If I argued for the idea that tourist guides are an unavoidable component of travel inspiration from fiction, I would emphasize their role in materializing desire, transforming an ethereal dream into a concrete plan with itineraries and practical information. However, this view overlooks the conditionality of their use, which heavily depends on the traveler and access to other resources.
Many people, inspired by a film about Tuscany, will turn to travel blogs or social networks to plan, never opening a paper guide.
The relevance of guides is more related to the need for structured information than to the source of inspiration itself.
A Belgian traveler might be captivated by Norway via a series, then use only mobile apps for accommodation and travel, making the physical guide less essential.