NEED TO KNOW

  • ChatGPT can be used as a starting point when planning a trip, according to travel agent Cathy Diercksen
  • “If you’re not sure where you want to visit; what you want to do; if you want a cruise; if an all-inclusive is for your family or for your trip or your honeymoon — it’s a good guide,” she says
  • However, AI isn’t always accurate, Diercksen cautions

In the age of technology, can travelers really trust artificial intelligence to plan their vacation?

Cathy Diercksen, an independent agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels, has tips for when tools like AI and ChatGPT can be used to book travel — and when it is best to avoid them.

Diercksen tells PEOPLE that technology has changed significantly since she became a travel agent 10 years ago. “All of the vendors are using different technology, too, which could be a detriment to people because they’re not used to the way things update. For example, Disney systems are changing all the time.”

“Cruising, same thing,” adds Diercksen. “When do you have to check in? When do you have to make your dining reservations? Everything is technology-based.”

A stock photo of a woman using a laptop for vacation planning.

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“So, if you’re not up on the technology, or you don’t know where to look, or you’re not guided as to when your steps need to be taken, you could be missing out on things for your cruise or for your vacation, just very important dates,” she advises.

As far as using technology like ChatGPT or other AI services, Diercksen recommends it only as a “starting point.” “If you’re not sure where you want to visit; what you want to do; if you want a cruise; if an all-inclusive is for your family or for your trip or your honeymoon — it’s a good guide.”

However, she caveats that “it’s not always correct.” It’s why she always advises one “lean into an agent that can guide you.”

“I get so many things from people saying, ‘Oh, I saw this on ChatGPT.’ Even if you were to run something about Disney, it’s still showing outdated Genie+ information, a system they are not using anymore,” she explains as an example. “So, it does cause a lot of confusion as to what can and can’t be done.”

Diercksen mentions seeing people trying to use ChatGPT to make daily plans while actively in a Disney park, only to discover that the itinerary was inaccurate.

A stock photo of a cruise ship.

Getty

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“I do like it as a starting point. I think it’s great if you have no idea what you’re doing and you’re trying to figure out what kind of vacation might be a good fit for you. Yes, use that.”

“But if you want real facts, then you need to go to a travel professional,” she concludes.