Forget the binary between inspiring fiction and practical guide; that's not the real question.
Many patients returning from vacations, inspired or not, mainly talk about social contagion as the initial trigger.
People are often motivated by what their friends do, a colleague returning with beautiful photos, or shared stories online, long before taking a book or a guide.
The modern word of mouth is a powerful and often underestimated driver; a friend talks about Gaspésie and suddenly, it takes precedence over any other destination.
Practical tools like guides come only afterward, to organize the initial impulse.