It’s tempting to plug your destination and the length of your trip into an AI-powered search engine and wait for the perfect itinerary to appear. However, that rarely happens. “People will use AI to give a sample itinerary, for example, build me an 8-day budget-friendly trip to Egypt, including all of the highlights,” Barens says. However, AI often suggests activities that are too jam-packed and don’t allow enough time at each location or a lunch break, he says.
Plus, AI often doesn’t account for real-world conditions, such as planning indoor activities during the height of the afternoon heat, time spent in long queues to enter an attraction, or rush-hour traffic, he explains. Another problem is that AI might recommend visiting sites in an illogical order, such as visiting one museum in the morning, going to lunch an hour away across the city, and then traveling back to hike in a park next to the museum in the afternoon.
The problem is pervasive. Andrew van den Broeck, private guide and brand manager at Yellow Zebra Safaris, finds that he is receiving more and more requests from customers who relied on AI for advice before booking. “It’s evident that our on-the-ground expertise and firsthand knowledge are often being weighed against the information clients gather through AI-driven searches,” he said. van den Broeck is used to clients conducting extensive research before contacting Yellow Zebra. This research can be valuable and help Yellow Zebra staff create a traveler’s ideal safari. However, since AI burst onto the scene, he has observed that the itineraries clients are requesting are increasingly difficult, or impossible, to book for a variety of reasons that on-the-ground agents can spot immediately. “This shows us that our consultants are still integral to the research, planning, and booking process, and AI is not replacing the human connection element of planning a safari trip,” van den Broeck says.
The fix: AI can be a good starting point for planning a trip. However, be sure to tweak your schedule so you aren’t running yourself ragged and have time to enjoy the places you’re visiting. Speaking to a travel agent with local expertise can also help you sort through an AI-suggested itinerary to create a realistic schedule.
