5 Best Platforms for a Custom Travel Itinerary

What is a travel itinerary?

A travel itinerary is a document that outlines a planned trip and includes details about travel arrangements such as transportation, accommodations, and activities. 

The purpose of a travel itinerary is to provide a comprehensive plan of the trip for the traveler. It may also be used as a reference for anyone else involved in the trip, such as a travel agent or family members back home who wants to follow along. 

With the availability of online maps, navigation services, and trip blogs, trip takers can now plan their own custom travel itinerary with a little help from online tools and platforms.

Read Most Popular Travel Itinerary Templates for Google Docs : Pros & Cons to find the best travel itinerary templates if you plan to plot out your own adventure from scratch.

Why are custom travel itineraries becoming so popular?

The use of a custom travel itinerary is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. No more cookie-cutter vacations. 

With a custom travel itinerary, travelers can tailor their trips to their preferences and needs. It’s like having a personal travel agent at your fingertips. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to feel like a VIP? Plus, the convenience is unbeatable. 

The rise of social media inspired travel and the desire to discover hidden gems and support local communities have led to a higher demand for custom travel itineraries. 

Travelers are seeking out unique experiences that reflect their individual interests and passions, as well as exploring destinations based on popular culture and Instagram Influencers. Culinary experiences and wellness activities have also become crucial factors in travel decisions, with many travelers seeking out restorative vacations focused on self-care.

With just a few clicks, a traveler can have a completely customized itinerary ready to go. It takes the stress and guesswork out of planning a trip. 

So take the plunge. Customize your next excursion. Who knows? You might just feel like a travel genius. 

In this article, we will reveal 5 of the most popular platforms that you can use for a scrapbook worthy custom travel itinerary. 

Fiverr for Custom a Travel Itinerary

Fiverr is another freelancer platform for travelers who are looking for custom travel itineraries tailored to their needs. They connect travelers with freelance professionals, who can provide detailed travel plans that take into account different budgets, interests, and timeframes. 

By choosing Fiverr, travelers can access a wide range of specialized services, such as itinerary planning, location scouting, hotel and restaurant bookings, transportation arrangements, tour guides, and language translators. 

Pros:

Fiverr offers affordable prices for customized travel itineraries that won’t break the bank. And let’s not forget the added bonus of being able to communicate with your travel planner via Fiverr’s easy-to-use platform. You can quickly and easily chat with your travel planner anytime, anywhere.

As one of the biggest freelancer’ marketplaces, Fiverr’s customer reviews, and 24/7 customer support make it an attractive option for anyone who wants to plan a trip with peace of mind. 

Cons:

Fiverr often offers lower prices than traditional travel agencies. However, it is important to consider the lack of regulation and screening process for freelancers on the platform. 

This can lead to a higher risk of potentially subpar quality or even scams. It is also important to carefully review the seller’s profile and reviews before making a purchase. While Fiverr can offer a cost-effective and unique approach to planning a trip, it is important to approach with caution and research thoroughly before making a booking.

NanoWhat for a Custom Travel Itinerary

NanoWhat hosts global travel influencers’ own travel maps so travelers can instantly download cool, curated itineraries for a hassle-free trip. 

It only takes you a couple minutes to submit your travel preferences using their very easy inquiry form. Next, you will receive a custom travel itinerary in 2-5 days depending on the complexity and length of your trip. 

**BONUS** If you need a travel itinerary template for Google Sheets, NanoWhat can also add this to your delivery.

Pros:

If you want to take a unique vacation by partaking in local hidden gems instead of visiting crowded tourist spots, then NanoWhat is the best choice since they connect you with travel bloggers, influencers and local guides around the world who love to explore off the beaten path travel experiences. 

Your custom travel itinerary is guaranteed to be made by real people who are willing to share their secret spots based on your preference. 

Different from other platforms, NanoWhat delivers custom travel itineraries in the form of Google Maps. You can immediately save the entire curated list to your own phone to check the real photos and real reviews for each spot anytime, anywhere. Even if you’re not a “map person” it’s still a helpful tool that gives you an easy to scroll list view.

If your itinerary is 2 days or more, NanoWhat will even attach an editable Google Slides and PDF copy of your day by day itinerary. Each individual location syncs to Google Maps and the people traveling with you can all get their own copy.

Cons:

NanoWhat has a fixed price starting at $5 and requires a few days of wait time before your custom travel itinerary is delivered. But if you need something ready for instant use, it’s worth exploring their existing hidden gem maps to see if there’s anything that matches your criteria. Many of the ready-to-download travel maps are free, and others can be grabbed for only $1-$2.

Upwork for a Custom Travel Itinerary

Upwork is a popular platform for hiring freelancers who offer custom travel itinerary services. You can hire out your need for a custom travel itinerary to a specialist who will plan a trip according to your preferences and requirements. 

There are over 7,000 offers listed in the “travel planning” category, ranging from cities these independent travel agents and freelancers know the best, to others who promise they can plan a trip for any city in the world.

Pros:

Upwork is known to be one of the best platforms for hiring just about anyone, to do almost anything under the sun. It has a large pool of talent, so you’re almost guaranteed to find someone to match your needs. The advantage of using Upwork is that freelancers with diverse skills and experience are available on the platform, making it easy to find the best fit for a specific project. 

Through its advanced search feature, individuals can filter out service offerings from poorly rated freelancers or those with little reputation on the platform. Plus, you pay in advance and Upwork holds your money in escrow until the project is delivered, ensuring a safe and secure transaction only after the custom travel itinerary has been approved by you.

Cons:

You need to do your research and carefully vet your potential hires since competition can be fierce, and freelancer rates may vary significantly. Additionally, Upwork takes a percentage of the fees paid to freelancers, and also charges a fee to customers ordering the services, which you need to build into your budget. 

ChatGPT for a Custom Travel Itinerary

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot that can help with travel planning. The platform’s ability to process and provide clear responses is impressive. 

Pros:

By simply submitting prompts, you can receive recommendations on places to stay, eat and explore in record time. Users can even request itineraries tailored to their preferences on specific dates and locations. 

Cons:

The current version of the application has limited booking capabilities, and for now, options remain restricted.

The advice from ChatGPT is also only as good as the data it was trained on. While its training dataset comes from approximately 8 million web pages, it’s limited to the year 2021 – so if you’re hoping for the most recent travel details and newly opened businesses or attractions, it can’t help with that.

Given the platform’s shortcomings, a chatbot cannot substitute a human travel agents’ customer service. Users should double-check all information the chatbot gives and treat its input with a grain of salt.

How to Use ChatGPT to Plan Travel Itineraries

Step 1: Decide Your Destination

Step 2: Use ChatGPT to Create an Itinerary

Step 3: Plan Your Travel Expenses

Step 4: Book Flights and Hotels

Step 5: Research Experiences and Local Culture

Step 6: Ask for Emergency Numbers

Step 7: Export Your Travel Plan from ChatGPT

Check out this article to find more details on: How to Use ChatGPT for Travel Planning.

Nevertheless, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can eliminate hours of scouring the internet to compile a list of travel activities. Despite the platform’s limitations, ChatGPT is an excellent tool for a quick custom travel itinerary for exploring new destinations. 

Etsy for a Custom Travel Itinerary

Etsy offers a unique service for travelers who desire a custom travel itinerary. A few vendors like TheCoffeeClubGB also offer fully customized trip plans for their customers. 

Upon purchasing a travel planning kit, customers provide their travel preferences and requirements. The kit includes a detailed trip overview, itinerary overview, daily itinerary with recommended activities and restaurants, packing lists, blank budget and expense tracker, and a blank travel journal to record your memories.

Pros:

Travelers can receive digital & downloadable PDFs and a printed version of the customized binder, which includes all the necessary documents. While custom travel itinerary service vendors like TheCoffeeClubGB do not book payment-required services, they do their best to handle restaurant reservations and other no-cost bookings. 

The team at TheCoffeeClubGB is also available to answer questions and even arrange a video chat to discuss a customer’s trip. Their customizable travel planning kits allow customers to have a stress-free and individualized travel experience, tailored to their preferences

The turnaround time for creating a custom travel itinerary takes 1-3 weeks, depending on the length of the trip. 

Cons:

While there may be some travel planners on the site, Etsy is not a dedicated travel platform that offers the same level of expertise and comprehensive support as a specialized travel service platform. 

Additionally, Etsy’s product reviews and ratings system may not be indicative of how reliable or knowledgeable a travel planner is, as reviews are optional and may not reflect the full range of experiences of other travelers. 

Custom Travel Itinerary Conclusion

Planning a vacation can be stressful and time-consuming, but with the help of the right platform or service, you can have a unique custom travel itinerary to enhance your travel experience. 

Travel trends are moving into a more localized, sustainable and relaxed space. Choosing the right platform to maximize the potential and flexibility of your dream vacation while ensuring a hassle-free experience is the name of the game. Decide what level of involvement you want in the planning process and weigh your options.

By knowing how much you’re willing to pay, how much time you have until your trip, and who you can trust should be your starting point. And your end goal should be seeing the world and experiencing new and unusual places with the people who bring you happiness.