Has AI changed the way you plan your travel? As a Vacation Rental Host, I’ve integrated AI into my workflow in small yet impactful ways, such as refining my copy and generating fresh ideas. Recently, I decided to explore how to use AI for Alaska Travel Planning.
Step One: Research
I began by conducting a Google search for “Travel Planning with AI,” specifically seeking platforms tailored for travel. In the past year, I’ve utilized ChatGPT and Perplexity for researching travel destinations. However, I did not include them because they are not specifically tailored to travel.
The top four search results for “Travel Planning with AI”:
Step Two: Inquiry
Using the top four search results, I posed inquiries for two different group sizes: 2-4 people and 4-8 people, with a focus on outdoor activities. The questions included planning a 7-10 day trip in summer, a 3-5 day trip on the Kenai Peninsula, and another 3-5 day trip centered around Cooper Landing, AK.
Once I established my parameters, I eagerly constructed my spreadsheet, finding joy that organizing data brings.
Step Three: The Findings
As I delved into my investigation, it became evident that my spreadsheet lacked the functionality to record the nuances of my findings. Additionally, some insights demanded visualization. So, I began recording my browsing. I’ve organized my findings into Slogan, Delivery, Recommendation, and a video of me using the site.
Insights from Each Platform:
Tripplanner.ai:
- Slogan: “Your Next Journey, Optimized.”
- Delivery: Despite its promising slogan, Tripplanner.ai fell short. It provided data only related to Alaska Pacific University and Alaska Psychiatric Institute, neither are vacation places.
- Recommendation: While it boasts appealing features, Tripplanner.ai currently lacks relevance for planning a trip to Alaska.
- Video: Trip Planning to Alaska: AI Assistance – Watch Video
Wonderplan.ai:
- Slogan: “Craft Unforgettable Itineraries with AI Trip Planner.”
- Delivery: Wonderplan.ai proved to be user-friendly, guiding users through a step-by-step process to curate personalized itineraries. It allowed me to input crucial details such as location, dates, budget, and preferred activities, tailoring suggestions accordingly. It then provided a map with locations marked. Additionally, it offered convenient links to booking accommodations through Booking.com. Itineraries do not take into account travel days between cities or if they are connected by road.
- Recommendation: This platform is effective in generating activity ideas and organizing them into cohesive itineraries. However, its close integration with Booking.com may limit options for those seeking alternative lodging arrangements.
- Video: Trip Planning with wonderplan.ai – Watch Video
Wanderbot.io:
- Slogan: “AI Trip Planning Made Easy.”
- Delivery: Wanderbot.io differentiated itself through its conversational interface, simulating a dialogue rather than a traditional browsing experience. Users interact with the AI by typing requests and receiving tailored recommendations. I was able to ask about restaurants in each town and suggestions of what to pack. Itineraries do not take into account travel days between cities or if they are connected by road. While this approach felt engaging and personalized, the lack of visual aids, such as maps, made it challenging to visualize the geographical layout of suggested activities. Moreover, its seamless integration with Booking.com might restrict options for accommodations and activities.
- Recommendation: Despite its engaging interface and sharing capabilities, Wanderbot.io could benefit from incorporating visual aids to enhance user experience. I would use it to plan a trip to Alaska.
- Video: Wanderbot AI Review for trip planning to Alaska – Watch Video
Destinations.ai:
- Slogan: “Your All-in-One Artificial Travel Assistant.”
- Delivery: Destinations.ai took a unique approach by focusing on the departure location and traveler preferences rather than destination input. Users specify their desired travel month, ideal temperature, precipitation preferences, preferred activities, and flight duration. The platform then generates a list of cities and flight options along with comprehensive city travel guides. However, during my experience, I encountered errors when attempting to book flights, which detracted from the overall user experience. Despite this setback, the city travel guide provided valuable insights, including Google Maps for lodging locations, Yelp reviews for restaurants, and suggestions for activities. I could not figure out how to plan a trip to Alaska, because it would only recommend cities outside of Alaska.
- Recommendation: While innovative in concept, Destinations.ai could improve user experience by addressing technical issues related to flight bookings. Nevertheless, its city travel guides offer valuable information for exploring destinations, making it a useful tool for initial research and planning.
- Video: Destinations AI Review – Watch Video
Final Reflections
These four AI travel planners can serve as valuable tools during the research phase of planning a trip to Alaska. Wanderbot.ai stands out for its conversational interface and easy sharing capabilities. However, a significant gap exists in providing maps. Destinations.ai is great for if you need ideas of where to go. Yet, I couldn’t find a way to plan a trip in Alaska. Wonderplan.ai provides AI capability in a traditional browsing experience. Yet, it seems to be closely linked to Booking.com Tripplanner.ai lacks functionality for planning a trip to Alaska.
All the AI travel planners lacked a fundamental understanding of travel time between cities and how to get from one city to the next. For example, a person cannot drive from Anchorage to Juneau and then to Homer over a three day period because Juneau is reached by boat or plane. The AI planners also fail to account for diverse traveler needs. For instance, considerations like nap times for families with toddlers or nightlife options for young adults are often overlooked.
At Cooper Landing Lodge, we enjoy helping you with your vacation planning journey. We understand that different groups of people have unique needs. Vacation is not just about seeing all there is to see, but also requires time to enjoy simply being in a beautiful place. Feel free to reach out to Amber for guidance prior to your trip, and once you arrive, Rob will be on-site to steer you in the right direction. If you prefer to do your own research, download our Cooper Landing Destination Guide. It provides you with a 3-5 day suggested Itinerary of what to do, see, and where to eat!
