Posted: 7/2/23 | July 2nd, 2023
Planning a visit may be tedious. And I say that as somebody who loves journey planning. Looking for low-cost flights, on the lookout for issues to see and do, creating an itinerary, getting visas, shopping for gear. The record goes on.
It takes a whole lot 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 ideas, most individuals spend dozens of hours planning a visit.
Now, firms want to simplify that course of by utilizing the most recent rage: AI.
With the rise of AI, there are actually an increasing number of instruments obtainable 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 consultants.
You’ll be able to ask GuideGeek about just about something:
- Lodging
- Itineraries
- Native customs & slang
- Locations to eat
- Issues to see & do
- Security ideas
- Funds ideas
- 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 must obtain a separate app).
In the event you don’t have WhatsApp, they’re planning on launching on Instagram, Fb Messenger, and SMS quickly (although because the world exterior of the US runs on WhatsApp, it’s value putting in should you’re planning on spending any period of time overseas).
GuideGeek offers ideas and recommendation that will help you resolve 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 software that may streamline your journey planning.
However does it truly work?
I wished to check and see if it truly labored. For starters, right here’s what it seems to be like while you begin utilizing GuideGeek:

Now, since I lately moved again to NYC, I assumed I might ask it for a number of strategies to see what it comes up with. I do know NYC properly so I wished to see if it might give BS or actual solutions:

What’s tremendous fascinating 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:


It is 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 coated, let’s ask about meals — sushi, particularly.

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

These are fairly strong strategies, and positively a great place for guests to start out getting the ball rolling. (To be truthful, I’m a sushi snob, so I’m exhausting to impress!)
Thankfully, every response solely takes a number 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 software is, let’s use it to plan a two-week journey from scratch.
First, let’s assume you might have day off in October. Let’s ask it the place we should always go:

It steered 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 slender it down even additional:

Bali it’s!

This screenshot reveals about half of the strategies GuideGeek supplied, 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 opinions and see what works greatest for my journey fashion and finances (it did ship me clickable hyperlinks, however not for about an hour after I despatched my query).
Utilizing this software, I’ve discovered someplace to go, issues to see and do, and lodging — all with only a few fast questions despatched to GuideGeek. It not solely helped me slender down my search however gave me some strong data I can use to go deeper and make bookings, doubtless saving me a great chunk of time.
The journey business is continually 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 interchange blogs and folks and journey brokers? No, not but. Perhaps sooner or later. However not now. However it does add one other free, easy-to-use software to your arsenal as you intend a visit.
Guide Your Journey: Logistical Suggestions and Methods
Guide 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.
Guide Your Lodging
You’ll be able to guide your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace aside from a hostel, use Booking.com because it persistently returns the most cost effective charges for guesthouses and motels.
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will shield 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 up to now. My favourite firms that supply the very best service and worth are:
Need to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards help you earn factors that may be redeemed without cost flights and lodging — all with none additional spending. Try my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get began and see the most recent greatest offers.
Able to Guide 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 in school and you’ll’t go improper utilizing them in your journey.