First we had haywire satnav systems sending remote area travellers down inaccessible Outback tracks, and now it seems we have AI sending unsuspecting tourists to non-existent destinations.
An AI-generated article on a travel booking website sparked mass confusion when it recommended a hot springs in remote north-east Tasmania’s that simply wasn’t real.
The now-deleted story recommended ‘Weldborough Hot Springs’ as offering ‘a peaceful escape’ in the forests of northeast Tasmania, a ‘tranquil haven’ that’s a ‘favourite’ among hikers.
The post led to dozens of adventurers arriving at the Weldborough Hotel, about 110 kilometres north-east of Launceston, asking bemused staff how they could get to the pools.
Although AI has gained popularity in trip planning, it’s worth confirming routes with a map
The incident highlights a wider trend … that AI is quickly becoming a heavily relied-on tool for travellers.
In its 2026 ‘What the Future (WTF)’ report, KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, found nearly six in 10 travellers would change destinations if AI told them there was somewhere better.
KAYAK says that, instead of asking friends for travel tips, more and more travellers are seeking what they think to be smarter and faster guidance from AI.
The report found that 41% of respondents trust its picks because it pulls advice from millions of sources, and 34% say it feels more accurate and up to date than anything their friends send.
However, previous tourism research has shown that some 90% of itineraries that AI generates have mistakes in them, and experts warn AI can create attraction ‘hallucinations’ like the Weldborough Hot Springs.
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