Traveling independently has become easier
AI has greatly simplified independent travel planning – in just a few seconds, it can suggest the best route, attractions, accommodation, and activities based on a person’s budget and interests. This allows many people to plan their own tourist trips, even if such work previously seemed too difficult, according to a press release from Vilnius Tech.
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“If you are not the traveler for whom half the pleasure of the trip is planning, finding points of interest, learning about them, and thus creating your own individual travel plan, modern systems allow you to significantly reduce the time spent or manage without travel agencies by offering information that meets your requirements, collected and organized from online sources,” says Prof. Dr. Simona Ramanauskaitė, Dean of the Faculty of Fundamental Sciences (FMF) at Vilnius Tech.
According to the expert, in such cases AI often surpasses traditional search systems – it not only provides a list of recommendations but also summarizes information, offers a specific solution, and if necessary – possible alternatives.
The professor, together with FMF researcher Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pavel Stefanovič, also contributed to the travel destination recommendation technology – a prototype that suggested new places to travelers by analyzing the user’s Instagram photos.
“The system tried to determine the person’s interests from them – whether they prefer nature, cities, architecture, culture, or adventure experiences – and based on the choices of travelers with similar tastes, it suggested places the user had not yet visited,” she explains.
The future – a digital travel assistant
According to the professor, in the coming years the biggest change will likely not be related to AI’s ability to generate better travel scenarios, but its flexibility – the technology will become more dynamic, interactive, and able to constantly adapt to changing environmental factors and human needs.
“Instead of a route planned once, the traveler will have a constantly adapting digital assistant that will take into account weather forecasts, transport delays, tourist flows, events, or even the traveler’s mood and interests in real time,” the expert predicts.
In such a case, a person would no longer need to plan every day of their vacation in advance – it would be enough to set travel goals, direction, budget, and main interests, and AI could adjust the course of the trip and suggest the best activities at any given moment.
“There is already a noticeable growth in the group of travelers who travel for experiences without detailed planning. Such travelers only set the main direction and essential points of interest, leaving everything else to spontaneous decisions during the trip,” adds Prof. Dr. S. Ramanauskaitė.
When to trust AI and when to trust a person?
However, technologies are not equally useful for every trip. When looking for authentic, little-known places, unconventional experiences, or complex routes, general AI may no longer be sufficient.
“If you believe there are still interesting places in the world unknown to other tourists, you definitely should not look for them online. In such cases, the greatest value is created either by specialized, personalized travel recommendation systems using niche data sources or experienced travel agencies that rely not only on public information but also on long-term experience, personal contacts, and verified knowledge,” says the researcher.
She adds that the biggest mistake when traveling would be to assume that AI recommendations are always correct: if the data is outdated, incomplete, or a certain place is little described in the public domain, they may be inaccurate.
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“Given the current AI capabilities, I always suggest users view AI as a very diligent and fast person who has not done it themselves or, in the case of travel, has not been there,” says the Vilnius Tech researcher and advises always to additionally check institution opening hours, seasonal restrictions, transport connections, and local conditions.
Technologies are especially useful when it is necessary to quickly find and organize a large amount of information. But when local context, experience, or subtle traveler needs are important, human decision remains crucial.
“For example, if you want to ask whether the crowing of roosters at 5 a.m. in the village where you are staying will really not disturb your sleep, AI may fail to find enough data to answer you accurately,” the professor smiles. “The most effective solution today is usually not to choose between a human and artificial intelligence, but to combine the strengths of both.”
Technologies can help travel more sustainably but may encourage more travel
Technologies are changing not only how we plan trips but also how we can assess their environmental impact. Today, travelers can compare the carbon footprint of different modes of transport, choose less polluting routes, or look for more sustainable accommodation.
“Even using artificial intelligence tools, we can compare the planned carbon (CO₂) footprints of different trips ourselves. Information about this is becoming increasingly accessible, and we do not need to put in extra effort to obtain it, so it is becoming more popular,” says Vilnius Tech sustainability expert Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rūta Mikučionienė,
However, technologies alone do not guarantee more sustainable travel. The expert draws attention to the so-called rebound effect: when technology reduces the cost or effort of travel planning, people may start traveling more often.
“If technologies only make travel easier and cheaper, the overall environmental impact may even increase. But if they help choose lower-emission transport, longer but less frequent trips, or less crowded destinations, their impact can be positive,” she says.
Choosing less explored destinations benefits both sides
Meanwhile, another sustainability expert, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aušra Zigmontienė, emphasizes that the environmental impact of travel can be reduced already at the planning stage by choosing trains, buses, ferries, or public transport instead of completing the entire trip by one mode of transport.
However, sustainability, according to specialists, is not limited to environmental issues. Choosing a smaller family hotel, a local restaurant, farmers’ products, local guide services, and local crafts instead of mass-produced souvenirs means more money spent during the trip stays in the local economy.
Moreover, sometimes it is worth consciously choosing not the most popular but less explored destinations because the benefit is mutual: it can help avoid overcrowded tourist centers while providing more benefits to local residents – contributing to businesses, cultural preservation, and strengthening vibrant communities.
“Sustainable travel is not travel without impact – such travel practically does not exist. It is a conscious choice by which we try to reduce our impact and leave more benefits than harm to the place we visit,” says Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Zigmontienė.
