In the space of just a few months, it seems artificial intelligence has reshaped the way we travel. Quite literally, it’s changing where we go and what we do, in ways many of us couldn’t have imagined just a year ago. Like most of us, your feelings about AI probably are mixed. Maybe you’re excited by its potential to make human lives easier but frightened by its potential to, well, make humans obsolete. Whatever your stance may be – and there are certainly plenty of valid concerns out there – it’s undeniable that AI is innovating travel like few technologies before it.
That’s especially true when it comes to travel concierges. Matador Network is pioneering the AI travel concierge space with GuideGeek, an AI-assisted WhatsApp app that launched last month. GuideGeek draws from a broad database of knowledge to inform travelers about anything they might want to know, including the best places to eat, most beautiful parks for hiking, trendiest bars, and coolest beaches. It won’t replace the personal recommendations of trusted family and friends, but it does take the endless Googling out of travel planning and gives you a valuable tool at the tip of your fingers. And it’s catching on fast. Thousands of travelers are now not only using GuideGeek but relying on the app to plan their trips. Some are even letting GuideGeek take the wheel completely, empowering it to make every travel decision for them: where to fly, eat, stay, and more.
After putting GuideGeek to the ultimate test, here’s what those travelers had to say.
5 People Who Successfully Used AI to Plan Their Travels and How They Did It
Aaron Barnes
Aaron Barnes showed up at LAX with no flights booked and let AI decide his entire trip. He asked GuideGeek for a random US state to fly to for 24 hours. The result? Las Vegas. Barnes followed the app’s food recommendations, ending up at a hidden pizza place in the Cosmopolitan Hotel called Secret Pizza, and budget hotel recommendations, landing him in a festive circus-themed hotel and casino, aptly called Circus Circus. GuideGeek also directed Barnes to the top five sites in Vegas and a bar to close out the night, giving him with everything he needed to have a true Sin City experience.
@aaronb_tv Cannot believe how this ended 😭 #guidegeek #travelAI #matadorcreator ♬ original sound – Aaron Barnes
Alexa
Alexa isn’t traveling very far. She let GuideGeek tell her what to do and eat in her hometown of Arlington, Virginia, figuring there’s no better test of an AI-assisted travel concierge than giving recommendations for a place she already knows. Alexa asked GuideGeek for a one-day itinerary with “great views, fun activities, and some local food.” It ended up recommending her favorite coffee shop, Idido Coffe, a chose Bob & Edith’s Diner, opened in 1969, for the classic breakfast that she requested. Later, GuideGeek sent Alexa to the Netherlands Carillon, a bell tower near the Arlington National Cemetery that she hadn’t heard of despite being an Arlington native, and a nearby observation deck that’s typically free and open to the public. One paint-and-sip experience and park picnic later, and she’d had a full day exploring a new side of her hometown.
@lilmsawkward Can AI really plan the perfect day for you? Absolutely. I had so much fun exploring my hometown with GuideGeek through WhatsApp. You can use the link in my bio to use GuideGeek for your next trip, or just connect to the AI (it’s Free!) on GuideGeek.com ! #GuideGeek #travelai #traveltips #itineraryplanning #arlingtonva #MatadorCreator ♬ original sound – Alexa | Travel Creator
Dasha
Dasha spent a whole day in Kyoto, Japan, using nothing but GuideGeek recommendations. It guided her to a traditional Japanese breakfast, followed by the Fushimi Inari Shrine, along with a tip to get there early to avoid the crowds and a detailed description of the monument’s history and significance. GuideGeek then directed Dasha to the beautiful Kiyomizu-dera temple to take in some city views before sending her to a historic soba restaurant, founded in 1465, for lunch. After, it was time to stroll the narrow shop-lined streets of the Gion district where she posed for pictures with geishas and finally head back to her ryokan for dinner.
@dashakofman Letting the GuideGeek AI travel assistant control my day in Japan #ai #travelai #planningreavel #tiktoktravelai #guidegeek ♬ original sound – Dasha | Travel
Jake Marsee
Like Dasha, Jake Marsee also used GuideGeek in Japan. First, he asked it for flight options from Salt Lake City during his chosen travel dates, and it churned out a couple of options sorted by “best,” “fastest,” and “cheapest” that Marsee then verified were accurate, along with links to book. He then asked for a full seven-day itinerary in Tokyo, which he followed to a tee.
@jakemarsee It’s like having a mini tour guide in your pocket it’s awesome😂#guidegeek #travel #budgettravel #matadorcreator @Guide Geek ♬ original sound – Jake Marsee
Chloe Jade Meltzer
Meltzer entrusted GuideGeek with her trip to China. Because she was on the 144-hour tourist visa, she was limited to one specific region of China during her visit and needed to know what, exactly, to do there. GuideGeek came up with plenty of ways for her to fill her days, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, Tianjin, and a Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant called Lei Garden that was, in Meltzer’s words, “sooooo good.” 