The announcement follows the recent statement from the Rough Guides CEO that the brand plans to become a dynamic travel tech company whilst not losing sight of its core book business. Although Rough Guides has been producing eBooks for some time, this is the first time the eBooks have been provided with the printed books as a complete package. Previously, customers would have to choose if they wanted the print or digital version or buy both.
The free eBooks will be exactly the same as their printed counterparts but being provided as a package with the printed books means travellers have a wider choice when deciding how to consume Rough Guides content. Being able to also read the books on eBook readers, tablets, and phones means readers can read them in the dark without having to use a torch and don’t have to find space in their bags for physical books.
Agnieszka Mizak, managing director at Rough Guides says,
“With the free eBook download, our customers get the best of both worlds – they can use the printed book when they don’t want to carry around expensive tech (which can be an issue in some parts of the world) or worry about their device running out of charge. However, for those situations when digital format is easier, the customer can switch seamlessly between the two formats, making travelling easier.”
The first books to come with a downloadable eBook will be:
| The Rough Guide to Croatia |
| The Pocket Rough Guide to Rome |
| The Pocket Rough Guide to Barcelona |
| The Pocket Rough Guide to London |
| The Pocket Rough Guide to Las Vegas |
| The Rough Guide to Iceland |
| The Pocket Rough Guide to New York City |
| The Rough Guide Venice & Veneto |
These books will be published in April and May this year.
