AI-generated fake tour guides are hurting northwestern China’s tour market - China Travel News

AI-generated personas are being used to promote tours in northwestern China, creating a trust problem for long-haul tours. Local guides in Xinjiang have reported that these AI personas are damaging the region's tourism reputation.

What happened

These AI "fake" tour guides use attractive appearances to draw attention and promote low-cost tour packages on WeChat. However, they provide generic, copy-pasted information and fail to answer specific questions about itineraries. Upon arrival, travelers find that the actual guides often differ significantly from the AI personas, with reports of poor photography skills, substandard accommodations, and subpar service. The issue extends beyond Xinjiang, with reports of AI guides also appearing in Tibet, western Sichuan, and the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop. Currently, reporting the accounts to platforms is the only available recourse, but this does little to address the underlying low-price tour operations.