Up until now, my travel experiments have lived comfortably within Europe. The transport systems are predictable, English content is abundant, and AI tools tend to perform reasonably well. But I started wondering—what happens when you apply the same AI-led planning framework to a non-European destination?
To test this, I chose Colombia.
Not as a destination guide.
Not as a travel pivot.
But as a stress test for AI-driven travel planning.
Why Colombia?
Colombia is culturally rich, geographically diverse, and logistically more complex than most European destinations. It’s also a place where:
- local context matters deeply
- safety perceptions vary widely
- transport isn’t always algorithm-friendly
- English-language information is uneven
If AI could handle Colombia well, it could handle almost anything.
How I Tested AI on Colombia
I used the same process I use for Europe:
- Asked ChatGPT to build a trip structure
- Used Google Search to validate logistics
- Checked Instagram Reels for inspiration
- Compared outputs across tools
On paper, everything looked fine.
In reality, the gaps became obvious very quickly.
Where AI Struggled Outside Europe
1. Over-Simplified Geography
AI underestimated distances and terrain.
What looked like a “short hop” on a map often involved long road journeys, altitude changes, or limited transport options.
2. Generic Safety Advice
AI responses were either overly cautious or unrealistically optimistic. They lacked nuance—something critical for Colombia, where safety varies significantly by neighborhood, not city.
3. Weak Cultural Context
AI suggested activities without explaining why they mattered. Colombia’s history, local customs, and social dynamics were mostly absent from the recommendations.
4. Lack of Practical, On-Ground Tips
Things like:
- how locals actually move between cities
- what times businesses really operate
- how to navigate informal systems
These are details AI currently misses outside highly-documented regions like Europe.
What Actually Helped: Human-Curated Insight
To fill these gaps, I intentionally looked beyond AI-generated content and found a human-written Colombia resource that did something algorithms couldn’t:
It explained the why, not just the what.
This guide covered:
- realistic expectations
- cultural nuances
- practical planning advice
- country-wide recommendations in one place
Here’s the resource that helped me the most: https://et25601.tbs.hosterra.academy
This wasn’t algorithmic.
It wasn’t optimized for clicks.
And that’s exactly why it worked.
It complemented AI instead of replacing it.
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