Planning a trip is one of my very favorite things to do, but it can also be overwhelming. With countless details to consider, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of possibilities. So when ChatGPT was introduced, I knew that it was going to be something life-changing. This powerful AI tool can be your virtual assistant providing valuable tips, tricks, and prompts to streamline your travel planning process. Whether you’re seeking destination recommendations, hotel suggestions, itinerary ideas, or packing advice, ChatGPT is here to assist you every step of the way. In this guide, we’ll explore how to make the most of ChatGPT for travel, uncovering valuable tips, tricks, and prompts that will transform your travel planning experience into a breeze.

Tips & Tricks

Always Include Positioning

Each prompt should start with specifying the role or position of ChatGPT, such as “You are my travel agent.” This helps set the context and ensures the AI understands your request accurately.

Set Your Budget

Clearly state your budget preferences to receive tailored recommendations. For example, you can mention, “We would like to spend less than [$$$]”.

List Your Travel Preferences

Include what you like and do not like. For example, you can include “We enjoy adventure activities such as zip-lining, rock climbing, and rafting” or “We do not enjoy museums, and prefer more out-of-the-box experiences.”

Include Nature of Your Trip

Clarify the purpose of your trip, whether it’s a work trip, family vacation, honeymoon, or any other occasion. This information helps ChatGPT suggest activities and destinations that align with your travel goals.

Identify Your Travel Companions

Mention who you’re traveling with, whether it’s your spouse, parents, kids, friends, or if you’re traveling solo. This enables ChatGPT to provide recommendations suitable for your group dynamic.

Mention Your “Home Base”

Including your hotel in the prompts allows for recommendations that are conveniently located near your accommodation, and gives it a starting point and ending point for each day. So when asking for an itinerary, include “We will be starting and ending each day at [HOTEL].”

Specify a Travel Radius

Let ChatGPT know how far you’re willing to travel from your hotel. For example, you can mention, “All attractions should be within a half hour walk of our hotel” or define a specific distance range.

Indicate if it’s You’re First-Time or Not

It will create an entirely separate itinerary for you based on this one piece of information. I’ve been to New York dozens of times—and if I just asked it to create a NYC itinerary, I’m sure it would be mostly things I’ve done before. So be sure to mention if it’s your first time or not. Either “it is my first time in [DESTINATION]” or something like “I have been to [DESTINATION] many times before, so I would like to skip the major tourist attractions”.

Disclose Existing Reservations

If you have any existing reservations or fixed plans, mention them upfront. For example, you can say, “We have a lunch reservation at [RESTAURANT] at [TIME].” This ensures that ChatGPT takes your commitments into account when building your itinerary.

Have it Ask YOU Questions

This is one of my favorite tips I’ve ever heard. Once you ask it a prompt, include something like “Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me.”

Refine your Answers

The beauty of ChatGPT is that you can refine any answers it gives you. Say it gives you an itinerary that includes too many activities per day. Just reply to it saying “We only want to do one activity per day.” It will then generate a new itinerary for you. Continue refining until you get exactly what you’re looking for.

Prompts to Generate Ideas

To kickstart your travel planning process, here are some prompts you can use with ChatGPT to generate destination ideas:

“You are my travel agent. I enjoy things like [ACTIVITY], [ACTIVITY], and [TYPE OF EXPERIENCE]. Where should I visit? I have already been to [DESTINATION], [DESTINATION], and [DESTINATION], and want to go somewhere I have never been. All-in, I would like to spend less than [$$$] for [XX] days. I will be traveling from [YOUR CITY] with [TRAVEL COMPANIONS]. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me pick a place.”

“You are my travel agent. Give me five ideas for a weekend trip from [YOUR CITY] that are within a two hour drive. I will be traveling during [DATES/MONTH] with [TRAVEL COMPANIONS], and we enjoy things like [ACTIVITY], [ACTIVITY], and [TYPE OF EXPERIENCE]. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me pick a place.”

“You are my travel agent. Give me five ideas for a December vacation destination. I would like these locations to have temperatures of between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit during December. I will be traveling with [TRAVEL COMPANIONS], and we enjoy things like [ACTIVITY], [ACTIVITY], and [TYPE OF EXPERIENCE]. All-in, we would like to spend less than [$$$] for [##] days. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me pick a place.”

Prompts Once you Have a Destination in Mind

Once you have a destination in mind, use these prompts to gather more information and refine your plans:

“What is the weather like in [DESTINATION] during [MONTH]?”

“You are my travel agent. What is the best time of year to visit [DESTINATION]?”

“You are my travel agent. When is the cheapest time of year to travel from [YOUR CITY] to [DESTINATION]?”

“You are a high end travel concierge. What are the must-try local dishes in [COUNTRY/REGION]?”

“You are a high end travel concierge. What are some Michelin star restaurants in [CITY]? Include $, $$, or $$$ for how expensive each is”

“You are a high end travel concierge. Recommended some local restaurants in [DESTINATION] and include $, $$, or $$$ for how expensive each is.”

“You are a high end travel concierge. I am visiting [DESTINATION] for the first time. What are the top attractions?”

“You are my travel agent. Can you suggest any travel hacks or money-saving tips for [DESTINATION]?”

“You are a high end travel concierge. What are the best rooftop bars with a view of [ATTRACTION]?”

“You are my travel agent. Are there any festivals or events happening in [DESTINATION] during [MONTH]”

“You are a high end travel concierge. Can you recommend any off-the-beaten-path destinations in [DESTINATION]”

“You are my travel agent. Are there any specific etiquette or customs I should know before visiting [COUNTRY]?”

“You are my travel agent. What are the visa requirements for [COUNTRY]? I am traveling from [YOUR COUNTRY].”

“You are my travel agent. I will be visiting [DESTINATION] for [##] days in [MONTH]. Create me a table that breaks down top tourist activities, destinations, and dining experiences. Columns should be name, type of attraction, cost per person, description of activity, distance in miles from [HOTEL], and Google Maps links. Have all options be less than an hour and a half drive from where I am staying at [HOTEL]. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me creating this list. “

Prompts for Hotel Recommendations

If you’re looking for the perfect hotel, here are prompts to assist you in finding accommodations that suit your preferences:

“You are my travel agent. We are staying in [DESTINATION] for [##] nights, and we are looking for hotel recommendations. We would like to spend between [$$] and [$$] per night.”

You can also include things like:

“We are looking for a hotel in the [NEIGHBORHOOD] area.”
“We are looking for a hotel that includes breakfast.”
“We are looking for a hotel that has a rooftop pool.”
“We are looking for a hotel that is four or five stars.”
“We are looking for a family-friendly hotel.”
“We are looking for an all-inclusive resort.”

Prompts for Single-City Itineraries

“You are my travel agent. I am traveling to [DESTINATION] for the first time during [DATES/TIME OF YEAR]. I will be traveling by myself, and would like to see a mix of tourist attractions and some off the beaten path things. I do not enjoy museums. Please plan a [##] day itinerary for me. I will be starting and ending each day at [HOTEL]. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me create an itinerary.”

Prompts for Single-Day Itineraries

“You are my travel agent. Please plan a one-day itinerary for me in [CITY] on [DATE] starting at 9am at [HOTEL] and ending back at the hotel by 7pm. I have been to [CITY] many times before, so I would like to skip the major tourist attractions and do a few more off the beaten path things. I have a dinner reservation at [RESTAURANT] at [TIME] so please take that into consideration. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me create an itinerary.”

Prompts for Multi-City/Country Itineraries

“You are my travel agent. Please plan a travel itinerary for [#] days and [#] nights in Europe where we would fly into [CITY] and depart from [CITY]. I will be traveling with [TRAVEL COMPANION] during [DATES/TIME OF YEAR]. We definitely want to visit [CITY], [CITY], and [CITY]. Please include means of travel, estimated cost of travel, and estimated time to travel between locations. Please also include 3 attractions we should check out in each city, the costs associated with each, and the hours of operation. We enjoy things like [ACTIVITY], [ACTIVITY], and [TYPE OF EXPERIENCE]. All-in, we would like to spend less than [$$$]. Ask me five questions that would help you do a better job of helping me create an itinerary.”

Organizing Existing Plans

This is one of my favorite ways to use the tool. I like to do my own research and collect my own first-hand information. So I just ask ChatGPT to organize it all for me. Here are some prompts to help you organize your plans:

“You are my travel agent. I have [##] full days in [CITY]. Make me an hour-by-hour itinerary of the things listed below, along with estimated prices for each. We will be starting and ending each day at [HOTEL]. Here is the list: [INCLUDE LIST OF THINGS].”

“You are my travel agent. Create a table of the following items with the name and address in Column A, the daily hours of operation in column B, the cost of admission in column C, the Google Maps link in Column D, and the distance from [HOTEL] in Column E. Here is the list: [INCLUDE LIST].”

Prompts for Packing

To ensure you’re well-prepared for your trip, use the following prompt to create a packing list tailored to your destination and travel duration:

“Create me a comprehensive packing list for [##] days and [##] nights in [DESTINATION]. I will be going in [MONTH]. Include things like how many pairs of socks, underwear, etc.”

ChatGPT cannot and should not act as a replacement for travel agents or collecting other first-hand accounts for yourself. But it can be a great jumping off point. Be sure to double check any information it gives you. ChatGPT is incredible, but it does have limitations, and it can have errors. So double check everything from prices, to if a place is even still open. But this tool is revolutionizing the travel industry, and I am SO here for it.

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