Re: Travel Planning (was: Tasks where AI might be helpful)

On Tue, 11 Feb 2025, Lars Poulsen wrote:

On 2025-02-11, D <nospam@example.net> wrote:

One of the more boring tasks that I would like to be automated is trip
planning. Comparing plane ticket prices, routes, times, finding a good
hotel, booking that, finding a rental car, comparing all the prices,
suggesting sights to see for the wife. It seems to me that this should be
entirely possible to automate.
>
It would save me probably 10-20 hours a year of boring, repetitive work. I
would gladly pay for such a service.
>
Today, what I sometimes do, is to pay human beings for this service. But
it seems as if a computer should be able to do it as well, for less.

>
Yes, my wife decided some years ago that we need to pay an old-school
travel agent to help us book our vacation trips. Beginning with a
small-ship crusise, then adding hotels and flights around it.
>
She knows more about the companies supplying those services than we
(certainly I) would ever want to learn. And since my wife acknowledges
that she is the expert, she trusts her to get a good deal, and does not
second-guess her like she would me. Worth every penny we pay!

This is the truth! You are a wise man Lars!
When we traveled to Japan for 2 weeks, we hired some japanese woman, living in sweden who specialized on custom trips to japan.
She was brilliant!
When we came to pick everything up, there was everything, labeled, numbered, sorted by date. Every single little train ticket, pre-booked taxi trip, every hotel, guest house, restaurant.
You just followed the dates and times and all went on automatic. After we were back, I went back and gave her a box of chocolate as a thank you. She must have saved me weeks of work, since somehow, this work always ends up being done by me, who does not enjoy the travel.