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Travel Interests

Interests are the core of MayTravel’s personalization engine. By selecting interests that match your travel style, you enable the AI to generate itineraries tailored specifically to what you love about traveling.

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What Are Interests?

Interests are predefined categories that represent different aspects of travel experiences:

Culture & Arts

Museums, galleries, theaters, historical sites, and cultural events.

Food & Dining

Local cuisine, restaurants, food markets, street food, and culinary tours.

Nature & Outdoors

Parks, gardens, hiking trails, beaches, and natural landscapes.

Adventure

Extreme sports, adventure activities, and adrenaline experiences.

Architecture

Modern buildings, historical architecture, urban design, and landmarks.

Nightlife

Bars, clubs, live music venues, and evening entertainment.

Shopping

Markets, boutiques, shopping districts, and local crafts.

Photography

Scenic viewpoints, photogenic locations, and visual experiences.

Relaxation

Spas, wellness centers, peaceful locations, and slow travel.

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How Interests Work

Interests power the AI recommendation system:
1

Interest Selection

You choose interests from the available catalog and add them to your profile.
2

Profile Building

Your selected interests create a unique travel profile that represents your preferences.
3

AI Analysis

When generating itineraries, the AI analyzes your interests to understand what matters to you.
4

Personalized Recommendations

Each suggested stop, activity, and destination aligns with one or more of your interests.

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Browsing Available Interests

View all interests available in the platform: 
GET /api/interests

Response:
[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "Architecture"
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "name": "Art Galleries"
  },
  {
    "id": 3,
    "name": "Beach Activities"
  },
  {
    "id": 4,
    "name": "Fine Dining"
  },
  {
    "id": 5,
    "name": "Hiking"
  },
  {
    "id": 6,
    "name": "Historical Sites"
  },
  {
    "id": 7,
    "name": "Local Cuisine"
  },
  {
    "id": 8,
    "name": "Museums"
  },
  {
    "id": 9,
    "name": "Nightlife"
  },
  {
    "id": 10,
    "name": "Photography"
  }
]

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Adding Interests to Your Profile

Select multiple interests to enhance your travel recommendations: 
POST /api/users/:id/interests

{
  "interests_id": [1, 6, 7, 8, 10]
}

Response:
{
  "message": "interests attached to the user correctly"
}
This adds Architecture, Historical Sites, Local Cuisine, Museums, and Photography to your profile.
Choose 5-10 interests for balanced recommendations. Too few limits variety, while too many can dilute personalization.

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Viewing Your Profile Interests

See all interests associated with your account: 
GET /api/users/:id/interests

Response:
{
  "user_id": 1,
  "username": "traveler123",
  "email": "traveler@example.com",
  "interests": [
    {
      "interest_id": 1,
      "interest_name": "Architecture"
    },
    {
      "interest_id": 6,
      "interest_name": "Historical Sites"
    },
    {
      "interest_id": 7,
      "interest_name": "Local Cuisine"
    },
    {
      "interest_id": 8,
      "interest_name": "Museums"
    },
    {
      "interest_id": 10,
      "interest_name": "Photography"
    }
  ]
}

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Interest-Driven Recommendations

See how different interest combinations shape your itineraries:
Interests: Museums, Art Galleries, Historical Sites, Architecture, Local CuisineResult: Itineraries featuring iconic museums, gallery districts, UNESCO sites, architectural landmarks, and authentic local restaurants. Days are structured around museum hours and include cultural dining experiences.
Interests: Hiking, Adventure Sports, Beach Activities, Photography, NatureResult: Itineraries with outdoor activities, scenic hiking trails, water sports, viewpoints for photography, and natural parks. Timing optimized for best lighting and weather conditions.
Interests: Local Cuisine, Street Food, Fine Dining, Nightlife, MarketsResult: Food-focused itineraries with morning markets, lunch at local favorites, cooking classes, food tours, and evening recommendations for dining and entertainment.
Interests: Spas, Parks & Gardens, Beach Activities, Photography, CafesResult: Slower-paced itineraries with peaceful locations, spa time, leisurely park walks, beach relaxation, and cozy cafe stops. Fewer daily activities with longer duration at each.

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Managing the Interest Catalog

Administrators can maintain the platform’s interest catalog:

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Creating New Interests

POST /api/interests

{
  "name": "Wine Tasting"
}

Response:
{
  "id": 15,
  "name": "Wine Tasting"
}

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Updating Interest Names

PUT /api/interests/:id

{
  "name": "Craft Beer & Breweries"
}

Response:
{
  "message": "Interest ID 15 data updated successfully"
}

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Deleting Interests

DELETE /api/interests/:id

Response:
{
  "message": "Interest ID 15 was eliminated successfully"
}
Deleting an interest removes it from all user profiles. This action affects all users who have selected this interest.

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Interest Hierarchy

Interests can be specific or broad:

Broad Categories

General interests like “Culture”, “Food”, or “Nature” provide wide-ranging recommendations.

Specific Interests

Detailed interests like “Street Photography”, “Vegan Restaurants”, or “Art Deco Architecture” create highly targeted suggestions.
Mix broad and specific interests in your profile. This gives the AI flexibility while honoring your particular passions.

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Interest Impact on AI Planning

The AI uses your interests in multiple ways:
1

POI Filtering

Points of interest are matched against your interests to select relevant locations.
2

Category Prioritization

Stops matching your interests receive higher priority in the itinerary.
3

Time Allocation

Activities aligned with your interests get more time allocated in the schedule.
4

Context Building

Interest combinations provide context for RAG queries to generate better descriptions.
5

Balance Optimization

The AI balances your multiple interests across days for variety.

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Best Practices

Diversify Your Selection

Choose interests from different categories for well-rounded itineraries.

Be Honest

Select what you genuinely enjoy, not what you think you should like.

Update Regularly

As your preferences evolve, update your interests to keep recommendations fresh.

Start Specific

New to travel planning? Start with 3-5 specific interests and expand from there.

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Interest Examples by Travel Style

Recommended Interests:
  • Historical Sites
  • Museums
  • Local Cuisine
  • Photography
  • Landmarks
These cover classic must-see experiences while allowing for personal discovery.

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Learn More

User Profiles

Learn how to set up and manage your profile

AI Trip Planning

See how interests power AI recommendations

Interests API

View the complete interests API reference

Trip Management

Understand how interests shape your itineraries

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