tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34234358.post424894930012910048..comments2022-05-13T06:38:48.903-07:00Comments on Bob Vila Would Not Approve: The "Lonely Planet" ProblemBenjamin Supnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04886313844644521178noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34234358.post-2169056794938928482008-11-20T09:09:00.000-08:002008-11-20T09:09:00.000-08:00I couldn't agree more - Lonely Planet seems to be ...I couldn't agree more - Lonely Planet seems to be one of the by words of all local businesses in almost every developing country which they cover. It's a pain. That said I guess the only reason this has happened is because so many travellers enjoy using the guides. Catch 22 I guess. <BR/><BR/>I think there may be a shift with UGC and the internet though - a more rounded offering in terms of recommendations etc. Also sites like www.crashpadder.com will help people get a real local experience when they travel, avoid the beaten track etc.<BR/><BR/>Until that is easy, however, I'll still be armed with an LP guide almost everywhere I go.rompomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737406927943070154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34234358.post-83502203512108053022008-11-20T05:21:00.000-08:002008-11-20T05:21:00.000-08:00Malcolm - you've hit the nail on the head...the fr...Malcolm - you've hit the nail on the head...the frustrating part of development in India is that so often the results are harmful to the locale being developed, whether it's water shortages in Jaisalmer to air polution in Agra. When the guide books call out specific environmental problems, that's a very good thing, but the problem of short-term development seems to go beyond tourism here.Benjamin Supnikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04886313844644521178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34234358.post-71441952021951979222008-11-18T22:59:00.000-08:002008-11-18T22:59:00.000-08:00Hey Bob,Working at Lonely Planet I see and underst...Hey Bob,<BR/><BR/>Working at Lonely Planet I see and understand this problem too. It's very much related to the destination, though. We hear it about Thailand and India, we hear it much less about Europe and America, and hardly ever for places in Central Asia or the Middle East, even though we have guides covering all of them.<BR/><BR/>Wherever there's tourism, development tends to follow (with, it has to be said, benefits to local economies). The difficult bit (though I believe more countries and areas are waking up to this) is how to direct the development so it enhances, or at least doesn't detract from, what made the place special to begin with. That's definitely what I'd like to see - and maybe Lonely Planet has more of a role to play? I'm pretty sure we'd prefer to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem (along with all our guidebook and website publishing competitors!).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com