Travel Advisors v AI

#My2Cents

The past couple of weeks have been incredibly hard for the travel industry.

With conflict escalating in the Middle East, I’ve seen a wave of commentary online questioning why travel advisors retain commissions or charge cancellation and amendment fees when airlines may be offering refunds directly.

For transparency: I chose not to charge additional fees to my own clients during this period.I’ve lost thousands of dollars in cancelled bookings and spent countless hours changing flights, reworking itineraries, cancelling hotels, rearranging transfers, and trying to salvage holidays that people had often spent years dreaming about.

Honestly, it’s been heartbreaking watching so many special trips disappear overnight.

My clients were already stressed and disappointed, and personally, I didn’t want to add to that burden.

But I also 100% support advisors who did charge fees.

Because the reality is: we did the work. Our time, expertise, industry relationships, and emotional labour have value. Most people never see the hours happening behind the scenes during travel disruptions. The phone calls. The hold times. The constant monitoring. The juggling act of trying to fix one moving piece without breaking five others.

And for everyone commenting online that “AI can plan a trip” or “people should just book it themselves”…

This blog is for you ✈️

We live in a world where you can ask AI almost anything.

Need the “Top 10 beaches in Greece”? Done in seconds.Want “The most Instagrammable spots in Paris”? You’ll get enough lists to fill an entire holiday.

But here’s the thing: AI can give you information. It can’t give you instinct.

And when it comes to travel, instinct matters.

As a travel advisor, I spend my days immersed in destinations, suppliers, local partners, hotel updates, cruise trends, itinerary pitfalls, and all the tiny little details that can quietly turn a good trip into an unforgettable one. Much of that knowledge never makes it online at all.

Here’s what a travel advisor knows that AI simply can’t.

The Reality Behind the Photos

AI can show you glossy images and polished recommendations.

But I know what those places feel like in real life.

I know:

• which beaches are packed by 10am

• where the scaffolding currently lives

• which resorts are affected by seaweed season

• where the giant tour groups descend like migrating birds

• which “hidden gems” are now hidden behind 400 Instagram reels

And I hear it directly from hotel managers, local guides, in-destination partners, and travellers who’ve just come home with sunburnt noses and honest opinions.

Timing That Actually Works

AI works off patterns.Travel advisors work off reality.

I know:

• which Mediterranean ports will be overflowing with cruise ships

• when the Rhine is sitting unusually low

• which days Cinque Terre feels magical… and which days it feels like a theme park queue

• which airports are currently chaos wrapped in fluorescent lighting

• which bucket-list sights are closed on certain days

Because nothing crushes a trip faster than arriving in Agra for your one magical Taj Mahal moment… only to discover it’s closed that day. 😭

Same goes for the Louvre, major museums, historic landmarks, and attractions all over the world. Many close weekly, seasonally, or for special events, and those details are surprisingly easy to miss when you’re piecing things together online.

Travel isn’t static. It shifts constantly, and timing can change everything.

The Little Things That Matter Most

These are the details nobody thinks to search for until it’s too late.

Like:

• the only nearby restaurant closes on Mondays

• the gorgeous boutique hotel has paper-thin walls

• the charming villa sits at the top of a driveway your rental car may never survive

• the “easy scenic walk” is actually 700 stairs wearing a disguise

• the famous sunset viewpoint now needs reservations weeks ahead

These are the tiny truths that rarely make the brochures. But they absolutely shape your experience.

What’s Worth the Money, and What Isn’t

AI can list options. It can’t understand value the way a human can.

I know:

• which hotels consistently exceed expectations

• which room categories are genuinely worth upgrading for

• which rail passes save money and which are mostly clever marketing

• which private tours leave people raving for years

• which “must-do experiences” are quietly underwhelming

Travel should feel intentional, not expensive for the sake of it.

The Suppliers You Can Trust

The internet gives you endless choice. A travel advisor gives you trusted choice.

I know:

• which cruise lines handle mobility needs beautifully

• which safari lodges genuinely care for their staff and communities

• which tour companies keep groups small and experiences personal

• which river cruises sell out years in advance

• and yes… which companies quietly cut corners when nobody’s looking

You won’t usually find that part online.

The Logistics Nobody Warns You About

Search engines can tell you distances. Travel advisors understand travel time in the real world.

For example:

• that “2-hour ferry” only operates twice a week

• that “short drive” involves mountain roads and very patient truck drivers

• that border crossing is famously unpredictable

• that train doesn’t run on Sundays

• that airport connection everyone books is currently a stress test disguised as a terminal

The practical details are rarely glamorous. They’re also the things that make trips run smoothly.

What Fits You

This is the part AI will never truly understand.

It doesn’t know whether you’re:

• an early riser or someone who believes mornings are optional

• happiest wandering museums or wandering aimlessly with gelato

• craving barefoot island days or chic city nights

• travelling with toddlers who need naps or teens who need constant stimulation

• someone who loves lively spaces or quietly luxurious corners of the world

Good travel planning is deeply personal. The same destination can feel completely different depending on the traveller.

The Questions You Didn’t Know to Ask

This is often where the real value lies.

Clients regularly say to me,“I never even thought about that.”

Exactly.

Travel advisors think about:

• accessibility needs

• dietary restrictions abroad

• complex flight combinations

• travel insurance realities

• documentation issues

• cultural etiquette

• pacing and energy levels

• family dynamics across generations

AI answers questions.Travel advisors help you ask the right ones in the first place.

The Humans on the Ground

When things go sideways, this matters enormously.

AI can’t:

• rearrange a tour after a delayed flight

• smooth over a last-minute hotel issue

• pull together alternatives when weather changes plans

• call a local partner at 10pm about missing luggage. And this one is stressful. -16 degrees in Finland and there I was without my bags, no sleep for 24 hours and 2 children under 8 with only half their winter gear. I'm a travel advisor and even I didn't want to deal with this one.

Sometimes, those human connections are the difference between a stressful story and a seamless one.

Knowing When to Pivot

Travel rarely goes perfectly to plan. And honestly, that’s part of the adventure.

Weather changes. Roads close. Festivals shift dates. Flights move. People get tired. Plans evolve.

A good travel advisor quietly adjusts the moving pieces behind the scenes while you continue sipping wine somewhere lovely, blissfully unaware of the spreadsheet gymnastics happening in the background.

When Everything Goes Wrong

This is the part nobody thinks about when travel is smooth.

But when the world suddenly shifts; airline cancellations, conflict, weather events, strikes, missed connections, border changes, having a travel advisor becomes very real, very quickly.

Because instead of spending your holiday sitting on hold with airlines, hotels, transfer companies, cruise lines, and insurance providers… you call one person.

Me.

I coordinate the flights. The hotels. The transfers. The tours. The rental cars. The schedule changes. The backup plans.

I untangle the mess while you focus on your family, your safety, or simply trying not to spiral in an airport terminal at midnight.

Could you do it yourself? Absolutely.

But imagine making 15 separate phone calls across multiple time zones while hold music slowly erodes your will to live.

Personally, I’d pay for the convenience and peace of mind every single time. And judging by the messages I’ve received lately, a lot of travellers feel the same way.

So Yes, AI Is Clever. But It’s Not a Travel Advisor.

Think of AI as a beautifully organised pantry.

A travel advisor is the chef who knows exactly how to bring everything together.

Information is everywhere. But wisdom, experience, judgement, intuition, and genuine human connection? Those are much harder to automate.

If you want a trip that feels thoughtful, smooth, balanced, and genuinely tailored to you, that’s where I step in. With experience, insight, trusted relationships, and the kind of real-world knowledge no algorithm can fully replicate.