I've always had a soft spot – and a need – for the good old tourist information centre (TIC). Once I reach the desk, the questions pour out.
Where’s a good place to eat? Is there a vegetarian restaurant? Do you have a map of the town? What street is the museum in?
I leave contented, and armed with a town trail, a fistful of leaflets, a book or two, and a plan of campaign for the day.
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Much as we try to plan our days out, spending hours on the web in advance seems a trifle obsessive, and certainly lacking in spontaneity.
I imagine there are plenty of others who feel the same.
Best of all, the person behind the desk in the TIC seems genuinely pleased to see us.
She may be the only stranger in the town we get to speak to that day, and helpfulness leaves a good impression.
Absolutely marvellous, then, that Birmingham has decided to close both of its information centres.
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The city that is desperate to increase visitor foot-fall, and to welcome the casual tourist into its warm embrace, is throwing them all on the mercy of its online information. Bear in mind that you can’t smile on a website.
To be fair, Birmingham never seems to have been comfortable having such a centre in the first place, and has shifted it about relentlessly.
When I first moved here, I think it was in Union Passage, then it was in Victoria Square, then in the Central Library, and finally in New Street.
And each time it moved, the place got smaller.
Of course, this is all part of a wider trend of cuts, and TIC closures constitute an easy option once the salami is on the table.
Some centres have gone, and some are now run by unpaid volunteers.
On the other hand, there are also centres which have expanded to sell local produce, act as a neighbourhood office or consumer advice bureau, offer accommodation packages, and even include a museum or gallery inside.
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Ah, but maintaining a website is so much less trouble.
* Dr Chris Upton is looking for directions at Newman University Birmingham