AI and Travel: The End of the World As We Know It?
Also: I ask ChatGPT to create a Kyoto itinerary and review the results
AI takes a holiday. AI image prompted by Chris Rowthorn
Thoughts on AI and Travel
Lately, I’ve been thinking how AI will affect the travel industry. In the last few months, I’ve been contacted by people who used AIs like ChatGPT to create Japan trip itineraries. Some have been unhappy with the results and have decided they’d prefer to work with a human being. Others simply want me to “check” their machine-made itinerary (note: I welcome the former and refuse the latter). At the same time, AI-powered apps and sites have appeared on the scene offering to create full travel itineraries for next to nothing: all you do is answer a few questions about your travel preferences and - voilà - it spits out the “perfect” itinerary for you.
But it goes beyond just personal itineraries. The more important trend in travel is AI content creation. People are already using AI to write travel articles for the internet and even full travel guides that you can buy on Amazon. I mean, the temptation is nearly irresistible: With the latest iteration of Chat, you can produce a complete online guide to a country like Japan in a few minutes. Add some affiliate links to that content and do some SEO magic and you’re sure to make some money. Or, put it up on Amazon as an e-book and someone is going to pay for it. I mean, it’s just a numbers game, right? The effort is minimal, expenses nearly non-existent, and if you play your cards right, you could be sitting in a shared workspace in Bali or Chiang Mai making YouTube videos about how you escaped the rat race.
AI lends a hand. AI image prompted by Chris Rowthorn
Right now, we’re in the first generation of AI-created guides and itineraries. Already, a significant portion of what you read in the travel space is AI-generated. And we’re now getting to the point where AIs are starting to crawl content that was created by other AIs. Which is to say, we’ve entered the inevitable recursive loop described by Jean Baudrillard where copies are made of copies, with each copy being a further step away from the original source material, becoming more and more denatured, eventually arriving at pure simulacrum, completely detached from the real world. That’s all rather abstract, so what does it look like in practice?
Hall of Mirrors. AI image prompted by Chris Rowthorn
I know what it looks like in practice because I’ve actually seen the entire process before, albeit in a much slower analog mode. When I was writing for Lonely Planet, I would sometimes see my research and writing echoed in other companies’ travel guides that appeared a year or two later. Obviously, I couldn’t always be sure of it, but when you spend a lot of time and money to go way off the beaten track to cover a place like the Maliau Basin in Borneo - a place previous uncovered by any major guidebook - and then it appears in the following edition of a competitor’s guidebook, or even two or three competitors’ guidebooks, you start to get suspicious.
And when you start to look closely at a whole range of guidebooks to a particular area over a period of several years, you start to see that guidebooks are covering other guidebooks as much as they are covering actual places. And the whole incestuous process just repeats and repeats, until someone finally decides to spend the time and money to check out a city or region in person, and then discovers that some places in the guidebooks no longer exist in the real world (ie, they’ve closed), of they’ve been ruined by over-tourism, or, most importantly of all, a whole new crop of attractions, restaurants, and hotels have appeared that are more worthy of coverage than all those places that have been bouncing around the pages of guidebooks for so long.
Fragments of a world. AI image prompted by Chris Rowthorn
This brings me to what I call “the rule of beaten tracks”: beaten tracks only get more beaten. Places that get a lot of coverage get more and more visitors. This process is mirrored in the world of artificial intelligence. Just as human intelligence is prone to biases that we refer to as “cognitive distortions,” artificial intelligence is prone to certain biases. The most important one in the travel space is what I call “silicon bias,” namely, silicon-based intelligence can only “see” that which is stored in silicon-based memory. Thus, places that are well covered on the internet, will only get more coverage, while obscure places, secret gems, and new places are often completely ignored. Although “ignored” is probably the wrong word to use here: from the perspective of AI, those places don’t exist.
So, whether we’re talking about itineraries or guidebooks and websites, AI can only give you the received wisdom and the status quo (or, more likely, last year’s status quo). It cannot give you little known gems, great new hotels, shops or restaurants, and off-the-beaten-track sights. It will give you something like the average of the recommendations of the most popular travel websites for a particular area. That makes for “safe” travel, but I’m not sure how interesting that travel would be.
I am reminded of a quote I read in a book by the great 20th century British explorer Bill Tilman: “The sight of a horse makes a man’s legs grow weak.” The ease with which travel itineraries, websites and guidebooks can be created with AI will render a whole generation of potential travel writers unable, or, at least unwilling, to do the hard work of pounding the pavement to check out places in person. Fortunately, at least for now, discerning travelers understand the value of handcrafted itineraries based on first-hand research. Or, am I just a guy working in a medieval scriptorium trying to convince himself that Gutenberg’s new printing press is nothing to worry about?
Test Driving ChatGPT for Creating Travel Itineraries
I wanted to see for myself how good ChatGPT is for creating travel itineraries so I prompted ChatGPT to create an itinerary about a place I’m pretty familiar with: Kyoto. Here’s what I asked it to do:
Prompt:
Create the perfect 7-day itinerary for Kyoto, Japan. Include a mix of famous and off-the-beaten-track sights. Also include good local restaurants, a reasonable midrange hotel and one good luxury ryokan. Include transport details from place to place.
Here’s what ChatGPT produced:
Day 1: Arrival and Central Kyoto
Morning:
Check-in at Hotel: Stay at Cross Hotel Kyoto, a stylish midrange hotel located in central Kyoto.
Nishiki Market: Wander through Kyoto's vibrant food market. Try specialties like yatsuhashi (sweet rice snacks) and matcha treats.
Lunch:
Ippudo Ramen Kyoto: Enjoy a hearty bowl of Hakata-style ramen with a Kyoto twist.
Afternoon:
Kyoto Imperial Palace and Gardens: Explore the historic palace and its tranquil grounds.
Pontocho Alley: Walk along this picturesque alley known for its traditional Kyoto charm.
Dinner:
Katsukura Shijo: Indulge in crispy tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets).
Transport: Most sights are walkable or accessible via Kyoto City Bus.
Comment by Chris: Cross Hotel Kyoto is a good choice - it’s reasonably priced and centrally located (but, like most hotels, they won’t allow you to check in before 3pm). Nishiki Market is a nice warm up for Kyoto, but it will be packed during the day. As for Ippudo, I suspect Chat was talking about the one at the end of Nishiki, which closed a few years ago. The Imperial Palace Park is good, but I’d take the subway or Keihan Line up there from downtown (buses are too fiddly). Pontocho is really much better in the evening, perhaps as an after-dinner stroll. Katsukura is a good spot for tonkatsu and it’s approachable, so that’s a good choice. So, Day 1 is not bad but could be improved.
Day 2: Arashiyama and Sagano
Morning:
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: Stroll through the iconic bamboo forest.
Tenryu-ji Temple: Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning gardens.
Togetsukyo Bridge: Enjoy views of the Hozugawa River.
Lunch:
Yudofu Sagano: Experience Kyoto-style tofu cuisine in a serene garden setting.
Afternoon:
Iwatayama Monkey Park: Hike to the summit and meet playful monkeys with a panoramic view of Kyoto.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple: Discover a hidden gem with over 1,200 whimsical stone statues.
Dinner:
Sushi Naritaya: Small sushi spot with high-quality, reasonably priced plates.
Transport: Use the JR Sagano Line or Keifuku Randen Tram to reach Arashiyama.
Comment by Chris: Arashiyama is great, but it’s going to be packed in most seasons. You need a good plan to avoid the hordes. The afternoon itinerary doesn’t make any sense: the Monkey Park and Otagi Nenbutsu-ji are at totally opposite ends of Arashiyama. Sushi Naritaya is good, but better for lunch. I’d go back to the hotel, freshen up, and then eat somewhere downtown. You would be wrecked by the time you did the whole itinerary proposed by Chat.
Day 3: Higashiyama & Gion District
Morning:
Kiyomizu-dera Temple: Visit one of Kyoto's most famous landmarks with stunning views.
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka Streets: Explore charming lanes with traditional shops and tea houses.
Lunch:
Kyoto Gogyo: Known for its rich, smoky burnt ramen.
Afternoon:
Yasaka Shrine: Stroll through this lively shrine connecting to Maruyama Park.
Gion District: Learn about Kyoto's geisha culture while exploring traditional teahouses.
Dinner:
Gion Kappa: A cozy izakaya serving small plates of Kyoto-style cuisine.
Transport: Walk or take Kyoto City Bus for short trips between sites.
Comment by Chris: Again, Chat is steering us toward famous and crowded spots. Kiyomizu is packed during the day in most seasons. Kyoto Gogyo has closed. Yasaka-jinja is fine, but I’d suggest doing Yasaka and Gion in the evening, when they are more atmospheric. Finally, the bus is likely to be crowded and uncomfortable. I’d consider the Keihan Line or subway to get close, and then walking into Southern Higashiyama. So, this is not good.
Day 4: Northern Kyoto (Kurama and Kibune)
Morning:
Kurama-dera Temple: Take a scenic train ride to this peaceful mountain temple.
Lunch:
Kibune Hiroya: Dine riverside and try their seasonal kaiseki (multi-course) meals.
Afternoon:
Kibune Shrine: Visit this picturesque shrine known for its red torii gates.
Onsen Experience: Relax at Kurama Onsen, a hot spring with outdoor baths.
Dinner:
Return to central Kyoto and try Mishimatei, famous for sukiyaki hot pot.
Transport: Take the Eizan Railway to Kurama and Kibune.
Comment by Chris: Kurama/Kibune is always going to be a winner. Hiroya is a nice spot for lunch. However, there’s one huge problem with Chat’s itinerary on this day: the temple and onsen are on the Kurama side of Mt. Kurama and Kibune is in a completely different valley on the other side of the mountain. So if you visit the temple in the morning then hike over to Kibune for lunch, you’re going to have to hike back over the mountain to Kurama for the onsen. If you intend to visit the onsen, here’s what you do: Visit Kibune in the morning, then walk over the mountain to Kurama Temple and finish up at Kurama Onsen. For dinner, Mishimatei is great for sukiyaki. So, pretty good for this day with one major error.
Day 5: Fushimi Inari and Uji
Morning:
Fushimi Inari Shrine: Walk through the iconic vermillion torii gates. Arrive early to avoid crowds.
Lunch:
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum (Fushimi): Tour the museum, then enjoy lunch at a nearby izakaya.
Afternoon:
Uji Byodoin Temple: Visit this elegant temple featured on the 10-yen coin.
Matcha Tasting: Enjoy Uji’s world-famous green tea at Nakamura Tokichi.
Dinner:
Return to Kyoto and savor kaiseki at Gion Matayoshi.
Transport: Use the Keihan Railway for Fushimi and Uji.
Comment by Chris: Chat gets it right about visiting Fushimi-Inari early in the day to avoid crowds. The sake district is actually pretty far from Fushimi-Inari, but it can be interesting for sake fans. The lunch recommendation is a bit odd as izakaya are mostly evening places. Uji is interesting for fans of Japanese tea and Byodo-in is beautiful. However, if you’ve had an early start for Fushimi-Inari, hitting both the sake district and Uji makes this a pretty long day with a LOT of walking. I haven’t tried Matayoshi, so I cannot comment on that. In practice, this day’s itinerary would be pretty tiring.
Day 6: Philosopher’s Path and Nanzen-ji
Morning:
Philosopher’s Path: A peaceful canal-side walk lined with cherry trees.
Nanzen-ji Temple: Visit the stunning Zen garden and aqueduct.
Lunch:
Okonomiyaki Katsu: Try Japanese savory pancakes near the path.
Afternoon:
Eikan-do Temple: Famous for its autumn foliage and serene atmosphere.
Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji): End the day at this elegant Zen temple.
Dinner:
Hyotei Honten: For an unforgettable dining experience, enjoy this Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant.
Transport: Take Kyoto City Bus or a taxi for convenience.
Comment by Chris: Chat’s Northern Higashiyama itinerary includes three great temples. However, all three are popular and can be crowded. There are some secret spots in this area that I’d strongly recommend: Honen-in, Konchi-in and Murin-an, among others. As for Okonomiyaki Katsu, it’s way on the other side of town and would take an hour or so to get to from Northern Higashiyama. Also, this itinerary starts near Nanzen-ji, then heads all the way north to Ginkaku-ji, and then requires you going all the way back to Nanzen-ji to access Hyotei for dinner. This makes no sense at all. Finally, for transport, it’s a short walk from the Cross Hotel to the Tozai Line subway, which is easily the best way to get up to Nanzen-ji from downtown. Buses would be silly for this leg. So, this day’s itinerary is not very good and restaurants make no sense at all.
Day 7: Luxury and Relaxation
Morning:
Transfer to Gion Hatanaka Ryokan, a luxurious ryokan blending tradition and comfort.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and stroll the ryokan’s gardens.
Afternoon:
Optional: Shop for Kyoto crafts at Nishijin Textile Center or Teramachi Street.
Relax in the ryokan’s private onsen and enjoy traditional tea ceremonies.
Dinner:
Enjoy a lavish kaiseki dinner prepared at the ryokan, featuring seasonal Kyoto cuisine.
Transport: The ryokan is centrally located, with taxis available if needed.
Comment by Chris: First, Hatanaka Ryokan closed several years ago. Furthermore, your ryokan stay should be at the beginning of your time in Kyoto. It’s great to spend one night in a ryokan as an entrée to Kyoto, then move to a hotel for the following nights for ease of movement and convenience. Also, you cannot check into a ryokan before about 3pm (just like hotels) so moving to a ryokan in the morning is a non-starter. Shopping and exploring downtown is a good last-day activity. The place for crafts is Teramachi (in downtown). Nishijin is for kimono etc and is a bit of a trip from downtown. So, this day’s itinerary is a total bust.
Overall comment by Chris
If you didn’t really know Kyoto and you didn’t take the time to plot each day’s itinerary on a map, you might be fooled into thinking that this is a good seven-day Kyoto itinerary. However, the devil is in the details and you’d be pretty frustrated if you actually tried to follow this itinerary. Also, despite being prompted to include off-the-beaten-track sights, there’s only one such sight in the whole itinerary (Otagi Nenbutsu-ji). As for transport, Chat just seems like he’s “phoning it in,” by recommending the city bus in most cases (I almost never recommend the bus for exploring Kyoto). There are some good restaurants, but they don’t usually fit with the day’s itinerary. And finally, the inclusion of two restaurants and a ryokan that closed several years ago is puzzling: you would think that AI would never make basic errors like this. So, my test of ChatGPT for writing itineraries confirms what I’ve heard many people say about it: If you don’t know a subject well, you will be very impressed by its output. But if you know the subject well, you will likely be disappointed or even shocked by how badly it gets things wrong.
We went to Kyoto a few years ago, and were lucky enough to see and discover some beautiful things. Some was planned, the best was discovered by chance. One day we spend with one of your guides - which just added another dimension and was fantastic.