By investing without looking at the financial statements this is exactly what you are doing. At the same time, travel guides and financial statements are both historical representations. A company's earnings aren't guaranteed to continue, and the quality of a resort can go downhill. Just as a resort can make itself seem great with a full color glossy brochure, a company can distort its financial results. Finally, while travel guides are good, they only tell us so much.
Nothing replaces actually going to the destination and exploring firsthand.
This is why we need the right mindset with financial statements. As with travel brochures, they are good, but only to a certain point. We want a good appearance when looking for at a travel destination. This usually entails finding a place with a warm climate, nice beaches, good restaurants and shopping, etc. This is where the statements come in, they can give us the information to determine if the appearance is ok.