Will COVID be the end of the printed guidebook industry?

I agree. But a link to the place where you can find reliable information of prices, opening times, etc. would be useful.

I will still buy and prefer them, i use them for the feel and history of a place, sujested walks, beautiful villages etc. Those things wont change. Have never used them for hotels or resturants. Dont want to spend my holiday glued to a screen, i want relax😀

Guidebooks will have to be changed over the next couple of years but they will still be around. More and more may be viewed online but most travelers still use them. What you might see are interactive guidebooks where information can be changed and updated. Instead of buying the book electronically, you will get access for a certain period.

I don't know why you think RS's guidebooks would be immune. Not all of his are updated every year and still have to be ready for publishing months in advance.

I agree with Frank I certainly dont think they will die out. Regardless of Covid or not I feel a shift towards more online use and interactive content was bound to overtake traditional print books

It would be interesting to know how many guidebook buyers even use the restaurant and hotel sections? We never have as there's a much greater selection of both online plus guest reviews and photos. As hours and entry fees can change on a dime, I've never relied strictly on the books for those either. We use them almost exclusively for the background of individual attractions in each location, self-guided walking tours, maps and that sort of thing, and I'll hand-enter notes in them of current visiting details. We do like DK Eyewitness best, even though they're heavy, but use a variety prior to a trip.

So unless the majority of other travelers are using them differently - and it's possible that they do - then I don't know why guidebooks wouldn't still be published for some years yet, although fewer may be sold for awhile if fewer are traveling?

To add: we don't really want to walk about with phones in our hands or have to access them frequently, thus the use of printed books.

I don't agree with your premise that 2020 will be a complete wipeout. There is clearly a big push to reopen tourism; at least in Europe, I don't know about the rest of the world. Indeed, perhaps things are moving faster than is entirely wise in some countries.

But even if there were a total wipeout this year, why should that mean the end of printed guidebooks? As people travel again and buy books why would those of us who prefer a proper book shift down to an ebook (and many tourists never bought guidebooks anyway, I suspect, using solely web resources or just winging it)? The point about "out of datedness" was always true, but not significant for most of us. In any case, with some publishers, the ebook is only a change of media, not of content and the information would be no more or less accurate than the proper book.

Perhaps some publishers will fail. But that doesn't mean they all will or the end of the guidebook in either format. In some cases even if the current publisher collapses, the brand will be bought by another company because it's well-known and worth using. Even without Covid that has happened before. Footprint is now an imprint of Bradt for example.

I love guidebooks for getting the big picture and seeing how things fit together and getting a sense of a place’s historical, cultural, artistic, and literary elements in context.

I too use up-to-date online sources to check opening dates and times and to find restaurants and hotels. It’s not either/or for me — I use both, and treasure good guidebooks!

I still use guidebooks - but I borrow them from my online library instead of having a physical copy. If I see sights I want to visit, I mark them on my map app and have started a travel note on my Notes app where I'll put pertinent info like open times/cost.

If it's something really interesting I'll screenshot it - I borrowed a DK book and it had some great neighbourhood walks in London, so I screen-shotted them and can access that on my ipad without having to lug a book/tear out pages.

I do use the guides to find restaurants as well - if they mention one that looks interesting, I'll check out the online menu (most have one these days) and if it looks good, again - it gets pinned on my map app.

I will say I've found a lot of ideas about places to see/eat that I wouldn't have otherwise. I do like to visit some quirky things at times that wouldn't show up if I'm checking out a website and it only gives me the 'top 10' sights in a certain city/area. I've never used the hotel section.

I think most business models for travel, as well as a variety of non-travel related industries, will be shaken up due to COVID and will need to be totally refreshed and reworked. But there will still be a need for knowledge of unfamiliar places among the population, thus a need for a product to respond to that need (in whatever format makes most sense, is practical, and possible cost-wise to deliver). I personally don't want to get all my info on lesser-trodden locales from a bunch of random internet blogs - I still will value collated, comprehensive, and vetted info even after COVID. But what those sources will "look like" is up in the air (no pun intended).

I like guidebooks. I like multiple guidebooks. You should see the nice stack I have for trip to Italy that I have not (yet) taken. I look online too but my husband and I like the ritual of reading guidebooks together while planning a trip. It is more relaxing to read a guidebook than look on the internet. I like them on trips too, although not the whole pile! I even like to read about what I have seen in the evening.

I do use them for accommodations and restaurants but usually check online too.

And I buy them as to me the enjoyment is great for the modest cost.

Well, since every guidebook has always been somewhat outdated even before it got printed due to the changes to many aspects of travel (opening times for many attractions, prices, even the existence of restaurants and hotels etc.), I don't see the current change brought by the virus being an end to them. It will definitely be a tough market for a while with travel possibly being down for several years and massive changes needing to be incorporated into the books due to closures of hotels, airlines, rental car, and other travel related companies (some only temporary I hope) that often appear in the books as suggested merchants to use. This will probably reduce the sales for a short while.

But it could be just the opposite. Many people are continuing to dream about travel and the good guide books, the ones with lots of pictures, may sell even more to help fuel those travel dreams. The major sights will still be there. If the admission times and prices change, so what since they probably would change year to year anyway.

I preferred online guides for many years now. They do seem to be more up to date on many topics than the printed books and are more helpful in finding a restaurant or other immediately needed item than most of the printed ones. But I still buy one or two every now and then when planning a trip to a place I have never been. I purchased several for Japan last year as I had planned on taking a RS style journey there (needless to say that plan has been forced to be on hold for a while). The books I bought will still be useful for planning the grand overall journey even if it is 2 or 3 years in the future.

This doesn’t just apply to Rick’s guidebooks.

The OP is not excluding the RS books. It is the opposite making sure to include them explicitly.

I think the printed guidebook industry will end when baby boomers no longer travel. Every time I go to Europe, I purchase the relevant RS guidebook(s) when I first begin planning. I love my kindle, but I like paper travel guides.

I’ve been buying guidebooks like crazy the last few months. And I have yet to take my first trip to Europe. Hopefully next year I can go somewhere. 😊

I’m in my 40s so I’m in between the boomers and the millennials. I still like certain things in print. The books are great for learning all about new places. If I want to later look something up on-line I can do that.

I just did a count of my travel guides. Ummm, I have 50!!!! 😊 Switzerland, Italy, England, Belgium, Netherlands , Germany, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway. Rick Steves of course and others. Why get just one book on a country when you can get 5 or 6? 😊

Guidebooks have been changing for some time now, even Rick's have changed the way they present information, giving indicators of cost ($, $$, $$$) instead of an actual dollar range, or even the actual price was one.

As for print, maybe always a market, but it has declined as the shift to eBooks has proceeded.

I think though there will always be a demand for a guide though. While it is easy to state that you can just use online sites to find a hotel or a restaurant, it is valuable to have someone give some examples of vetted venues, and more importantly advice on the area of a city to stay for what your needs are. Similar with restaurants, what ones represent the character of the region or town, rather than an Italian place in Spain that is popular with the locals (maybe not a bad choice for a dinner, but you go to Spain for something other than Italian food)

The best guides though condense the vast amount of information and help you focus, not as the only source, but as a start for planning and a framework, that "first person" help is always nice.

And I buy them as to me the enjoyment is great for the modest cost.

Beth, same for me!

It would be interesting to know how many guidebook buyers even use the
restaurant and hotel sections?

This was my first thought as well. I appreciate the neighbourhood information in the RS guides so I can determine a district that is right for me but I can't be bothered with hotel and restaurant info.

The most valuable info I find in the RS guides is the practical information such as getting from point A to B and understanding the culture. My first point of reference when planning a trip is usually the Eyewitness and Insight guides and then the closer I get to a trip, RS is my go-to.

But to answer the OP's question, I don't see an end to guidebooks but I do see dramatic shifts in content away from hotel and restaurant info.

cala could be right. I can see printed guide books going the way of phone books after the Boomers age out of traveling.

I'm not sure I agree that COVID will be the end of printed guidebooks. I think guidebooks will have to adapt and undergo some post-pandemic revisions, but a lot of the information in the revised editions will continue to be relevant. Nothing has changed with the details in the books (especially the RS books) about the history of cities, paintings or art work or the history of the various places in Europe.

Operating hours of museums, galleries and other attractions may change, admission prices may change to account for more sanitizing measures or there may be other restrictions, but those things likely won't change too often once they're established in the post-pandemic world.

It's certainly true that many guidebooks are already outdated at the time they're printed, and that's also true of the RS guidebooks. However the RS website has a "guidebook updates" section which provides up-to-date information on any changes since the books were printed. RS has always been very proactive at updating his guidebooks every year, and even if he can't get to Europe personally to do that right now, he has staff on the ground that can certainly provide that information.

Future guidebooks may include a "Covid-19" section to let travellers know what type of precautions they might be faced with when they enter museums or whatever (ie: sanitizing of hands when entering, masks required, etc.).

In this unprecedented situation a few adjustments may be necessary along the way, but I think guidebooks will continue to be useful.

Your question specifically asked about printed guidebooks. I don't see much qualitative difference between printed versus e-book versions, for the current COVID situation to have an impact. The research needed to keep any good travel guide information updated and current must be pretty much the same.

But if you're saying the guidebook industry will tank and we'll be relying solely on internet sources full of fake and conflicting reviews, sponsored ads, and amateur BS, I sure hope not. The internet is good for referencing basic information on specific questions about specific places or things (what are the dates of Schnitzelfest in Barfburg in 2022?) but not for providing information in a way that excites curiosity on places and things you weren't even aware of.

Yes I use the RS guidebooks for hotels and opinions on sights. I use the restaurant recommendations the way RS intended: not as these are must sees, or the best foodie experiences, but as some reasonable places that are near the sights and lodging areas you will be visiting. As long as you know and are comfortable with the style and focus of a guidebook company, its more dependable than anonymous web-crawlers.

As long as you know and are comfortable with the style and focus of a
guidebook company, its more dependable than anonymous web-crawlers.

Whoa, Stan. I've too many issues with your post so I'll just include the piece of it quoted above. Reviews I have depended on have not been from "anonymous web-crawlers," and the accommodations I've booked for us didn't come from an RS guidebook. So far, so good. Very good. Same with some restaurants we've visited. A guidebook can't - and doesn't - include ALL of the better options.

we'll be relying solely on internet sources full of fake and conflicting reviews, sponsored ads, and amateur BS,

There are many reputable, verifiable, and properly referenced sources of information on the internet. RS for example. Many real travel companies. No different than picking out the right guide book when you shop for a printed one. You just have to use common sense to differentiate between an open forum posting filled solely with "information" from people with radically oblique opinions on things that may have no bearing on reality and one that isn't.

I read the guidebooks for the sights to see, the guided walks, and the information about tickets. I seldom look at restaurant or hotel reviews. They are dated, and they do not reflect the manner in which we travel.

Kathy & Mark, I'll admit my comment was a bit harsh. What I intended to say was IMO a published guidebook is a much more dependable source of comprehensive information than reviews and websites. I agree that experienced and discerning travelers can weed out a lot of the misinformation and get useful current information from the web. But there is a lot of hidden sponsoring on some sites, and a lot of bogus reviews for hotels and restaurants.

So I hope published guides don't go away because they pay for the free information that is available here. But if they do, it wont be because of COVID.

Aw, I didn't think your comment was harsh, Stan. Just as we all travel a bit differently, we probably use guidebooks differently too. Whatever works, right? :O)

Personally, I just think that I get far more info - and more current info - on hotels and restaurants from online sources than I do from guidebooks. Just as attraction hours and entry fees can change, so can owners, managers and quality standards of other types of hospitality services since last they were vetted for a book. Being able to see snapshots taken by actual guests versus the "staged" photos published by the properties themselves is also a bonus (TripAdvisor). Booking.com is a fave go-to for written reviews.

Are there some fake reviews out there. Sure, but the truth usually lies between too good and too horrible to be believed. Read enough of them and take note of reoccurring comments, both positive and negative, and the sorts of things the complainers beef about. LOL, there are a number of folks out there who expect upscale amenities from modest properties, or some which are not standard in certain countries. Lack of coffee/tea kettles in many Italian hotels is one which comes to mind. Make sense?

To add: not to knock our respected host but not all guide users have been thrilled with all of the RS-recommended accommodations. Not his fault as I'm sure the same is true for some included in other guides as well; what appeals to the editors of a book doesn't necessarily appeal to everyone?

Maybe a new model might be a paid online subscription -- able to be updated quickly as needed but with known responsibility and viewpoint (as contrasted with anonymous reviewers) A number software companies have moved to that platform from one-time outright sales.

I've thought about that on-line subscription service - you say there are some? Give me a name of one or two...

Paul, Quicken switched from buy-it-once to buy-for-a-year. I believe Microsoft products too.

Quicken switched from buy-it-once to buy-for-a-year. I believe Microsoft products too.

And many others. Like Adobe.

I agree with above posters about guidebooks including Covid-19 info. for specific locations.

I can see a guidebook titled "Travel During Covid-19." Then, give info. on remote/low risk areas: low risk activities: sanitation requirements, etc.. Basically, a "back door" book for small towns. There are opportunities here.

TV ads are showing a lot of RV/Camping images now. Businesses are adapting.

I still have some Michelin green guidebooks that focus on the sights, not hotels and restaurants. They are still useful today.

Much of Europe is historical and hasn't changed a lot in decades. There are new finds, like Trajan's Market in Rome that wasn't discovered last time I was there in 1990, but much of the sights are in that old Michelin green guide.

Even guidebooks that include hotels and restaurants can be double checked by using TripAdvisor or Rick Steves.

I do love the DK Eyewitness Guides. I think they are still great to use years later.

Instagram is the newest way to plan your vacations.

Guidebooks are a waste of paper, transportation costs, and the time spent trying to edit the information that will be out of date in 6 months anyway, about the same time the book gets published. Make the guidebooks online and stop trying to print them. Utilize editor's time to keep the guidebook website up to date with information.

It is very disappointing to read posts that think that all the reviews on sites like Trip Advisor, Google, or Yelp are false or inaccurate. For most businesses, they are probably 99.5% true and accurate. Just a big deal is made about the fake ones. Small businesses work really hard to offer a quality product and are proud of their good reviews, so thanks, Stan, for dashing our hopes that someone will book with us after reading glowing reviews about how much they enjoyed their time with us.

Ms. Jo makes a good point about reviews. I write reviews. I try to list a couple of specifics and be "fair and balanced" in my review. I list both pro.s and con.s or what to expect. I don't just say "awesome" or "love it." In fact, I avoid those words.

Instagram is the newest way to plan your vacations.

There's barely any written content, it's all visual. Same with Pinterest, which is like throwing a bunch of visual tiles on a wall. I'm glad it works for some people, but a lot of others still enjoy reading written text about the places they're going to visit, their context, and their history (and some sense of hierarchy and prioritization). I don't really care what the cool kids are doing, I love to read (in general).

As for review sites, they've been shown to be manipulated and spiked (Tripadvisor was in a scandal over it). Why are most Yelp reviews so high? There is no real differentiation when everything is so much above average (Wobegon effect). And, since it's all subjective, how can it be 99% accurate? I'm not following that train of thought. The new (maybe not "new" anymore) Tripadvisor layout is so unbearable/cluttered (and full of cross-sponsored content) that I don't even go there anymore, I have more confidence reading Booking.com reviews. I'm with Stan about using good, vetted guidebooks as the base...no matter the format. Of course they can be made much more functional, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. A guide guide book and some internet research is an ideal combination, IMHO.

TripAdvisor - I backed off once another company (I think viator) bought it. I also was having issues with it because my old iPad does not accept the new version.
I always try to read some lower ranked reviews for balance. I agree with Agnes that if a review site only shows dazzling reviews for everything - then, it ceases to be useful.
I have had both positve and negative experiences with guidebook listings as well. However, I still appreciate and use guidebooks from companies I trust. If I disagree with a listing - I contact the guidebook company directly. I used a Frommer's NYC book, Most of the content was spot on. There were two "sites" that I thought were grossly over-rated. So, I emailed Frommer's directly. RS accepts feedback as well. I still enjoyed a much better trip with the book and probably saved some money.
(I'm old school. I don't do Facebook, Instagram, tweeting, or that kind of thing.)

I couldn't find it, but sometime in the past year somebody had posted that they didn't think it was fair to small hotels or B and B's for a person to post a negative review; large hotels, yes, but a small business could be devastated by it. There were opinions going both ways. But it does make me wonder about the balance of even the legitimate reviews. Personally, I think it's important for a reviewer to give examples of why they liked/disliked something so I can make my own decision based on what is important to me. I'd be curious if anyone has booked a hotel strictly based on an RS recommendation without doing their own research.

To me, the biggest negative about relying solely on the internet is that if you don’t know about a place or a thing, you won’t know to look it up on-line. So, for example, I might miss out on X in Switzerland because I don’t know it exists.

Since I know so little about Europe, I feel I have gained an enormous amount of knowledge from pouring over multiple guidebooks. I doubt I would have learned nearly as much had I just googled “Switzerland” on-line.

For reviews I do check TA, expedia and booking - I look at all the reviews but I do tend to look at 1 star reviews - if I'm seeing a lot of 'it's noisy/street noise' or 'filthy bathroom' I'll keep hunting, because there are dozens more options out there. But if it is someone complaining that the desk clerk was rude or they didn't have enough fluffy pillows or other (what I consider to be) petty complaints, then the accom will def go into my consideration pile. Sometimes the complaints are older - maybe about construction - that is most likely resolved, so always check when the review was left!

I like guidebooks in my hand vs on my iPad, or I'd go with both if it didn't cost me more. I use guidebooks for logistics (RS if going to one of his cities) or sights, transportation, etc. (Lonely Planet are my favorites except for Italy). I don't use guidebooks for hotels or restaurants. I eat at a whim, where I am at the time as I don't usually agree with other people's tastes. For hotels I use booking.com, but also read the reviews on hotels.com and trip advisor. I pay attention to comments about my needs...I'm looking for a good night's sleep so mattresses and night-time quiet is important. I find to use a guidebook is easier and more pleasant than my iPad. I like to mark up, fold corners, highlight and tab. That being said, I then use the internet for more information about my locale, sights, transport, etc. So...I use every avenue available to me to plan my trip as planning is half the fun, and the rest of the planning is about security and convenience. IMO.

I tend to think that ‘this is rigged!!!’ is exaggerated as a criticism of the review sites. But, if I’ve gone to the trouble to look up reviews, I’ll take a couple minutes to read them. A horrible review with ten paragraphs? Ok, either it was truly a weekend from Hell or else the person has such exacting standards that no place could hope to achieve them. I’ve found the latter to be far more prominent.

It’s almost always true that a place that has consistently good reviews is actually pretty good.

Of course, it helps if the reviewer gives a bit a detail. A 5 star review of a budget hotel will hopefully state ‘this is an excellent budget hotel with a great location....’ Or if I give a 5 star review to an airport hotel , I’ll be sure to point out that there’s nothing nearby and the only entertainment is the hotel bar. It’s not the place for a romantic getaway, but perfect if you’ve got an early flight.

Same for a 5 star review of a romantic getaway hotel. No WiFi, no TVs, but wonderful hiking and beautiful picnicking next to the Lake. Not the place for a business conference.

I try to be as fair as possible. The hotel has no control over road construction happening outside. I expect them to do their absolute best to control loud groups staying in the hotel. I’m also aware that you can’t usually evict guests at 3 am and in most cities it isn’t a matter for the local police.

So, I’m rarely led astray by online reviews. I find them very valuable in getting the feel of a place. For a restaurant, is it Dressy? Casual? Is a bar an after work happy place? Dive bar? Craft cocktails?

I decided not to post a link because the reviews are old and maybe the hotel has improved, but this hotel in Hollywood has everything from 1 star to 5 star reviews. Here's one of each;

1 star The police came as soon as we got there because of gun fire and
possible drugs in the room next to ours. On the other side of us was
transgender call girls doing their jobs with the men. When my
brother-in-law came to pick us up there was a giant cricket in the
bed. and burn marks in a non smoking room , a gas heater which had to
be lit and a nassty bath room. It will never be forgoten

And the 5 star I recently stayed at xxxx Motel with my wife on a trip
down to LA. The motel is very conveniently situated. It was very easy
to get around to all the attractions in the area, like Beverly Hills.
What i like about this place the most is it's very inexpensive. We
stayed there for 7 nights and we only paid $439 after taxes. The room
isn't that big but it's clean and tidy. Also it's very quiet. We were
glad that we could get some good night sleep after walking around all
day. The maid was friendly and cleaned up the room and changed the
sheets everyday. I think i'll stay here next time i'm in the area. I
would certainly recommend others to check it out.

Who votes RS check in and give us a review?

We will continue to purchase and read guidebooks for all locations that we are considering visiting. We find RS guidebooks very helpful in getting a feel for a place and what to see. Lonely Planet guidebooks are good for American locations, not so much for hotels and restaurants but the sights to visit. And we much prefer a printed version versus electronic even though I read most all books on a Kindle.

@Allan A hotel in Hollywood that’s $63 a night? That’s one that I’m probably likely to believe the one star review. I’m not sure I’d trust a $63 room in the 1990s much less today.

But yes, that’s a drawback of reviews sometimes. Perhaps an older place was bought up, refurbished and completely changed their clientele.

Allan, those TA reviews are REALLY old, too old for anyone to use if currently looking for a budget room. Still, a scan of the entire list of more recent reviews for that motel would likely convince all but the most dedicated fans of the long-dead Lizard King not to stay there! It's that bit of rock and roll history that appears to account for a chunk of the clientele, and I'd guess that the seediness is part of that story. It also doesn't appear to bother an unapologetic "you get what you pay for" segment who just want a cheap place to crash near desired attractions.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-jim-morrison-hotel-room-west-hollywood-california

Yeah, there are real old-school gems that are very affordable to stay in, usually travel lodge type places that can be perfectly clean and nice. Some are remnants of old time 50s and 70s architecture but brought into the present (if you look at old Florida or Miami architecture, that's what I mean). I wouldn't be totally dissuaded by price alone, and $63 in 1990 is $123 or so today. I've paid about $99 minus taxes to stay at some awesome places rights across from Pacific Coast Highway just a block from the beach. They're out there, but there are fewer and fewer of them and they're mostly small mom-and-pops that bought the place and keep it pretty affordable,

I actually use Lonely Planet a lot for non-Europe, and their lodging and restaurant recommendations are pretty solid. I've had very good luck with them.

I will still buy printed guidebooks and bring sections on my trip--and I always check websites to be sure I have the most up-to-date info. I find the info in the books helpful when planning my daily itineraries and for walking tours or info on nearby towns for day trips.

It would be interesting to know how many guidebook buyers even use the
restaurant and hotel sections?
Blockquote

My hubby and I use them! When planning a Europe trip, I will use guidebooks (RS and others), tips from this forum, blogs on a location, etc to help us plan. I always look at Rick's hotel recommendations to see what other sites are saying about them, and to determine if I want to go the hotel route or private accommodation.

I will also use the restaurant recommendations occasionally. We were in Bruges last summer and found the place we wanted to eat for dinner was too crowded. Using Rick's guidebook, we were able to find a place that was far less crowded and had delicious food.

Ms. Jo,
Agree with you about reviews. When I do my research for hotels, B&Bs or dining, I always check TripAdvisor and at least one other source. Then I seek out the negative reviews first and read the details, moving on to the more recent reviews of any kind.

A few years ago, I was looking for a hotel in Miami that offered free parking while I was traveling (cruise to Europe and land tour). About five hotels offered such parking, but all were rated poor to average by reviews. However, the one hotel that I eventually picked was in the perfect location near the airport. After reading several reviews, it was clear that the negative reviews were posted prior to or during the hotel's renovation. The most recent reviews were pretty good. That hotel turned out great, our room was practically new, the free parking saved me a lot and the Cuban restaurant on the top floor was super.