Before enthusiasm, one must question the jurisdiction and mandates: travel guides are not a universal and intrinsic component of destination choice.
Their usefulness is rather conditional, heavily depending on the type of trip and individual preferences.
In Belgium, for example, for an organized trip, the contractual information of the tour operator legally takes precedence, not a general guide.
Business trips or family visits; no one mandates consulting a guide for these destinations.
Their role is far from as fundamental as claimed, as no regulation requires it.