|
|
|
|
Lonely Planet
|
| |
|
| |
Lonely Planet Publications (usually known as Lonely Planet or LP) is one of the largest travel guidebook publishers in the world. It was the first popular series of travel books aimed at backpackers and other low-cost travellers. As of 2008, it published about 500 titles in 8 languages, with annual sales of more than six million guidebooks, as well as TV programs, podcasts and websites.
Lonely Planet has a television production company, which has produced four series: Lonely Planet Six Degrees, The Sport Traveller, Going Bush and Vintage New Zealand.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Lonely Planet' Start a new discussion about 'Lonely Planet' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Lonely Planet Publications (usually known as Lonely Planet or LP) is one of the largest travel guidebook publishers in the world. It was the first popular series of travel books aimed at backpackers and other low-cost travellers. As of 2008, it published about 500 titles in 8 languages, with annual sales of more than six million guidebooks, as well as TV programs, podcasts and websites.
Lonely Planet has a television production company, which has produced four series: Lonely Planet Six Degrees, The Sport Traveller, Going Bush and Vintage New Zealand. Another, Bluelist Australia, is forthcoming. Lonely Planet is headquartered in Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, with affiliate offices in London and Oakland, California.
Since 2007, the company has been controlled by BBC Worldwide, which owns a 75% share, while founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler own the remaining 25%.
The company name comes from a misheard line in "Space Captain," a song by Joe Cocker and Leon Russell. The actual words are "lovely planet" but Tony Wheeler heard "lonely planet" and liked it.
History
The Wheelers' first journey and publications
Lonely Planet's first book, Across Asia on the Cheap, was written and published by Englishman Tony Wheeler, a former engineer at Chrysler Corp and the University of Warwick and London Business School graduate, and his wife Maureen Wheeler in Sydney in 1973, following a lengthy trip from Turkey, through Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to India or Nepal. The popularity of the overland route declined when Iran's borders closed in 1979. Written with strong opinions, it sold well enough in Australia that it allowed the couple to expand it into South-East Asia on a Shoestring (nicknamed the 'Yellow Bible'), which remains one of the company's biggest sellers.
Lonely Planet's first books catered to young people from Australia and Europe (mainly the UK) undertaking the overland hippie trail between Australia and Europe, via South-East Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. This was becoming something of a rite of passage for young travellers, especially Australians and New Zealanders, who spent months (or years) on the journey.
Tourist facilities were limited in most of the countries en route, and low-budget tourism was rare.
Expansion
The guidebook series expanded initially in Asia, with the India guidebook, first published in 1981. In the 1990s the company expanded into Europe and North America. The company currently publishes about 500 titles. In addition to books on most countries in the world, it publishes a range of specialised thematic guidebooks.
Over the years its target audience has expanded from budget-conscious backpackers to include more mainstream and affluent travellers.
2007 purchase by BBC Worldwide
On 1 October 2007, a 75% stake in the company was purchased by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, with the Wheelers retaining the other 25%. The Wheelers announced that this was so they could spend more time travelling.
Internet presence
Lonely Planet's online community, the Thorn Tree is used by over half a million travellers for trade tips and advice. The Lonely Planet website was upgraded in 2008; new features include the ability to rate and review sites and restaurants, save them to a favourites list as well as a Trip Planner tool. The company is developing mobile websites and iPhone products.
2006 climate change campaign
In 2006, Tony Wheeler launched a joint awareness campaign with Mark Ellingham (founder of Rough Guides, another established travel publisher) on the impact of commercial aviation on climate change. The two companies urged their readers to "Fly less, stay longer" wherever possible.
Official history book
The founders, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, have written a book titled Once While Travelling: The Lonely Planet Story (known as Unlikely destinations: The Lonely Planet story in North America) telling how they met and married, how they travelled from London to Australia overland and how Lonely Planet was formed.
Controversies
Early publications with hand-drawn maps and strong personal opinions
Other quirks included apparently hand-drawn maps and strong opinions (one book called the apartheid government in South Africa 'cretins' and 'narrow-minded psychotics'). The maps are now more professionally drawn. Some strong opinions remain - for example, in the 2003 edition of its guide of Brazil, São Paulo, one of the largest cities in the world, is served by only a few pages and heavily criticized as if it were not worth visiting.
Banana Pancake Trail
A mention in a Lonely Planet guidebook can draw large numbers of travellers, which invariably brings change to places mentioned. For example, Lonely Planet has been blamed for the rise of the what is sometimes referred to as 'the Banana Pancake Trail' in South East Asia. Critics argue that this has led to the destruction of local culture and disturbance of once quiet sites. Lonely Planet's view is that it encourages responsible travel, and that its job is to inform people, and that it is up to guidebook users to make their informed choice.
Myanmar (Burma) guidebook and boycott calls
The publication of its guidebook to Myanmar (Burma) is seen by some as an encouragement to visit that country, which theoretically supports its current military regime, against the wishes of the democratic opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and led to calls for a boycott of the company. Lonely Planet's view is that it highlights the issues surrounding a visit to the country, and that it wants to make sure that readers make an informed decision.
2008 Thomas Kohnstamm's memoir on his experience writing the Brazil guidebook
In April 2008, American writer Thomas Kohnstamm published the memoir Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?, which touched on his experience writing a guidebook for Lonely Planet in Brazil. Pre-publication speculation about the book's content kicked off a global media controversy, but both Thomas Kohnstamm and Lonely Planet discredited the controversy as being based on incorrect information. After a review of Kohnstamm's guidebooks, publisher Piers Pickard agreed that no inaccuracies had been found.
See also
- Globe Trekker – television series (also known as Pilot Guides) inspired by and originally broadcast under the name Lonely Planet
External links
-
- from The New Yorker magazine (April 2005)
- : a copy/paste/distribute art project that criticises Lonely Planet
- , Tony Wheeler's interview with Venkatesan Vembu, Daily News & Analysis
-
-
|
| |
|
|
