Posted: 7/2/23 | July 2nd, 2023
Planning a visit could be tedious. And I say that as somebody who loves journey planning. Trying to find low-cost flights, in search of issues to see and do, creating an itinerary, getting visas, shopping for gear. The record goes on.
It takes loads of time and vitality to plan a visit — no matter whether or not it’s a visit for 2 weeks or two months. Between studying guidebooks, journey blogs, and checking social media for suggestions, most individuals spend dozens of hours planning a visit.
Now, firms wish to simplify that course of by utilizing the newest rage: AI.
With the rise of AI, there are actually increasingly more instruments accessible to vacationers to assist them take advantage of out of their travels.
The very best of these instruments I’ve seen is GuideGeek.
What’s GuideGeek?
GuideGeek is a private AI-powered journey assistant created by Matador Network – a number one journey and journey writer that has been round so long as I’ve.
They’ve created a classy AI that blends OpenAI’s ChatGPT know-how, real-time journey information (i.e. stay flight search) and human curation from their in-house journey specialists.
You may ask GuideGeek about just about something:
- Lodging
- Itineraries
- Native customs & slang
- Locations to eat
- Issues to see & do
- Security suggestions
- Funds suggestions
- And extra!
It’s 100% free – simply go to guidegeek.com and use the QR code to attach with GuideGeek through WhatsApp (it runs through WhatsApp, so that you don’t have to obtain a separate app).
In case you don’t have WhatsApp, they’re planning on launching on Instagram, Fb Messenger, and SMS quickly (although because the world exterior of the USA runs on WhatsApp, it’s price putting in in case you’re planning on spending any period of time overseas).
GuideGeek offers suggestions and recommendation that will help you determine the place and when to go, plan an itinerary, and get strategies for what to see and do. In tandem with journey guides and/or journey blogs, it’s a strong device that may streamline your journey planning.
However does it really work?
I needed to check and see if it really labored. For starters, right here’s what it appears like while you begin utilizing GuideGeek:

Now, since I not too long ago moved again to NYC, I believed I’d ask it for a couple of strategies to see what it comes up with. I do know NYC effectively so I needed to see if it will give BS or actual solutions:

What’s tremendous attention-grabbing is that it didn’t simply spew out generic information. It requested me to get particular so it may higher tailor its strategies to my journey fashion and pursuits:


This can be a good begin, however let’s get much more particular and ask about history-focused museums and sushi eating places:

Along with museums, I additionally requested about some colonial historical past websites (something I’ve read about and researched myself):


With our historical past lined, let’s ask about meals — sushi, specifically.

These are some top-end sushi locations and never tremendous inexpensive. Let’s see what we are able to discover that’s extra price range pleasant:

These are fairly stable strategies, and undoubtedly a great place for guests to begin getting the ball rolling. (To be honest, I’m a sushi snob, so I’m onerous to impress!)
Fortuitously, every response solely takes a couple of seconds to get and you’ll ask it just about something relating to issues to see and do (and locations to eat).
An Instance Journey
To see simply how useful (and correct) the device is, let’s use it to plan a two-week journey from scratch.
First, let’s assume you might have time without work in October. Let’s ask it the place we must always go:

It advised New England, Munich (for Oktoberfest), Bali, Japan, and Patagonia. All nice strategies and October is an efficient time to go to every of those locations. Assuming we don’t wish to keep within the USA, let’s proceed our planning:

With that data in hand, let’s slim it down even additional:

Bali it’s!

This screenshot reveals about half of the strategies GuideGeek provided, giving me loads of strategies I can then dive deeper into through guides and blogs to study extra and see what I wish to prioritize.
With my actions outlined, it was time to ask about the place to remain:

I can now take these strategies and verify them out on-line through web sites like Booking.com and Hostelworld to take a look at photos and critiques and see what works finest for my journey fashion and price range (it did ship me clickable hyperlinks, however not for about an hour after I despatched my query).
Utilizing this device, I’ve discovered someplace to go, issues to see and do, and lodging — all with just some fast questions despatched to GuideGeek. It not solely helped me slim down my search however gave me some stable data I can use to go deeper and make bookings, possible saving me a great chunk of time.
The journey trade is consistently altering. By embracing easy-to-use AI instruments like GuideGeek, it can save you your self numerous hours whereas arming your self with a strong private journey assistant that may make sure you take advantage of out of each journey.
Is that this going to switch blogs and other people and journey brokers? No, not but. Perhaps sooner or later. However not now. But it surely does add one other free, easy-to-use device to your arsenal as you intend a visit.
E book Your Journey: Logistical Ideas and Tips
E book Your Flight
Discover a low-cost flight by utilizing Skyscanner. It’s my favourite search engine as a result of it searches web sites and airways across the globe so that you all the time know no stone is being left unturned.
E book Your Lodging
You may ebook your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace apart from a hostel, use Booking.com because it constantly returns the most affordable charges for guesthouses and inns.
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will defend you towards sickness, damage, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes improper. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many instances prior to now. My favourite firms that supply the very best service and worth are:
Wish to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards assist you to earn factors that may be redeemed at no cost flights and lodging — all with none further spending. Try my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get began and see the newest finest offers.
Able to E book Your Journey?
Try my resource page for the very best firms to make use of while you journey. I record all those I take advantage of once I journey. They’re the very best at school and you’ll’t go improper utilizing them in your journey.