EMEA News & Releases July 2009

>> New Global Online Director: Kelly Brough joins Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet announces Kelly Brough as its new Global Online Director.

Reporting to Matt Goldberg, Lonely Planet’s CEO, Brough joined the company in London and will relocate to Lonely Planet’s head office in Melbourne later this month. Brough is responsible for leading Lonely Planet’s online business which includes developing the strategy and delivering a proposition that supports and enhances the company’s aim to become the world’s leading travel media organisation. Accelerating the digital and online strategies will be core to that proposition.

Contact:   angela.wilkinson@lonelyplanet.co.uk   

>> G’Day UK 2009: Share your experiences and win a trip to Australia

Lonely Planet is asking travellers to help us find the greatest Australian experiences, with a two week holiday Down Under up for grabs. As part of G’day UK 2009 a celebration of all things Australian, Tourism Australia and Qantas are offering this holiday for one winner and a friend.

Lonely Planet has selected nine great Australian experiences, from swimming with whale sharks to taking a winery tour by bicycle, the tenth spot will be filled with a fantastic tip from a traveller, whether it’s something that they have dreamt of doing or an incredible experience that they would love to repeat. Entrants can submit their experience at www.lonelyplanet.com/gdayuk where they can vote the suggestions from fellow travellers up or down.

Travellers can also put their questions about Australia to two of Lonely Planet’s expert authors, Charles Rawlings-Way and Meg Worby, on the dedicated Twitter page, “gdaylp”. The authors will be sharing their insider knowledge about the land Down Under on Twitter until the end of July.

Lonely Planet’s Top Ten Australian Experiences: www.lonelyplanet.com/gdayuk

Ask Lonely Planet authors for their insider tips on Australia: http://twitter.com/gdayLP

For further information on G’day UK see: www.gday-uk.co.uk   

Contact:   heather.carswell@lonelyplanet.co.uk

>> Travel with Children NEW!

Lonely Planet has assembled a global team of parent-authors to offer their best ideas and advice about every aspect of travelling with kids, from planning to packing to getting along on the road (and what to do when things go wrong), in the new edition of Travel with Children, published this July, priced £12.99.

The full-colour guide offers practical advice and inspirational ideas on where to go and what to do when you’re there, from swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura, New Zealand to visiting Legoland in Denmark. Review copies, extracts and a large selection of images from the book are available.

Contact:  heather.carswell@lonelyplanet.co.uk

>> Lonely Planet Cycling Guides are back!

Slow travel is a serious trend. Wanting to connect more deeply with people and places they visit, travellers often find cycling a perfect fit with their European holiday. And really, there is no better way to see the European countryside than by the seat of a bicycle.

Lonely Planet’s out-of-print cycling guides were selling online for upwards of $125 and clearly reaching icon status. Thus, we introduce three new cycling guides to Europe: Cycling Britain, Cycling Italy and Cycling France priced £15.99 all out this summer! And stay tuned for Cycling New Zealand and Cycling Australia, which will be published in September.

Contact:  louise.macdonald@lonelyplanet.co.uk     

>> Also out in July

- CHICAGO ENCOUNTER                   New title             £7.99

- PUERTO VALLARTA & PACIFIC MEXICO  3rd edition  £14.99

- VIETNAM          30th Anniversary       10th edition        £15.99

>>COMING SOON: A Year of Watching Wildlife

Every week of the year, something astounding happens in the animal kingdom. A Year of Watching Wildlife, out in August, shows you where, when and how to take part in the natural world’s greatest happenings - be inspired and go wild!

Contact:  angela.wilkinson@lonelyplanet.co.uk   

>> Lonely Planet Magazine July issue: 50 Best-kept Travel Secrets

 Lonely Planet’s wide-ranging travel experts, local authors and readers reveal their 50 best-kept travel secrets in the July issue of Lonely Planet Magazine on sale 18th June.

Ø  Rediscover New York: secret no. 50 – There’s a side to The Big Apple that most visitors never see. Lonely Planet Magazine has persuaded locals to reveal their favourite haunts and hideaways

Ø  Only in Albania: secret no.28 –After decades shrouded in secrecy, Albania has opened its doors to visitors, revealing a boisterous and beautiful country

Ø  Sark and Alderney:  secret no.2 – Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter BBC Two’s Coast shares travel secret number 2, the far flung islands of Sark and Alderney

Ø  The one and the only:  secret no.1 – Lonely Planet Magazine’s best-kept secret lies near the tourist-filled Costa del Sol – the undiscovered region of Almeria