Have chatbot, might travel

AI-powered trip planners can help you avoid tourist traps, but the wisdom of the travel-wise is hard to beat. BY PETER GRIFFIN

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The last time I used a travel agent to book a trip was 15 years ago at a Flight Centre in Wellington. I walked in off the street yearning for a holiday getaway, visions of warm ocean swells and ancient temples in my head.

The young, inexperienced agent served only one useful purpose that day. She gave me a brochure for Intrepid Travel, which featured small group trips to destinations all over Europe. I ended up booking a seven-day tour in Turkey, which turned out to be one of the best holidays of my life, with a great stay in Istanbul and trips to Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale and an emotional visit to Gallipoli.

But when it came to booking the flights, the agent suggested an awkward route. I found a more straightforward path and gave her the details to book along with the group tour. Since then, I've booked all my travel myself, leaning heavily on the travel features built into Google for research and usually booking through airlines and hotels directly, or an aggregator site such as Booking.com or Expedia.