Maureen Wheeler Reflects on the Revolution of Lonely Planet Guidebooks
Belfast-born Maureen Wheeler and her husband Tony changed the face of independent travel with their iconic Lonely Planet guidebooks. As the first guidebook approaches its 50th anniversary, Maureen looks back on their adventures and the impact of technology on the travel industry.
When friends would ask Maureen and Tony for travel advice, their response was simple: write their own guide. And that’s exactly what they did. Their guidebook, “Across Asia on the Cheap,” marked the birth of the Lonely Planet series. The couple handled everything from typesetting and selling to promoting and distributing their books.
Fast forward to today, and their publishing organization boasts over 500 staff members and 300 authors. “It was a great time in my life,” Maureen reminisces. “Of course, there were challenges while building the business. There were times when we worried if it would succeed. But I don’t regret a single day of it. It truly was the best time of my life.”
Maureen left Belfast at the age of 20 but still has strong ties to the city, with three of her best friends and her brother residing there. Reflecting on the transformation of travel due to technology, she acknowledges the benefits of online trip planning but maintains a fondness for the serendipity of guidebooks.
While online platforms allow for easy bookings and research, guidebooks offer a different kind of exploration. Languidly flipping through a book while sitting by a historical site in South America reveals the hidden stories and quirks of a place. Maureen explains, “You can discover the reasons behind street names and the history of sites. It’s a more random experience compared to the precision of online searches.”
Furthermore, guidebooks allow travelers to jot down their own notes, giving them a personal touch and creating a sentimental connection. Lonely Planet enthusiasts often treasure their books, adorned with scribbles and memories of their travels.
Maureen does recognize the convenience of the internet but insists she will never travel without a book. “Maybe it’s because of my age,” she muses. “I still find books lovely. While I do use the internet, there’s something irreplaceable about carrying a guidebook with you.”
When asked about her travel pet peeve, Maureen expresses frustration with people who spend incredible moments glued to their phones instead of being present in a beautiful place. She believes in fully immersing oneself in the surroundings and cherishing the experience.
Looking back on her adventures with Tony, Maureen is astounded by how far they traveled with limited funds. From minivan journeys across Europe and Asia to backpacking through Kabul, they relied on fellow travelers for information. “Back then, our only source of knowledge came from other travelers,” she recalls. “We all relied on each other and shared tips and stories.”
The couple’s spirit of adventure still captivates Maureen, and she is delighted to see young people embarking on similar journeys. However, her main motivation remains ensuring that travel is accessible to all, regardless of wealth. She cites Bhutan as an example of a destination that limits tourists to only the wealthiest visitors, hindering opportunities for cultural exchange and broader interactions.
Starting with a typewriter and a hobby, Maureen and Tony created what would become a highly influential travel series. Maureen fondly remembers the early days of manually assembling the first guidebook, stapling the pages together with the help of a foot pedal-operated stapler. The 96-page brochure has blossomed into the now massive Lonely Planet guides that captivate readers with their wealth of information.
When asked about their success, Maureen attributes it to the timeliness of their idea. “It was an idea that resonated with people,” she says. “Sometimes, there’s an idea floating in the air, and if you’re lucky enough to catch it at the right time, it becomes something magical.”
As Maureen continues to reminisce about their journey, it’s evident that the thrill of discovery and the desire to make travel accessible to all are still at the heart of Lonely Planet’s enduring legacy.
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