Advice Directory - Guide Books

If we had one headline to sum up our ideas on who buys guide books and maps it might be

"People generally dislike paying for information."

We have seen so many examples where people will go without important information just because they have to pay for it. Price is not a determining factor as one of our map/guides used to sell for 100 pesetas (less than 50p!). When we suggested that someone buy this map/guide to avoid being lost in the future we could be subjected to abuse so we stopped trying to sell this excellent little guide to people, it made for a quieter life! Even people who think they are intelligent will baulk at spending any money on a guide book or map. They are quite happy to pay hundreds of pounds for their holiday, but when it comes to paying between 50p and £15 for a guide book which will dramatically improve their enjoyment of that holiday they will make any excuse not to spend the money; most recently this situation showed itself with an elderly couple in Libreria Barbara (Los Cristianos) who wanted to go walking locally but refused to buy our Tenerife Walkers Maps - who knows where they ended up!

To everyone who tells us that they had a poor/bad/disastrous holiday we ask "Which guide book did you use?"; the answers to this question all fit into a general category of "I read the brochure", "I don't need no guidebook" etc etc. Considering that a holiday is most people's biggest 'software' purchase in a year this stubborn refusal of most Brits to buy a guide book reflects how 'un-intelligent' such people are. Arguments for guide books include;

• holiday company brochures are there to sell you a product, and are not there to give you impartial advice.

• good guide books will give you the information you need to choose a suitable resort and accommodation within that resort.

• guide books give you interesting information which helps you choose what to do during your holiday.

• most guide books are good value compared to the price of making a mistake.

If this hasn't convinced you to use a guide book with your next holiday (even if you only look up a library reference copy) then there is little we can do to save you from your own mistakes! Naturally we would like to see you buying Walk! guidebooks and Tour & Trail Maps. If you are not into walking then choose one of the general guide books for resort/area you are planning to visit, and buy and read the book before booking your holiday.

Just as I put this page together there is a story in today's paper headed "Tourist bound for Turkey ends up in Torquay" and the last sentence says it all; "What happened to me was caused by my mistakes. . . . . I did not have any maps or books and did not know where to go."

For other Advice Directory topics click Directory. Holiday Companies. Specialist Companies. Choosing Where. Virtual Guide Books.

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