Honestly, I am allergic to shine that makes travel guides the first essential step in choosing a destination. The reality is that most people start by looking at flight prices and online reviews, not a book. A guide can be useful to refine details once you already have an idea, like finding a good local restaurant in Berlin after booking your hotel. But the idea that their usefulness depends on the absence of internet is a changing condition that is becoming rarer, even in remote areas.