Controlling what is controllable is the first step; the rest is noise.
The idea that fiction is the primary source of inspiration for travel lacks rigor.
A guide can quite generate a stronger and more immediate impulse to travel than a story.
Concrete information about destinations and activities, like detailed hikes in a guide on the Bavarian Alps, can create a tangible desire to go, without the need for fiction.
This posture is more pragmatic for decision-making.