Has the printed travel guide had its day?

23rd April 2022

Has the printed travel guide had its day?

I recently reviewed a printed guidebook that offered the reader a personal insight into the heart and soul of Rome, suggesting places to see that were off the beaten track. It was a beautiful little book with sketches and terrific photography that were so tempting for anyone who wants to armchair travel. Yes, I could imagine indulging in a macchiato on a sunlit terrazzo, chomping on a bowl of pasta in a secluded piazza and staying in an unforgettable hotel room in the heart of the city. It was more of a short coffee table book, I thought, with some inspired suggestions for the tourist who has done their stint at the Forum and Colosseum (it stresses there is no mention of the ‘obvious’, to wit common attractions, like the iconic Colosseo).

This is tourism pure, highlighting hidden curiosities, known only to locals – apparently. And yet…

I am a regular traveller to Berlin. I have visited most of the must-see tourist sights and have trawled all the next level guide books that reveal places hidden from the prying eyes of mass tourism. They lure readers in with “Secret..” “Soul of..”, proffering places “…that you mustn’t miss”, and exhorting readers to visit x,y,z “….somewhere everyone should visit once in a lifetime (yes, really!)..“(in fact, doesn’t that miss the whole point but never mind?). These guide books have worked, but only up to a point.

One guide I picked up suggested that I really shouldn’t miss visiting the Tajik Tea Parlour (featured, for example, here on the blog top10Berlin.de). The printed guide, published in 2016 gave details. HOWEVER, the teashop had relocated FOUR years prior to publication, that’s 2012. Boy, was I annoyed when I turned up at the address given in the book. And this, of course, is the pitfall for printed guidebooks (never mind sloppy editing). Life, in normal times, moves on apace. Updates have to be regular, and research has to be precise. You can read my review here if you want to see why this particular guidebook failed in so many ways (and you can ascertain which guidebook it is when you read the review).

It is years – 1980s to be more specific – since the couple behind the Rough Guides brought unspoilt parts of Greece to travellers’ attention. Life has moved on considerably since then and with the advent of the internet, the days of the specialty printed guide book are, I think, going to be short lived. I do pick up a Lonely Planet, Rough Guide or Marco Polo if I want an introduction to somewhere new, and to get a feel for the place, learn about the highlights before I shoot off to the internet to really delve into the heart of the chosen destination. On the internet, of course, you can find innumerable blogs – updated daily/weekly in some cases – that will offer an inside track. They are often succinct and on point, with great photos and maps, with current information about opening/closing times.

In these times of sadly reduced travelling and huge accompanied luggage tariffs, I never take the guide with me. It adds bulk. I use it at home and then leave it there, having noted any specifics for the trip.

The demise of the printed guidebook is sad, it has been so much part of my travel experience, the first point of call when visiting a new place – and don’t get me wrong, in some cases it still is. But, I fear, this is will not be the case for much longer and they will be consigned to history as quaint travelling aids that have lost their much of their relevance.

Can the written guidebook hang on to its market share at all? Do you use a guide book when you travel? Let us know in the Comments where you think the future of the printed guidebook lies.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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