Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story

The Lonely Planet Story

by Tony Wheeler, Maureen Wheeler

Founders of the phenomenally successful publishing company Lonely Planet, Tony and Maureen Wheeler have produced travel guides to just about every corner of the globe.

Lonely Planet Publications was born in 1973 when the Wheelers self-published a quirky travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. This was quickly followed by what soon became the backpackers' bible, South-East Asia on a Shoestring. Going boldly where no other travel publisher had ventured, they catered to a new generation of independent, budget-conscious travelers long before the advent of mass tourism.

Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story is a unique mix of autobiography, business history and travel book. It traces Tony and Maureen Wheeler's personal story as well as the often bumpy evolution of their travel guide business into the world's largest independent travel publishing company.

Not surprisingly, after thirty years in the business, the Wheelers have an unrivaled set of anecdotes which they share in Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story. They have been hassled by customs, cheated by accountants, let down by writers, banned in Malawi, berated for their Burma guide and had books pirated in Vietnam. Tony has been gored by a cow in Benares, declared dead around the world in an assortment of gruesome and greatly exaggerated accounts and their company has been accused of the "Lonely Planetization" of the world.

Through it all, from the heady days of discovery in the '70s to the rocky patch after the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Wheelers' passion for the planet and traveling hasn't diminished and comes shining through in this enthralling travelogue. But above all, their memoir reveals the spirit of adventure that has made them, according to the New York Daily News, "the specialists in guiding weird folks to weird places."

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir, Business, History, Biography

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was OK, but honestly I was expecting more. The entire book suffered from a lack of detail... the travel writing sections of the book were just lists of places with the (very) occasional funny anecdote, and were a chore to read, particularly the lengthy account of the authors' first overland Asia trip that begins the book. The parts of the book about the growth of Lonely Planet were more interesting, but ultimately not satisfying. These sections suffered from a similar lack of detail, and it seemed as though the authors were holding a lot back in the name of PR. There are far better books out there for people interested in travel writing and for people interested in business narratives.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was keen to read this book because I've used Lonely Planet guides on five continents and I think they represent a lot of the best things about travel--curiosity, independent spirit, and cultural context. The only "business" book I've read that was a page-turner, probably because the business aspect was intertwined with so much fascinating travel. The narrative ends with the Sept 11, 2001 effects on the travel industry--this was literally the week I started interning for a travel website as a college student--so there was a lot to remember and relate to.

[Uma C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big Lonely Planet guidebook fan. I had read about the founders' story on their website before and when I heard that they were producing a book with more details and about their adventures, I was excited to pick this up. I found this to be an enjoyable read with the story of how they first traveled across countries and how this company came to be. There were a few candid stories about the people that they met along the way, and the crazy adventures they experienced. The only thing I wish they had spent more time on was more details about their travels. In the latter part of the book, they just briefly mention the trips they took and while I know no one would want a book that was too long, it just seemed to be a bit of a let down. Overall though, an enjoyable read.

[Ming Suan Ong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into a company which was really the Bible when I was a younger backpacker. Things to take away from- despite what it looks like publishing is in the main a non profitable venture. The early books looked like the newsletters we used to cobble together at church youth group (glad I only used them when they were a lot more polished!) They were not the pioneers in guidebooks but became the most famous. I definitely remember seeing the pirates copies in Hanoi (but then I also saw lots of other pirated English books in Hanoi ). Maureen and Tony were English ! Only became Australian later. Though I am a rough guide gal in the main, (they do talk about them being one of their main competitors ) it was an interesting read about 2 people (mainly Tony maybe) who have travel in their blood.

[Jonathan Jasinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light on details regarding the actual places- it’s interesting enough to read how the company grew, but I wanted more details on the people, the highs and lows and everything. I appreciate how the authors covered their personal lives, how they feel it maybe affected their kids in good and bad ways, how they understand people who dislike their company (but then present solid arguments why they ain’t bad)- so there’s a lot of good stuff, but I wanted to hear more funny tales from the road itself! What were the people and wildlife like, favorite countries, cheapest, least favorite, so on and so forth- so for actual travel writing I’d give it a pass, but if you’re interested in business AND travel then this book might work for you.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Lonely Planet was interesting and the author's lives were fun to read about. I found their journey and travel stories really entertaining. I enjoyed learning about some different travel routes and styles and even about the process of making a guidebook. It's something I wasn't specifically curious about but when I read about the publishing process (especially before computers were around) I found myself really interested. There were a few sections that were too compressed- after all, he is trying to fit in 30+ years of stories into one book- and others I thought could have been cut completely. Overall, I would recommend the book, and I took a lot away from it.

[K. Lang-Slattery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kind of biography of the life and career of the originators of the Lonely Planet guide books. Very interesting for those who love to travel, especially to out of the way places. Even better, if you have used Lonely Planet guide books. I found the early chapters about the authors' first trip (an overland adventure from England to India and Australia in the 1970s) to be the most interesting. Also enjoyed the chapters toward the end about the details and problems of writing and publishing guide books.

[Andrew Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely Planet (LP) has been a constant travel companion through all my years of travel. One of my first purchases ahead of any journey is the relevant LP guide. The TV series also inspired a range of travel destinations for me. So the opportunity to read the story behind LP is too good to miss. Written by both Tony and Maureen Wheeler, reading this book gives you the story firsthand. It also helps you appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears behind the success! A great read for any Lonely Planet fan.

[Andreas Severinsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting book, which I really enjoyed reading. The perspectives on both traveling on a budget and trying to follow your dreams are great. The book is however not at all a page-turner. It repeats minor facts a dozen times and at times feels more like one long list than a book. If you are prepared to accept that the book is not very well written and you are curious about how the Lonely Planet founders found a way to live their dream then the book will still be well worth reading.

[Majo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buena idea pero mal ejecutada. El libro te da los hechos pero no hace reflexiones interesantes que te enganchen, me costó trabajo terminar el libro. Tal vez sea mejor esperar a que salga la película.

[Rebecca Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long. Sometimes feels like just listing facts and info rather than telling a story. But is still an interesting and engaging read overall. Do not need to read again.

[Sarah Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book and an inspirational story of how Lonely Planet started. The last few chapters tailed off a bit but overall a good read

[Nithila P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lonely planet travel guides were an eye opener for me, in the early 1990's.

[Mohamed Zaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful and informative book......

[Cesar Millán · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book if you are a backpacker, traveler or an entrepreneur. After this book I became a Lonely Planet fan!!!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by the founders of Lonely Planet. I am not a Lonely Planet fan by any means. In my whole "anti-popular" phase, which apparently I still have today for some things, if everyone has one thing, then I must, just for my own sanity, head the other direction. And for travel guide books, this is one of them. I have read too much on how Lonely Planet has westernized too much stuff and I am so blah on a lot of that. Not that I am any better. I still use books and my series of choice is Rough Guides, which isn't too far off from LP. So go figure. One thing, that they talked a lot about in this book and something apparently they take pride in are the maps, which is something I am kind of blah on anyway. I find their books concentrate too much on maps and on history, two things I can get when I arrive and have no use for lugging a big book around.

I did like reading about the history of the people though, how they ended up traveling overland from the UK and Australia and just settling down in Oz, because in the early 1970's, it was just that easy, especially if you were from the UK. How nuts to think about that today. In looking back, they were on the cutting edge of a lot of things, especially computers and stuff. They talked a lot about how the business grew for them personally and locally and not too much about their writers and the shit they deal with. They talked about pictures and royalties for writers from the books and how that's changed a lot. Since it's a couple that started the series, they chatted a little bit about their personal life, but not too much, but just the right amount on how it's impacted the business. This is not a full-on business book by any means, but interesting enough for a non-business person to enjoy. Since their first book was Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, and since they ended up being based in Australia, a lot of the book was about traveling in Asia which I have never been to and glossed over a lot of the locations there, since I couldn't relate. Interesting to hear about what they have started, sold off, bought into and the like in a variety of countries. No way could this company have been started by anyone but Europeans, especially UK'ers, with their reach into so many countries. All in all, a decent read for anyone interested in business and/or the travel industry.

[Amit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony and Maureen Wheeler talk about all the places they have visited so far, how they built Lonely Planet as a publishing house, and share their personal views on several topics.

The Wheelers' have travelled so widely that even the names of all the places they have been to can be tough to follow! They understandably have to rush through them. The most interesting part of the travel memoir section is the comparison between how the places were in the 70s/80s and how they are now, something the Wheelers' always point out.

Besides being a travel memoir, this is book about building a boot-strapped busines. The Wheeler's show that building a business is more than just pursuing your dreams, it is about keeping a tight leash on finances, building a good team, competing with similar and larger competitors, staying ahead on the technology curve and reacting to external changes. The chapter "All about guidebooks" is an interesting introduction to how guidebooks are produced - from writing them to getting them printed. As a business book, it is similar to the Starbucks story (Howard Schultz, "How Starbucks built a company..").

The book does not come together as a captivating story. In the first few chapters, the authors describe a chronological order, but that breas down in the later part of the book. Chapters like "All about guidebooks", though very interesting on their own, do break the flow of the story. In addition, there are topics that the authors pick up but do not do justice to (e.g. comparison with competitors is incomplete).

An interesting book overall about travel, how travel is changed over the last three decades, and the challenges of building a business even if it is your dream business

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not literary genius. It is, in many places, poorly written... with sudden changes in story line, inconsistencies and repetition. My biggest complaint is that I felt nothing was ever discussed in depth, it was very journal like details of a trip without a lot of storytelling.

But it is really *interesting*. Reading a book like this, about backpackers in the "early days" is, in itself, an incredible read. While I still love my own travel experiences, it was a completely different reality for these guys. Then you add in the story of how Lonely Planet became what it was (so, also appealing to my accountant side) and you have me flipping the pages as fast as I can. I also found it really interesting to see how they incorporated their children into travel from day 1. I wonder what I would be like if I'd had even 1/4 of the experiences as a child that their kids did.

It's a deceptively long book, in small crammed type, but worthwhile if you're a traveler. My wanderlust is raging.

[Travelling Cari]

I picked this up from the library last Sunday and it was this week's train book. A long-time user of Lonely Planet guidebooks, I enjoyed this look into the history of the country and the people behind it.

I like how they didn't dwell on all the details of their trips, but rather created an overview for the reader to follow. Through it all, both Wheelers remained 'normal people' something that isn't always easy to remember with famous people. The tales of Tony's deaths are amusing, although I'd assume they'd be harrowing to those who heard it. They had the luck of being in a lot of the right places at the right time, wonder where LP would be if they hadn't.

My interest petered out by the end, but I enjoyed the book.

More thoughts in my blog here:
http://www.travellingcari.com/2007/09...

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really interesting to learn about the Lonely Planet founders and to hear about the age in which they rose. It felt like such a different time, full of possibility, more commercial flights, the world opening up, and so much to be explored -- something I am incredibly jealous of as a millennial.

It was also incredibly interesting, personally, to read about the intersection between Anthropology and the Wheelers as they made their travels around the world. We live in such a "Lonely Planet" and yet there are all these random and inexplicable connections between us and others.

This book functions as a memoir but also as insight into the minds of the Wheelers and also as a book about growing your own business and scaling it to the global level. It shows us how different times were, how we need to adapt as we move forward, and shows us just how far we've come as a world.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting to learn about how a company like Lonely Planet got started and developed over the years. Wheeler writes in a casual style that works well. At times the book devolves into a list of places they visited and doesn't have the interesting travel stories you might wish for. But, it is a book about their company, not their travels and the listing of the itinerary doesn't bog the book down.

I've used Lonely Planet guides for years and it was certainly satisfying to learn that this was a company that came from a deep love of travel, not a business model. I especially liked their focus on places you wouldn't necessarily think of as travel destinations (like East Timor).

[Rogue Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel narratives are among my favorites and so I expected to enjoy Unlikely Destinations. It's Lonely Planet's back story, the story of a generation of travel, of hard work, incredible luck, and good judgement. From its first guidebook in 1973, Lonely Planet grew into a publishing powerhouse, capturing a world market in the genre. Somehow, Lonely Planet and Tony and Maureen Wheeler's writing make the world a smaller, more manageable place by bringing so many unusual places into focus. It's wonderful to know that Lonely Planet has survived, and prospered, though the Unlikely Destinations' (2005) ending is a bit ambiguous, somewhat anxious about the next technology shift.

--Ashland Mystery

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read. I enjoy travel and am familiar with the Lonely Planet brand so to hear the story of how it began and how it has evolved was fun for me. I do have to say that at times there is a lot of we were here then there then there and it is hard to keep things straight. The maps do help, but for as much as they talk about maps in the book, I would have liked more in this book! There is so much travel that is covered in the story that better images of where they were, the route they took, etc would be nice. The pictures are wonderful however, and really brought the story to life.
If you are interested in travel, entrepreneurship, branding, or even just enjoy a good story with some fun color, you will enjoy Unlikely Destinations!

[Kylie Bevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an occasional reader of business success stories, I thoroughly enjoyed Tony's (and occasionally Maureen) honest and insightful observations of their Lonely Planet Journey, from England to Australia in 1972, then almost every country in the world over the next three decades.

As someone who headed off to England for a one-year trip at the age of 17, and possibly 30 countries since, Lonely Planet guidebooks were always always always in my luggage - and one of the hardest things for me to declutter in subsequent years - such good memories within. Amazed to read of the range of countries and angles, including diving, cycling, rice, rickshaws, pictorial coffee books.

And given my current landlord in Tonga is one of those featured in the book, all the more personal.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

a great story, but i didn't love the way it was told...at times they are rushing through countries and destinations so quickly, you can't keep up, even as a reader. other parts that focus on the business were dry. Overall, I still enjoyed it. One thing that stood out: how much book publishing (and our lives have changed) with the computer/internet age. Imagine cutting and pasting maps and lines of text to create a book! the amount of sweat and effort that went into it was astounding. also, they do make me want to use their guidebooks for my next trip...i'm usually a Let's Go (high-end) and Frommers (low-end) gal.

[Jess Neuner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lonely Planet isn't usually my go-to series of travel guides and I have to be honest that I really only picked this book up because it was one of the few English offerings at the bookshop near my flat in Tokyo. However, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was part travel guide and part autobiography and part tale of how the company Lonely Planet got its start and grew to become one of the largest travel publishers in the world. There was an interesting mix of topics that all worked together well to tell the story of Lonely Planet without getting too bogged down in any one thing.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

These people loved to travel, and have traveled their entire lives, with and without their kids. This book is particularly interesting for the amount of travel and focus on Asia and the South Paciific - New Guinea, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and India. There are lots of recommendations on good stuff to see, particularly as I recall in Tibet and in Myanmar. For all the exotic travel, on their favorites list is the outback in Australia, which makes me curious to see it.

[Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book told a good story of how two hippy travelers turned their passion into a multimillion dollar company. At times it was far too detailed and was a bit boring. At other times it just seemed like a laundry list of places the wheelers have travelled. Still, I like the story of this narrative and found the mix of business, travel, and enterpenuership interesting enough to finish the book. 

It should have been shorter and more focused, but still interesting enough to read.

[Lorri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected this to be about all the interesting places the Wheelers had travelled to over the last 40 years. It wasn't. I wasn't particularly interested in how one couple took a great idea and created a big company.

Lonely Planet is a big enough name that people (including me) choose a book on the basis of the LP label. Some are great. Some are ok. Some are lousy. I'm glad I borrowed this one from the library.

[Jaynie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realy enjoyed the first half of this book. They tell the story of how the Lonely Planet began and about many of their amazing travels. The second half of the book was more about the business end of everything. It is interesting to see how successful they bacame after being so liberal in their ideas. It really goes to show that doing what you love the most can guide your life.