TYPES OF TRAVEL GUIDEBOOKS AND THEIR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

By the beginning of the 20th century the structure and the contents of the guidebooks adapted to their function were developed in our areas. The ideological influence of historical eras appeares in their textual contents, in photographs. In multicultural areas, according to the expectations of the readers, the presentation of elements and information related to their own culture is more pronounced. Series of guidebooks appear with distinctive publishing features. Improvements in printing technology, photography and map editing can be traced in the changes of the quality of publications

Technical advances have improved the quality and display of travel guidebooks, and later technical capabilities and the Internet have become a competitor to them. Nowadays they supplement the ICT and technical possibilities and continue to present the sources of obtaining information and introducing destinations.

The guidebooks of the 20^th centuries conveying mostly cultural-scientific values which were oriented towards practical purposes. By the end of the 20^th century another type of travel guidebooks had developed, where recreation and entertainment-centered experience-making opportunities came into being.

One of the tasks of the today’s guidebooks is to find, implement and mediate the right balance for the needs of the market. It’s preferable that the guidebook of a country, region, city be written by a „native and native speaker” of the given country or region.

In this case the reader receives a synthesis of practical information, scientific and artistic knowledge provided by ICT sources as well as experiences based on personal experiences.

This gives the reader-traveler a more personal aesthetic experience that is more colorful than the general one