The idea that travel guides are an essential and always-present component of travel inspiration through fiction is understandable, because fiction can indeed spark a spark and guides turn it into practical reality.
However, this hierarchy is not stable and does not always reflect the reality of trip planning.
What about trips that are not inspired by fiction, but by practical needs or opportunities, where the travel guide becomes the starting point?
For example, for a professional trade show in Cologne, the guide serves as an immediate planning tool, with no romantic influence.
The relationship is conditional, not systematic, and the order can be reversed.