The Lure of the Instant Itinerary
Artificial intelligence has become a go-to starting point for millions of travellers. Ask for a week in Italy or a weekend in Tokyo, and tools like ChatGPT or Gemini deliver a structured, day-by-day plan almost instantly. This speed is the main appeal;
tasks that once took hours of sifting through blogs and guidebooks are now done in under a minute. These tools are fantastic for brainstorming, offering a first draft that can feel 80% of the way there. They can help structure a trip, suggest destinations, and create a logical flow of activities, turning a blank page into a tangible plan. The problem begins when travellers treat this polished-looking draft as a finished, verified product. The convenience is undeniable, but the accuracy often isn't.
When AI Confidently Hallucinates
The biggest risk with AI planners is a phenomenon known as "hallucination." This is when the AI, designed to generate plausible text, simply invents details. These aren't minor errors; they can be recommendations for restaurants that have been closed for years, or even cafes and attractions that never existed in the first place. One study found that 90% of AI-generated itineraries contained at least one inaccuracy. Another common issue is outdated information. An AI might recommend a popular restaurant based on articles written when it opened, unaware that it has since closed permanently. Because the AI presents these fabrications with the same confident authority as it does factual information, it's easy for travellers to get led astray. Travellers have shown up in remote towns searching for non-existent canyons or driven to hot springs that were entirely invented by an AI.
The Devil in the Logistical Details
Beyond inventing places, AI planners frequently stumble on the practical details of travel. Unrealistic transit times are a common complaint; an itinerary might suggest a 20-minute journey that actually takes an hour in city traffic. It might also fail to account for geography, suggesting walking routes across steep terrain or creating illogical paths that have you backtracking across a city. Another frequent failure point is operating hours. Itineraries often suggest visiting museums, shops, or attractions on days they are closed or well outside their actual opening times. Schedules for transport like ferries and trains can also be outdated. These small but crucial mistakes can cause you to miss a connection or waste an entire morning. The AI doesn't understand travel fatigue or the real-world friction of getting from point A to B.
Your Pre-Travel Fact-Checking Routine
The good news is that you can get the best of both worlds: the speed of AI brainstorming and the reliability of a well-checked plan. Treat the AI itinerary as a first draft, not a final script, and run it through a human verification process. First, confirm existence. For any hotel, restaurant, or attraction, look it up on a reliable map service to ensure it's real and at the location the AI claims. Read recent reviews to confirm it's still in operation. Second, verify all logistics. Check official websites for opening hours, ticket prices, and tour schedules. Do not trust an AI-generated price or timetable. For transportation, look at the official sites of train or ferry operators. Third, map your day. Plot the recommended stops for each day on a map to see if the route makes geographical sense. Does it account for realistic travel times between locations, or is it sending you on inefficient detours? Finally, check for local context. Are your travel dates during a public holiday when everything might be closed? A quick search can prevent major disappointment.
