Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is a well-known publisher of travel guidebooks. Established in Australia in 1973, the company has sold more than 150 million books to date. It was started by Maureen and Tony Wheeler, a couple who set off on an adventurous journey from Europe to Asia and finally to Australia in 1972, retracing the path taken by the Oxford and Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition. The name "Lonely Planet" comes from a misinterpretation of the phrase "lovely planet" found in a song by Matthew Moore. Their very first book, titled Across Asia on the Cheap, was a 94-page guide created by the Wheelers in their home. The initial print run in 1973 featured simple stapled booklets with light blue cardboard covers. Tony Wheeler later returned to Asia to expand on their first book, leading to the release of Across Asia on the Cheap: A Complete Guide to Making the Overland Trip in 1975.

International, Consumer
English
Online/Digital

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority
91
Ranking

Global

#17322

United States

#9360

Travel and Tourism/Travel and Tourism

#85

Traffic sources
Monthly visitors

Articles

  • 1 week ago | lonelyplanet.com | Ann Douglas Lott

    Call this native southerner biased, but US beaches truly don't get any more sugar-white than on the Gulf Coast. The emerald waters are always warm (even into the fall), and they're backed by adorable beach towns painted in pretty pastel colorways. I'm recently back from a trip to Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Florida and can still smell the salty sea breeze, which has rekindled memories of childhood vacations spent along this crystal-clear coastline.

  • 1 week ago | lonelyplanet.com

    Lonely Planet's Ultimate Guide to Summer features the best beaches, outdoors, food and more. Get expert tips and travel hacks. Subscribe for more!

  • 1 week ago | lonelyplanet.com | Kathryn Wortley

    More people are expected to travel by air in 2025 than ever before, with 5.2 billion passengers forecast to take at least one flight between January and December, a 6.7% increase year-over-year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). And there is no sign of any slowdown. Since global air traffic rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, travelers are increasingly eager to take trips by air.

  • 1 week ago | lonelyplanet.com | Kate Armstrong

    Many first timers to Greece, enticed by the beaches and sun dash to a Greek island or two. But for authentic Greek culture, the Peloponnese, the mainland region that hangs like an upside down hand, is legendary. (And, if you are seeking myths, many a Greek God was “born” here, too.)For the traveler, the region’s valleys of olive and citrus groves, forested mountains and coastal stretches rival any isle.

  • 1 week ago | lonelyplanet.com | Kerry Walker

    Sidestep the southern coast's resorts and Zakynthos (sometimes called Zante) just might turn out to be the escape of your wildest Greek island dreams. It has a reputation as a party island, but that atmosphere is mostly contained to the south.