Lonely Planet Publications (usually known as Lonely Planet or LP for short), claims to be the largest
independently-owned travel guidebook publisher in the world. It is probably the
most popular series of travel books among backpackers and
other low-cost travelers, due to its history of serving this market.
History
Lonely Planet's first book, Across Asia on the Cheap, was written and published by Tony Wheeler and Maureen Wheeler in Sydney
in 1974. That book grew into South-East Asia on a shoestring, which remains one of the company's biggest sellers. The
company now publishes guidebooks to almost all countries, and many regions and cities within countries, along with other
travel-related products such as phrasebooks and hiking guides.
Lonely Planet's hugely successful first books catered to young people from Australasia 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 fast becoming something of a rite of passage for young travellers,
especially Australasians, who spent many months (or years) on the journey.
Tourist facilities were limited in most of the countries en route, and low-budget tourism was unheard of. This was the first
(relatively) large-scale influx of first-worlders who took local buses in Thailand, ate at street stalls in India, or stayed with
villagers in Afghanistan. The tips and hints provided by a Lonely Planet's guidebooks were seen as essential to avoid both
problems and physical danger.
This co-incidence of a new and rapidly growing market and a guidebook company apparently catering exclusively to the traveller
(the term backpacker developed later) community, meant that Lonely Planet's
readers developed a word-of-mouth affection for the company and its products. Reader feedback played an important part in keeping
the books updated.
As well as the good luck of being in on a new market (and arguably helping to create that market), Lonely Planet benefited
from Tony Wheeler's skills as a writer, publisher and - although this was not stressed to the readership - as a businessperson.
Tony and Maureen Wheeler still own majority shares in the company but no longer have hands-on roles.
Recent developments
The books' voice has changed over the years. The increasing professionalism of the management and the attempt to break into
the massive US market (relatively conservative and prone to litigation) have meant that the quirky, amateur (in the best sense)
tone of the books has diminished. For example, an early edition of Africa on a shoestring has the heading 'Drugs', which
includes information on purchasing drugs (mainly marijuana). This would not be permitted in a Lonely Planet guidebook these
days.
Lonely Planet's initial strength of owning a market has subsequently caused some problems. Even today many people equate
Lonely Planet with backpackers. The company would prefer that this was not so, and has been attempting to broaden its appeal for
many years. The 30th-anniversary relaunch of its various series was intended to make clearer the split between the
backpacker-only products and those (now the majority) aimed at more bourgeois travellers and tourists.
Like many companies, Lonely Planet has emphasized the web. In particular, its Thorn tree web forums have proven a popular place to trade tips and advice, contributing to the brand's
identity.
External links
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