How good is a holiday? That feeling of touching down somewhere new with no obligations and a million things to try is pure joy - but the planning involved in getting there can be a real turn off.
Enter AI technology, which has already been elbowing its way into our everyday lives in a kinda pushy, kinda scary way for some time. But it's also been a game-changer.
If ChatGPT can help us write emails and plan our weekly meal prep, surely it can organise our next trip away, right?
Back in 2023, Forbes found nearly a third of US travellers thought the answer was 'yes', and were likely to use Chat GPT to plan a trip.
Unsurprisingly, that number has only continued to grow, but so have reservations about how useful AI can really be in this area - especially when up against a human travel expert.
So, when Tourism Fiji invited me to visit, they also suggested I put things to the test.
I'd ask ChatGPT to generate an itinerary for me, and we'd compare that to what a real, living, breathing travel agent would come up with.
My prompt to ChatGPT read like this:
Create a four-night itinerary for a solo travelling female to visit Fiji in October 2024, including:
One adventure experience that immerses me in the natural environment
One relaxing wellness activity
A focus on exploring delicious Fijian cuisine and making new friends
1 - 2 nights on the mainland (Viti Levu)
1 - 2 nights on a small resort around 1 hour boat ride from the mainland
Within seconds, I had a lengthy document on my screen, but it wasn't long until my travel agent found it was riddled with errors and oversights, not to mention activities I would never usually book for myself… including a shark dive - more on that soon.
DAY ONE
ChatGPT suggested I arrive in the morning and "check into a mid-range hotel like the Tanoa International Hotel".
Already, we had problems. As my travel agent advised, flights from NZ to Nadi either arrive around midday or late afternoon, depending on your airline.
Also, the Tanoa International Hotel is way inland, which means there would be no access to Denarau Beach, where ChatGPT had suggested I relax that afternoon.
For dinner, the all-knowing robot recommended I try The Golden Cowrie Restaurant, approximately a one hour drive from Nadi, and only accessible to guests at the resort.
So far, not promising.
Instead, my travel agent arranged a transfer from the airport to The Palms Denarau - more like serviced apartments than a resort, but only a 20 minute drive from the airport, meaning I could shower and be ready to stroll three minutes over to the Port for dinner by 7pm.
DAY TWO
On my second day, ChatGPT reckoned I should head to Pacific Harbour for a "thrilling shark dive", and I began to think the conspiracy theory that the robots want us dead could be true.
Not only does a "thrilling shark dive" sound absolutely terrifying, ChatGPT seemed to want me to spend my entire holiday in a car - Pacific Harbour is a three hour drive from Nadi. Plus, I was told I'd need to be a qualified diver, which I very much am not.
Just when I thought I was off the hook, so to speak, human ingenuity prevailed - my travel agent found a way to get me up close and personal with some marine killing machines after all.
She booked me in for a shark snorkelling (no training needed) experience at Barefoot Kuata Island Resort, noting that the excursion featured two species of the curious reef shark, which are so harmless to humans that our group included a six-month-old baby.
Much like the vibes of Fiji in general, the trip was relaxed, friendly and fun - not scary at all and filled with incredible views both above and below the crystal clear water.
DAY THREE
On the third day, ChatGPT suggested a transfer to a new resort, offering either Castaway Island or Malolo Island as options. Fine, in theory, but I was very grateful to be informed by my travel agent that both of these are family resorts, and wouldn't suit a solo traveller particularly well. (Read: screaming children everywhere.)
Instead, I was booked for two glorious nights at Tropica Island Resort, an adults-only paradise with only 24 bure huts on site. I felt like I was in an episode of 'White Lotus', without all the murder and unlikeable characters.
One thing that both ChatGPT and the human travel agent agreed on was that I should indulge in a spa treatment while enjoying the facilities of my accommodation. As it turned out, I agreed with that too.
I was treated to a luxurious foot soak followed by an hour-long full body massage - the best I've ever experienced - as rain fell softly on the roof of the hut. My gorgeous massage therapist even braided my hair while I lay there.
Because I had prompted ChatGPT to create an itinerary with a focus on "making new friends as a solo visitor", its next suggestion was to "socialise with fellow travellers at the resort's beach bar or join a group dinner".
Easy to say when you're a ROBOT with no insecurities or sense of shame. AI made it sound so easy, so I pressed further. "Tell me some things I should say to make friends on a solo holiday in Fiji," I asked.
ChatGPT had many ideas. It told me to tell a stranger I loved their "hat/shirt/flip-flops", suggested I invite a random person on a sunset cruise, and encouraged "playful engagement" in the form of a question like "would you rather relax on the beach or go on an adventure? I'm torn!"
Safe to say, I ignored all of these. I did, however, go for the direct approach - asking a table of people around my age if I could pull up a chair. This worked surprisingly well, and I did end up having a spontaneous group dinner - take that, AI.
DAY FOUR
By the final day, it really felt like the virtual travel agent had run out of steam. It suggested I "take the boat transfer back to the mainland" - of course, no details provided - and then "do some last-minute shopping or explore more of Nadi. VAGUE. And honestly? Boring.
So you can imagine how thrilled I was when my human travel agent arranged for me to spend my final day at Waitui Beach Club at the Sofitel Resort instead.
I floated around a variety of different pools, had fresh fish tacos for lunch, napped on day beds and drank fresh coconuts (I was all cocktail-ed out by this point).
AND, I still had time to grab a few souvenirs from the port, but only because I wanted to, not because ChatGPT told me to.
Monika travelled to Fiji as a guest of Tourism Fiji.
