Elizabeth

Its no secret that print media is dying thanks to the internet. We've got our Kindles, online newspapers, etc etc. Do you think that guidebooks are going to become a thing of the past?

Personally, I find a lot of the sections useless. For example, the accommodation section. Guidebooks can only list so many, and then books like LP are only updated like every 2-3 years. So its possible whats in the guide could go out of business. And we have the internet now where you can compare all hotels and hostels and read up to the minute reviews.

Also the nightlife/restaurant section I think is useless. If you're staying at a hostel, the staff is usually young and local to the area so they can tell you the hottest or undiscovered spots. Again, restaurants and clubs are high risk businesses so if the guide is updated every 2 - 3 years there's a good chance those places might be out of business.

Are there any parts of the guidebook you still find invaluable?

Anyway, if you all haven't guessed from my other thread, I'm trying to build a travel empire I would love to pen a small and cheap guidebook on Central/Eastern European travel, bc I believe the bulky LPs and Rick Steves are a thing of the past. There is so much info available online and thru other travelers, why would someone be motivated to drop $30 on a book?

simply_angelic

I really think it depends on where you go. Yes, in places like Europe I rarely used the "where to eat" or "where to stay" section because there were phenomenal hostels around every corner and the same thing with eateries. In Africa however, my guidebook became my GOD. There's only hostels in a handful of countries and the rest just have guest lodges which are much more difficult to find. Not to mention taxis are a lot sketchier trying to take you to "their hotel of choice" (which is usually just the fanciest place in town)....

I think that in the more under-developed countries guidebooks are essential in every way shape and form.....

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~Laura
GO CANADA!!!!

If you walk backwards, you'll find out that you can go forward and people won't know if you're coming or going.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-James Dean

Countries I've Visited: Austria, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy. Malawi, Mexico, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, UK, Vatican City, Zambia

travelpunk

I'm a believer that anything in print is old news, and that includes guidebooks...for me, anyways.

As you said, there are so many things available online that it doesn't make sense for me to buy one. Also, year after year, accessing the internet gets easier and easier. Couldn't access the net via cell phone when I first went backpacking 10 yrs ago.

But Laura brought up a good point about the under-developed countries from her first hand experience. So, it makes sense on how guidebooks can come in really handy in some parts of the world.

It won't hurt to try.

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