January 29, 2026, 11:43January 29, 2026, 11:46 am
The Australian state of Tasmania experienced a tourism boom of an unusual kind. How CNN Reportedly, numerous people wanted to visit the Weldborough Hot Springs – but these hot springs don’t even exist.
Kristy Probert, a local hotel owner, told the US broadcaster she was initially confused when people asked questions about the location she was unfamiliar with. “At first there were just a few calls,” she says. But after that people came “in droves”. “I probably got five calls a day, and at least two or three people came to the hotel looking for it,” she says. This is unheard of – Weldborough is a remote area on the island.
She always responded to inquiries: “If you find these hot springs, the beers are on me.” There is actually a river nearby, but it is “ice cold”. It is generally only visited by gold seekers.
Error caused by AI
This boom was caused by an error on a blog on the Tasmania Tours website. According to the operator, this is recorded with material from a third-party provider. Artificial intelligence was apparently used – which quickly invented the Weldborough Hot Springs. A false image was generated and advertised as a “quiet oasis” and a “favorite place for hikers”.
Weldborough Springs does not exist.
Tour company published AI-generated content about non-existent locations in Tasmania. People showed up. Wild goose chase ensued.
Worth double-checking AI content before it goes live on your site.https://t.co/vsgfzftcMn
— luke @ locase (@locaseco) January 22, 2026
“Our AI has completely failed,” said Scott Hennessey, the owner of Australian Tours and Cruises, which operates Tasmania Tours ABC. Basically, he checks every post that is published on the blog. However, he was abroad at the time of the error.
Hennessey regrets that things have come to this point. “We are not fraudsters,” he says. His company is trying to “keep up with the big guys.” To do this, you have to constantly update and redesign your content.
As he further reports, his company is now suffering from the error. “The online hate and damage to our business reputation has been absolutely demoralizing,” he says. They now want to try to put the whole thing behind them.
This is what it really looks like in the Weldborough area.Image: Shutterstock
Hotel owner Probert, who received the confused tourists, however, sees the matter calmly. “It’s difficult as a small company to keep everything up to date and relevant,” she says. In addition, those responsible contacted her. “They seem like nice people,” says Probert, “we all make mistakes. I think this one was pretty amusing.”
By the way, she still recommends a visit to Weldborough. “There’s a lot to do here,” she says. But no thermal springs. (dab)