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A warning about AI in travel - and a proud partnership announcement!

  • Writer: Yves
    Yves
  • Dec 23, 2025
  • 3 min read

Travel inspiration has changed fast. A single viral video can shape someone’s entire itinerary. That can be beautiful, but it can also be dangerous when the content is not real.

We are proud to announce a new partnership with Amsterdam Experiences, a local tour organization in the Netherlands. Their guides (Stephan and Katherine) were featured in a VRT NWS article about a growing issue in tourism: AI-generated travel images and videos that mislead visitors.

The typical style of image international offices use to sell you our old cities like Amsterdam or Brussels. Okay, I did the dinosaur and giant statue myself.
The typical style of image international offices use to sell you our old cities like Amsterdam or Brussels. Okay, I did the dinosaur and giant statue myself.

The problem: AI is starting to sell “places” that do not exist

In the VRT NWS piece, Amsterdam guide Stephan van der Meer shares how tourists sometimes arrive with screenshots of stunning scenes they found on social media, then ask to be taken there.

Examples mentioned include:

  • a Christmas market at the Westerkerk in Amsterdam, based on an AI image

  • tulip fields that combine mountains, windmills, and other details that do not match the real geography

The result is not just “a small mistake”. It creates false expectations, disappointment, and confusion. It can even affect travel planning decisions, budgets, and trust.

The article also points out that AI images of Belgian cities are circulating online, especially around Christmas and winter markets. Some images look convincing, but show locations that are physically impossible or stitched together from multiple real places.


Our stance: AI should reduce admin, not replace authenticity

We believe a balanced approach is the only one that makes sense.

AI can be a powerful tool when it helps local businesses with:

  • admin and paperwork

  • planning and logistics

  • drafting emails and FAQs

  • internal documentation and training support

  • translation support and content repurposing

Used that way, AI gives guides more time to do what only humans can do:

  • read a group’s energy

  • adapt a story in real time

  • handle unexpected changes smoothly

  • create emotional connection

  • deliver a memorable experience with warmth and nuance

But when AI is used to fake human experiences, invent locations, or mass-produce “travel tips” designed purely for clicks, it becomes malicious. It is not creativity. It is deception.


Why local, honest travel matters more than ever

At Beardbarian Entertainment, we focus on a local, honest and sustainable travel experience.

That means:

  • We do not sell fantasy versions of cities.

  • We set clear expectations about what you will actually see.

  • We build experiences around real history, real culture, and real local partners.

  • We encourage sustainable choices where possible, including thoughtful pacing and realistic planning.

International content farms and anonymous accounts can generate endless “perfect” images. But they cannot offer what a local guide can:

  • lived knowledge

  • real-time context

  • ethical recommendations

  • genuine human connection


Why we are proud of this partnership

Amsterdam Experiences represents the kind of guiding we respect: local, professional, and grounded in reality. We are excited to collaborate and to keep raising the standard for what private guiding should be in the age of AI. Together we like to search for authentic and sustainable ways of telling our cities' stories directly to the traveler community - without faceless intermediaries.


You will soon see them mentioned on our Partners page, and we look forward to building great guest experiences together. If you've visited Belgium and want to continue the story of the Burgundian Netherlands, I do recommend their Amsterdam in a Day-tour!


Stephan came to Ghent - because real human connection is the best way to build human experiences.
Stephan came to Ghent - because real human connection is the best way to build human experiences.

Want to partner with us, or book with us?

If you are a travel advisor, travel consultant, DMC, or boutique hotel looking for reliable premium local guiding in Belgium, we would love to connect.

If you are a traveler looking for a private tour that is honest, human, and story-driven, you are in the right place.

Reach out via our website: https://www.beardbariantours.be


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