Forgotten How to Pack for a Holiday? You Can Ask Alexa to Help You

With the incredibly weird state travel has been in for the past couple of years, you’d be forgiven if you’re feeling at a loss when it comes to preparing for your next trip. As our recent piece on what to pack in a carry-on bag highlighted, there are a fair few of us who need some help figuring out what to pack in our luggage ahead of a holiday.

If that’s you, may we turn your attention to a nifty little feature offered by Amazon’s Alexa? Travel tour company Contiki has partnered up with Colombia (funnily enough the destination I was meant to visit in March 2020, lol) and Alexa to develop a new ‘Pack My Bags’ function.

What does Alexa’s ‘Contiki: Pack My Bags’ feature offer?

If you’re getting ready for your next big trip and have no idea what you should be tossing into your suitcase, you can download the Contiki: Pack My Bags Alexa feature and proceed to ask your smart speaker “Alexa, pack my bags”.

Doing so will prompt Alexa to rattle off a list of things you might want to pack based on the destination you’re set to visit.

Pack My Bags is available for a range of holidays, like Europe, North America and Africa, but Colombia has specifically teamed up with Contiki and Amazon to build a list of packing tips that will cater to the diverse environments and activities you might want to try out on a holiday there.

Some examples of what Alexa might nudge you on packing include things like a portable charger, power adaptors, swimwear for beach trips, and insect repellent for the jungle. You’ll also likely notice there’s a focus on sustainable choices here with Alexa suggesting options like ocean-friendly sunscreen and shampoo bars.

Once you’ve asked Alexa to pack your bags, you should receive a list on the Alexa app as well as via email. In theory, it sounds like a clever little feature, but give it a go and let us know if you think it’s worthwhile or not. You can read more on the Contiki website here.

For some destination inspo, check out our write-ups on New Zealand and Australia in winter.