An AI-generated article on a tourism company’s website has misled dozens of visitors, sending them to an isolated village in north-east Tasmania in search of “hot springs” that don’t actually exist. The platform operator acknowledges the error and announces the verification of all auto-generated material after locals were assaulted by disoriented tourists.
The text, published on the Tasmania Tours platform, described the so-called in luxurious detail “Weldborough Hot Springs,” touted as a secluded oasis favored by hikers and retreat organizers, according to ABC News.
In reality, the place does not exist.
The confusion generated by the AI quickly became a problem for the locals. Kristy Probert, who runs the only hotel in the area, says she has been receiving calls and visits daily from tourists convinced there are hot springs nearby. A group of 24 bikers even made a special detour hoping to find them.
“I told them to come back if I found them and gave them beer all night. They never came back”Kristy Probert reported.
The article that upset tourists was listed alongside real destinations such as Hastings Caves, but also other dubious recommendations, accompanied by AI-generated images that had nothing to do with Tasmania and its landscapes. From non-existent markets to panoramas that looked more like tropical landscapes, the site was full of errors.
“Our AI completely blew it”
Australian Tours and Cruises, the company that operates the platform, has admitted to using AI-generated content through an external provider. The owner, Scott Hennessy, says some articles were accidentally published while he was overseas.
“Our AI completely blew it”the patron admitted, stressing that all auto-generated material has been pulled and is being checked.
Hennessy insists the firm is legitimate and sells real tours, but admits the pressure to constantly produce content to stay visible in search engines has led to heavy use of AI.
“Sometimes it works perfectly, sometimes it creates absurd things. I’ve seen animals with three legs or creatures that looked like crocodilesi”, the owner also said.
Tourism specialists point out that the phenomenon is not isolated. Destination Southern Tasmania’s Anne Hardy says most itineraries generated by AI tools contain at least one error, and many travelers rely heavily on such recommendations.
Hardy considers the incident a clear example of the need for rigorous quality control.
