What’S The Affair Alongside Lonely Planet?
Updated: 1/19/2019
When I decided to quit my chore in addition to move the world, I walked into a bookstore in addition to bought Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia on a Shoestring. I was inwards Thailand in addition to was eager to teach started. Buying that guidebook made my impulsive determination seem real. Thumbing through its pages on my flying home, I was hooked. I loved its emphasis on budget move in addition to backpacking, the offbeat destinations, in addition to its quirky in addition to funny writing. As I planned my trip, LP’s “shoestring” guides were stacked high on my desk — in addition to I became a permanent client of Lonely Planet guides. Their personality matched mine in addition to I was hooked.
Dubbed “the backpacker’s blueish bible,” Lonely Planet’s guidebooks focused on unique destinations in addition to budget travel, which made them a staple of travelers worldwide. For goodness or ill, Lonely Planet oft made destinations, hostels, in addition to restaurants.
Sure, its guides became synonymous amongst majority tourism, but for me, they were a dandy resources to pollex over piece on a jitney or train, or inwards a hostel. I navigated amongst LP maps in addition to used LP guides for basic activity information in addition to to figure out transportation.
But, lately, their character seems to receive got gone downward a lot. The final pair of times I’ve used their website in addition to guides ended inwards frustration in addition to disappointment in addition to made me inquire myself:
“What the heck is the affair amongst Lonely Planet?”
Is Lonely Planet withal fifty-fifty goodness or relevant?
While it’s withal the largest guidebook fellowship inwards the basis amongst 25% of the market, it’s fallen from its perch equally “the bible” for budget travelers. After beingness sold to BBC inwards 2007 in addition to and thus sold 1 time to a greater extent than to a reclusive billionaire named Brad Kelley inwards 2013, Lonely Planet is a shell of what it used to be. Kelley hired a 25-year-old lensman named Daniel Houghton, who came on board in addition to “invested heavily inwards a digital revamp in addition to set off nearly one-fifth of the workforce.”
To farther quote that Outside article, “I [the author] inquire what the marketplace query says close all that. ‘I didn’t truly await at it,’ [Houghton] says, lowering his vox conspiratorially. ‘I don’t truly become amongst marketplace research. I kinda become amongst my gut.’”
And that’s where much of the blame lies.
What the marketplace really says
As I sat downward to write this article, I asked readers on social media what they idea of Lonely Planet. While most people withal used Lonely Planet (and guidebooks inwards general) for preplanning, they reiterated what I kept hearing on the road: the books seem to teach to a greater extent than out of date, the writing has lost its edge, the guides receive got gotten to a greater extent than upscale in addition to less close offbeat in addition to budget destinations, the website is hard to use, in addition to blogs are oft better. Here’s to a greater extent than or less examples of mutual responses (click hither to see them all):
Over the years, travelers I’ve met inwards mortal receive got echoed the same complaint: that LP’s exceptional je ne sais quoi is long gone. In fact, I’ve had to a greater extent than or less goodness bonding sessions over the topic!
Clearly, the marketplace has a dissimilar persuasion close the guides than management. Travelers, piece withal using the guide, don’t similar it equally much. I withal see people using guidebooks on the route thus the employment isn’t that people don’t purpose guidebooks.
The employment is Lonely Planet itself.
Last year, the CEO was interviewed inwards Amuse in addition to talked close how he was making LP an uncurated (my word) move content company: “We’ve never looked at Lonely Planet exactly equally a volume company, or a guidebook publisher — inwards fact my showtime interaction amongst Lonely Planet truly was on our website, belike when I was inwards college — we’ve ever looked at it equally a content company.”
But guidebooks are non content companies, they are curated resources from experts. We purchase them because nosotros don’t wishing a TripAdvisor or a generic source of information — nosotros wishing someone who has been in that location in addition to done that to aid us practise the same. Whether app, e-book, or paperback, consumers wishing a trusted source of information. We wishing someone to cutting through the noise for us. If LP is exactly to a greater extent than or less other generic content fellowship that lists everything in addition to exists to generate advertizing revenue, in addition to thus what makes them unique? Are they exactly a bigger version Condé Nast Traveler or Afar?
It’s truthful Lonely Planet had problems long earlier the electrical flow management. Tony in addition to Maureen Wheeler, the company’s founders, volition last to the showtime to order y'all they failed inwards the digital space. This is component division of the argue they sold LP to the BBC. The BBC inwards plow exactly didn’t practise much amongst the fellowship in addition to allow Thorn Tree — LP’s forum in addition to the best component division of the site — struggle, equally in that location were many mishaps in addition to closings, equally good equally pathetic management.
Yet that was inwards 2013. The electrical flow problems are owned yesteryear the electrical flow management. Their wishing to plow Lonely Planet into a content fellowship is a terrible determination that is out of touching on amongst what travelers want.
A rapid turn down inwards quality
The determination to ignore marketplace query in addition to become amongst their gut explains much of the turn down in addition to why the books are a shell of what they used to be. When the fellowship was final bought, most of the onetime execs were fired, bought out, or driven out. In their identify was installed a management squad amongst footling noesis of the manufacture they were forthwith in.
Multiple sources reached out to me for this article to pull their experiences amongst Lonely Planet since the buyout. Authors complained close LP’s lack of communication, respect, in addition to input, in addition to close policy changes that communicated to their contributing experts “please become away.”
It’s something I’ve been hearing for years from my LP friends. (When you’re a move writer, many of your travel-writing friends volition last LP writers.)
I’ve long heard rumors in addition to whispers close LP’s recycled content in addition to desk updates (i.e., information written inwards the office, non from query at the destination), in addition to that seemed to last corroborated yesteryear electrical flow employees. Often, I’ve heard, Lonely Planet contributors are told to purpose Google in addition to TripAdvisor to create content.
LP has this giant content management system, where the author submits their query and, from that, they construct the guidebook. But I’ve been told that now, later writers movement into information into the database, to a greater extent than or less other mortal — who may receive got no noesis of the finish — comes along in addition to assembles a book. So, inwards the end, y'all teach this disorganized — in addition to oft incorrect — book.
Because of these changes, writers seem to receive got developed a disdain for the fellowship in addition to simply deliver what’s “just goodness enough.” They aren’t paid a lot, function nether tighter in addition to tighter deadlines, in addition to don’t experience component division of the fellowship anymore.
How much of this is “sour grapes,” I don’t know, but I’ve heard this electrical load for plenty years yesteryear plenty sources that I believe it. I don’t blame the writers. I’ve seen my friends on assignment. They receive got a lot to practise in addition to footling fourth dimension to practise it inwards – plus, the pay is terrible. So, it’s no surprise that if y'all process the content creators poorly, you’re going to teach pathetic content.
I – in addition to many others – see that reflected inwards the character of the guides.
A terrible website
And this turn down tin lavatory last real clearly seen on the LP website. After Houghton showtime took over, the website looked similar this:
I mean, what is this? It’s a bunch of squares (for ants!*). Who idea this was good? It would accept me ages to notice the foursquare I needed. Often I gave upward in addition to simply constitute a weblog instead.
Now, piece I similar many things close the new Lonely Planet website — the larger pictures in addition to bigger font — the content sections are hard to follow, in addition to navigating the website is exactly equally hard equally ever. I was trying to notice information when I was inwards Lyon late — in addition to it was exactly scrolling in addition to scrolling in addition to scrolling. Why? They listing similar every place inwards the metropolis – every church, attraction, park, or restaurant. (They practise it for all their destinations.) I don’t want every restaurant or attraction — I wishing guidebooks in addition to experts to give me the best. Distill the information downward for me! If I wanted an endless list, I’d become to TripAdvisor or Yelp!
Plus, the information is thus hard to notice now. Here’s an trial of LP’s California page inwards 2010 in addition to now:
2010:
Now:
(Well, the page is thus long in addition to empty that I can’t accept an accurate screenshot thus here’s a link to see for yourself.)
In the onetime version, all the essential information is on the page (and if y'all become to the link for the page, you’ll see that essential information is exactly below the fold). It was slowly to teach to where y'all wanted to go, in that location were no endless lists, in addition to they gave y'all the facts y'all needed. It had what y'all wanted. In the novel version, y'all scroll, scroll, in addition to driblet dead on scrolling. There’s a lot of space, non a lot of curated information, in addition to it’s truly hard to notice what y'all are looking for.
It’s non exactly the California page. One exactly has to become to Paris to notice that Lonely Planet’s “top list” is never-ending. And the descriptions of attractions, restaurants, in addition to bars are fifty-fifty less useful than what Google or Yelp offers. Here’s a description of the Prescription Cocktail Club inwards Paris (one of my favorites):
With bowler in addition to flat-top hats equally lampshades in addition to a 1930s speakeasy New York air to the place, this cocktail guild — run yesteryear the same mega-successful squad equally Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) — is real Parisian-cool. Getting yesteryear the doorman tin lavatory last tough, but 1 time in, it’s friendliness in addition to old-fashioned cocktails all round.
That basic information doesn’t truly order me much close the décor, ambiance, or incredible drinks: the cucumber H2O y'all teach when y'all sit down down, exposed brick walls in addition to nighttime forest bar, the jazz music, or the inventive cocktails. (Also, there’s no doorman. That’s simply wrong.) I’d accept a Yelp review over the higher upward whatever day.
When I was searching for things to practise inwards Lyon, it was thus hard to notice basic information (again, it’s exactly endless lists) in addition to suggestions that I exactly gave upward in addition to consulted Yelp in addition to blogs. These sites were amend organized, gave me a curated listing of places, in addition to provided to a greater extent than detailed descriptions.
So what is the affair amongst Lonely Planet?
LP’s wishing to last a “content company” is clear: the increased articles on the site that seem to be to solely drive page views, the sponsored content from the places (and companies) it reviews, the funneling of people from content to booking sites, the TripAdvisor–style listing of everything (more page views), in addition to the plethora of ads that forthwith litter the site. Additionally, the heavy emphasis on selling tours to destinations seems to become against the grain of independent move that the fellowship was founded on. You tin lavatory order the fellowship has changed simply yesteryear what they focus their online content on.
We consumers become to move blogs in addition to guidebook companies because nosotros wishing an goodness to order them what’s best. We wishing someone to distill it all downward for them thus nosotros don’t receive got to practise the work. It’s why nosotros behaviour LP guides in addition to non Condé Nast Traveler or Outside magazines on the road. Those are dandy for inspiration, but non on-the-ground information.
By losing that focus, trying (in my opinion) to appeal to everyone, in addition to attempting to compete amongst sites similar TripAdvisor (and fifty-fifty blogs to an extent), LP has lost what made it great.
I believe companies are amend off when they receive got one thing they focus on. Andrew Carnegie 1 time said, “ ‘Don’t set all your eggs inwards 1 basket’ is all wrong. I order you, ‘Put all your eggs inwards 1 basket, in addition to and thus spotter that basket.’ ”
Lonely Planet should last a guidebook company. Being a guidebook fellowship doesn’t hateful y'all receive got to focus on physical books, but it agency y'all focus on your 1 thing. Its shift from its singular mission to becoming a “digital content hub” agency that it’s no longer unique — in addition to when y'all are no longer unique, consumers receive got no argue to remain loyal. As Simon Sinek 1 time said, “People don’t purchase what y'all do, they purchase why y'all practise it.”
You used to know what the Lonely Planet construct meant in addition to what they stood for. Now, I don’t know what the fellowship stands for.
LP withal is manly mortal monarch because of its sheer size. It is the Microsoft of guidebook companies. Not 1 mortal I talked to had whatever loyalty to the construct anymore. They oft bought the guides simply because in that location was no 1 else selling 1 to their destination.
I’ve been a loyal LP client since 2005. Their guidebooks are all over this website. I withal purchase them. They are oft the solely game inwards town to where I wishing to go. But, lately, I’m non thus certain close them anymore. I haven’t given upward on them – but I’m getting closer to doing so. It’s hard to spotter them morph into something so….forgettable.
So what’s the affair amongst Lonely Planet?
In short, exactly close everything.
* Zoolander reference: “What is this? H5N1 amount for ants!” Ahhh, never gets old!
Update 1/19: Houghton left Lonely Planet inwards belatedly 2018. Hopefully, this volition eventually Pb to the fellowship getting dorsum to its roots.
Sumber https://www.nomadicmatt.com
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