Travel Guidebooks Archives

There’s more to beaches and malls in Dubai: the case for using a guidebook

Don’t you think there are some destinations where a guidebook is invaluable? There’s been a backlash against guidebooks in recent years, since the rise of freely available online travel content. And while there are certainly cities I’ll go without a guidebook, cities where you can stroll around and stumble across places of interest pretty easily, … Read more about There’s more to beaches and malls in Dubai: the case for using a guidebook

Dubai: destination re-branding urgently required – from ‘playground of the rich’ to the complex compelling place we know it can be

by Lara Dunston

“Dubai has always been seen as a playground for the rich. What is the Dubai tourism authority doing to pull in people with less money?” That was one question among others that came to me Friday via the DK–Rough Guides PR office, as author of DK’s Top Ten Dubai and Abu Dhabi guidebook, from a … Read more about Dubai: destination re-branding urgently required – from ‘playground of the rich’ to the complex compelling place we know it can be

Please don’t tell me this is the future of guidebooks, or, Offbeat Guides part 3: a depressing postcript

by Lara Dunston

Does the world really need travel guides compiled for us from Wikipedia and/or any other online sources for that matter? Following on from my posts on Offbeat Guides part 1: my findings & part 2: my conclusion, I’ve been thinking about the future of travel guides…but first, the postscript: after posting part 2, I returned … Read more about Please don’t tell me this is the future of guidebooks, or, Offbeat Guides part 3: a depressing postcript

Offbeat Guides part 2: my conclusions

by Lara Dunston

Outdated, incorrect, misleading, poorly-written and poor choice of points of interest, the Dubai ‘guide’ that Offbeat Guides delivered was disappointing. It was about as current, authentic and original as the museum display pictured. My conclusions based on my findings: 1. Not an ‘offbeat’ bone in the guide’s body: the title suggests the content’s focus would … Read more about Offbeat Guides part 2: my conclusions

Offbeat Guides part 1: my findings

by Lara Dunston

As the new travel product Offbeat Guides intrigued me and I’d been invited to try their beta, I decided to test them out with Dubai, a place few people know better than Terence and I. My shorthand notes based on the exercise: * After signing in, selecting destination & inputting travel details, site promises I’ll … Read more about Offbeat Guides part 1: my findings