Playing around with ChatGPT to find my next holiday

Have you tried it? By using my 15 questions you can use chat GPT to run a needs based search to help find the right destination for your family.

Chat GPT can be really useful for surfacing holiday information and ideas.

Typically you would start your search with a destination. Or be hyper flexible and then narrow down through filters.

But, if you are clear on your needs / wish-list and flexible on destination then chat GPT is a useful tool.

Just a couple of caveats

• The data isn’t up to date (it cited 2022 at the time of querying) and you won’t find real time availability or pricing. So you’ll still need to use site like Expedia/Airbnb etc to find and book available accommodation.

• It is a great starting point for narrowing options and avoiding the holiday rabbit hole. I would consider it a brainstorming tool and fact check as needed.

• The quality of the answer will depend on the level of detail in the query.

Choosing a destination

This is a recent example from when I was researching destinations for our summer holiday. I started by reflecting on the 15 questions I shared here.

I then summarised what we are looking for in one (long) sentence:

I want a holiday in Europe, within 8 hours drive time from Calais, somewhere warmer than 20 degrees in August, by a lake or the sea, in an apartment or lodge, with 2 or more bedrooms. Some on site catering and water sports nearby. I want my 9 and 11 year olds to have some independence or be able to make friends. I would like to be able to cycle to a nearby bakery or shop.

This is what the chat looks like.

Holiday Planning in Europe - Watch Video

It suggests Lake Annecy in France, backing up the recommendation with detailed points about the location in relation to my criteria. It’s a useful starting point and a location I hadn’t considered before.

Drilling down:

I then asked:

Show me the best accommodation in this area for a family of five.

I also tried

Show me the best family friendly lodges in the area that are accessible via the cycle network around the lake.

The results were useful but at this point, with my destination now clear - and an idea of what I was looking for, I found it easier to go to Expedia/Airbnb/Eurocamp to search with real time availability and pricing.

Other uses - Getting tactical:

I also like ChatGPT for recommendations/answers that traditional search engines struggle with, like:

Multi component accommodation searches

• Show me 10 family friendly farm stays within a 2 hour drive of Florence, that provide on site meals and have a 5/5 review rating.

• Show me 10 family friendly boutique hotels on the coast of Portugal that have a surf school.

Surfacing details that you would otherwise have to trawl through the details on each hotel info page one by one

• Show me hotels in Kefalonia that offer a roll away bed / interconnecting rooms

Itinerary planning

• Suggest a three week family friendly roadtrip starting / ending in Calais that combines adventure, water activities, and popular food markets.

Planning things to do

• What are the 10 best things to do in Barcelona for 9-12 year olds in August.

• Suggest a walking tour of Prague that would be fun for 9-12 year olds in July with delicious food stops along the way?

Let me know what you think? Have you found chatGPT helpful for holiday planning? Or any other AI tools? I’d love to hear, do share in the comments below.