MELBOURNE, April 15 — After airlines, hotels and cruises, the world of travel publishing is also taking a hard hit from Covid-19.
According to the trade publication The Bookseller, Lonely Planet is looking at closing “almost entirely” its operations in London and Melbourne and shuttering its monthly Lonely Planet Magazine.
While they will continue to publish destination guidebooks, LP’s “inspirational” titles, which include children’s books and themed books, will also get the axe.
“Due to the impact of Covid-19 on demand and sales, Lonely Planet has made the difficult decision to reduce its publishing operations for the foreseeable future. Lonely Planet will continue to publish guidebooks and phrasebooks,” reads a statement from the company.
Lonely Planet was founded in 1973 by Australian couple Tony and Maureen Wheeler and went on to become one of the world’s leading travel media brands.
In 2007, the brand was sold to the BBC. It is now owned by American media company NC2 Media, based in Tennessee.
On March 12, LP CEO Luis Cabrera posted a message to readers about LP’s editorial pivot during the health pandemic.
“While we keep you informed, we also invite you to continue to dream about the wonders of the world and prepare to travel when the time is right. We are writing some great stories to keep you inspired and entertained while at home,” wrote LP CEO Luis Cabrera in a message to readers on March 12.
“I personally love our recent wildlife webcams article, spotting animals for a few minutes was a much-needed distraction and a good reminder of how wonderful nature can be. We look forward to helping you realise travel plans very soon, and we’ll continue working to be prepared for this point too.” — AFP-Relaxnews
