Before any conviction, one must consider the reverse side of the coin: a travel guide is not just an extension of fictional inspiration, it serves as a safeguard.
Fiction often creates unrealistic expectations that can lead to disappointment, or even danger, without proper preparation.
A guide forces us to anticipate practical difficulties, such as the need for a special visa for a dream destination or real health conditions, which television will never show.
For example, a film may idealize a distant jungle, but the guide will specify mandatory vaccines and zones to avoid for our safety, which is an essential condition for going there.