Travel Writer Profile – Lonely Planet
If you’ve travelled anywhere in the world, the chances are that you’ve used a Lonely Planet guide. The largest travel guide book company in the world, Lonely Planet publishes around 500 titles in eight languages, and sells up to six million guidebooks a year. So what’s the history behind this iconic brand?
The first in the Lonely Planet series was Across Asia on the Cheap, written and published in Sydney in 1973 by Tony Wheeler, a London Business School graduate, and his wife Maureen. They wrote the guide after a long trip through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and India. The book was well-written, informative and opinionated, which attracted a huge following. It sold enough copies in Australia to allow the Wheelers to expand it into South-East Asia on a Shoestring. This soon became a bible for travellers in that part of the world, and is still a popular title.
Lonely Planet’s early books were aimed at young people from Australia and Europe treading the hippie trail through South-East Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. The series grew along with the developing gap year market, and popularity was spread via word of mouth.
Over the years Lonely Planet’s clientele has expanded from just backpackers to older, more affluent travellers. In September 2007 the company was purchased by BBC Worldwide, with the Wheelers keeping a 25% stake in the company.
When asked about the name of the company, Tony explains that it comes from a misheard line in the Joe Cocker song ‘Space Captain’. The lyric is actually ‘lovely planet’, but Tony thought it was ‘lonely planet’ and loved it.
Despite great success, Lonely Planet hasn’t been without controversy. Many people blame the books for an influx of tourists to remote areas which leads to disturbance and destruction of local culture. However, Lonely Planet counters this by saying that it’s up to travellers themselves how they conduct themselves.
Earlier this year, Lonely Planet was involved in scandal once again when writer Thomas Kohnstamm admitted that he made up large sections of his books. He contributed to a guide to Colombia without even visiting the country. However, after a review of Kohnstamm’s books, publisher Piers Pickard found no inaccuracies.
Controversy aside, Lonely Planet remains a firm favourite for travelling folk looking for a guide. Pack one in your suitcase next time you fly.
Find cheap flights to world destinations at FlightComparison.co.uk.