Why You Can Expect Little Help From ChatGPT For Your Travel Plans

Since I am in the personal adventure crafting business, I had tried out ChatGPT’s travel planning capabilities and was left wanting.

It does what it says and no more. But it should evolve as new features are added.

Here is why ChatGPT is not ready to plan your trip just yet:

Limited Capability

When prompted for a seven-day trip to Iceland focused on outdoor activities and stays, it gave three variations of similar suggestions. These included a list of the most popular outdoor spots and BnB-style hotels. Someone who has never been to Iceland and is just exploring travel destinations might find this useful.

But suppose I want a focused trip plan to explore the outdoors with different levels of remoteness and access difficulty. In that case, I’d have to do extensive research on my own.

That’s the extent of its capabilities at the moment.

Provides Generic Answers

When asked for a travel itinerary, it gives general ideas of what to do at places you’ve expressed an interest in.

ChatGPT is unable to connect the dots and add details like local events of interest or current hotel rates that might help with a trip schedule or budget.

Gives Obvious Information

When I asked for stay options, it gave me a list of popular hotel booking sites to check and then proceed with. This included everyone from Booking.com to Hostelworld.com.

It added the following unhelpful caveat: “Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on the season, and it’s always a good idea to book well in advance to secure the best deal. Also, be sure to read reviews and check cancellation policies before booking to ensure a pleasant stay.”

With ChatGPT integrated into Bing, that search engine might have new teeth and an edge over Google.

It does give you a taste of what’s to come with travel planning and booking.

It may reach a tipping point if the GPT platform includes up-to-date links to accompany its suggestions.

Have you put ChatGPT to the test yet?

If so, what has your experience been like? Let me know in the comments. 👇🏼

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