Karl Baedeker 'father of modern tourism'. In 1846, Baedeker introduced his famous 'star' ratings (for sights, attractions and lodgings) in the third edition of his "Handbuch für Reisende durch Deutschland und den Oesterreichischen Kaiserstaat" - an idea based on the Murray guides star system. This edition was also his first 'experimental' red guide. He also decided to call his travel guides 'handbooks', following the example of John Murray III. Baedeker's early guides had tan covers, but from 1856 onwards, Murray's red bindings and gilt lettering became the familiar hallmark of all Baedeker guides as well, and the content became famous for its
Karl Baedeker gave the name of the publisher as K. BAEDEKER, the English page gave this uniquely as CHARLES BAEDEKER. Tourists in the area, and particularly those from England on their way to Switzerland, would pass through Koblenz and buy it at his bookshop. In the preface, he wrote that "he is at all times ready to afford any information to those travellers, who do him the honour to visit his establishment"." The manual turned out to be a resounding success and ran into many editions. The inclusion of Dutch material in the first edition, also unusual at the time and emphasised