Human Touch Over Algorithms: Why the 2026 Travel-Book Market Is Turning to Curated Quality

Anyone planning a trip today is confronted with an overwhelming torrent of digital information. Apps, blogs and, increasingly, artificial intelligence promise the “perfect” itinerary within seconds. So does the classic guidebook still have a place? The industry’s answer is unequivocal: yes, but its role is evolving. At the awards ceremony on 7 November 2025 during the “Wunderwelt Festival” in Friedrichshafen, where the ITBA took place for the first time, it became evident that quality, physicality and a clear editorial stance are the currency of the future.

The Human Factor: What AI Can’t Do

A central issue shaping the discussion both during and beyond the event is the distinction between human expertise and artificial intelligence. While algorithms excel at aggregating data, they often lack a sense for the exceptional. A look at the major publishing houses confirms that this remains one of their strongest assets. Christine Brisch, Head of the Business Unit at MairDumont overseeing DUMONT Reise, Baedeker, Marco Polo and Lonely Planet, frames it succinctly: “The answers AI delivers are only ever as good as the prompt you give it.” Digital media may supply direct responses to targeted searches, but for her the conclusion is clear: “Inspiration and surprise? Missing in action.”

It is precisely here that publishers come into their own. Hermann Gummerer, co-founder and publisher of Folio Verlag, honoured at the ITBA for its authentic “Oh!” series, even sees opportunity in the AI surge. “With AI-generated travel tips, I always wonder to what extent they’re implicitly driven by vested interests,” he says. He also finds their often “pseudo-objective, matter-of-fact tone” profoundly dull. Publishers’ response is “curated quality”. The term describes, in Gummerer’s words, “a considered, values-driven selection made by people for people, grounded in fairness, respect, sustainability and a democratic outlook.”

From Children’s Rooms to Coffee Tables: Books as Lifestyle Objects

Current market trends, also observed by Brisch, make it clear that printed books are far more than informational tools. They offer a tactile counterbalance to an over-digitalised world. “Children’s and young adult books have been among the most stable, even growing, categories for years, with demand remaining strong precisely because they offer an antidote to digital media,” she notes. The success of Lonely Planet’s “City Guide for Kids”, which won in the “Travelling with Children” category, shows that the next generation also appreciates the pleasure of turning real pages.

In the adult segment too, high-quality books are becoming lifestyle objects, though Brisch emphasises that the market is nuanced: “There’s everything from functional illustrated books combining high-quality, inspiring photography with practical information, to lavish coffee-table volumes.” The latter often serve as “living-room statements”. A standout among this year’s winners is Der Globenmacher by Peter Bellerby (Knesebeck Verlag), a celebration of traditional craftsmanship.

A New Consciousness for Travel: Depth Over Speed

Editorially, the ITBA reflected a clear shift in travel habits, away from quick consumption towards understanding and sustainability. “Our readers want a deeper sense of the people and places they encounter,” observes Gummerer. Travellers are stepping “aside in space and time”, favouring “the ordinary, un-hyped hinterland” instead of saturated hotspots.

This move towards slower, more responsible travel also emerged in the awards for practical guides. Rother Verlag won one of the coveted prizes for Wandern mit Öffis – Wiener Hausberge, signalling that climate-friendly travel has long since ceased to be niche and is now a central priority for modern travellers.

The 2025 ITBA showed that, despite the noise of fast, forgettable data, curated print is rising again, delivering the kind of insight and surprise no AI can match, and a physical experience that endures.