It will be a long, long time before AI whips up a good itinerary. <\/p>\n Second, travel is such an emotional, human experience. AI can\u2019t tell you why<\/em> you should go to a destination. It can\u2019t give you a sense of place or capture the magic of being there in a way that inspires you. It can give you the what<\/em> but not the why<\/em>. It\u2019s one thing to have AI whip up a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 or explain how to do a push-up, it\u2019s another to inspire you.<\/p>\n What is more likely in the near term is people using AI to book their hotel or flights. It\u2019s not going to take much for such sites to understand what kind of hotels or flights you like. You can probably even give it parameters (\u201cNever book a flight before 7am\u201d or \u201cI prefer Delta\u201d) as well as show it your past booking activity in order to teach it what you like. <\/p>\n I suspect you\u2019ll soon be able to say, \u201cHey Google! Remember that hotel (or walking tour company, etc.) I booked in Vienna two years ago that I liked? Find me something in Paris<\/a> that is similar for X dates and book it.\u201d <\/p>\n But I think we\u2019re a long way off from AI bots that can plan a trip as good as a human. They just can\u2019t provide information as well as someone with on the ground experience. While you can go to them for inspiration, given that these AI bots still generate incorrect information and you\u2019d have to likely double-check their work anyway, I would just avoid using them all together. Stick to guidebooks<\/a>, travel blogs, and content creators. At least for now.<\/p>\n Book Your Flight<\/strong> Book Your Accommodation<\/strong> Don\u2019t Forget Travel Insurance<\/strong> Want to Travel for Free?<\/strong> Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip?<\/strong> Ready to Book Your Trip?<\/strong>Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner<\/a>. It\u2019s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. <\/p>\n
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld<\/a>. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com<\/a> as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. <\/p>\n
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It\u2019s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I\u2019ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:<\/p>\n
Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation \u2014 all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites<\/a> to get started and see the latest best deals.<\/p>\n
Get Your Guide<\/a> is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more. <\/p>\n
Check out my resource page<\/a> for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can\u2019t go wrong using them on your trip.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n