That second link worked for me, and thank you very much for the enlightening article. I’ve sensed that the latest Lonely Planet guidebooks were different, but this helps explain how and why that’s happening. A couple of notable things from the article:
Pauline Frommer, the editorial director of the Frommers guidebook brand, says. "There has been a certain segment of the population turning back to the traditional sources because there's been this insane flood of crap on the internet."
Rick Steves’ books are still providing the useful content they’ve always had, in the same format. His books have gotten thicker, as more destinations and details get added, not less, like Lonely Planet. He’s got more pictures than 20 years ago, but they’re still limited, and his are not photo brochures. And having a company that operates tours and sells travel merchandise, not just printing guidebooks, lets him profit from that diversification.
a lot of people are recognizing that a lot of what they read online is simply disguised marketing
Businesses need to produce income to stay in business. But stealth marketing is ultimately a losing business model, at least for travelers who want more than simply recreating an Instagram photo they’ve seen, taking theirs at the same place as the original, and striking the same pose. If that’s a bucket list item, it seems the bucket is a garbage pail.
Times have gotten tough for Lonely Planet. But they’re suffering, as are readers who rely on them for useful travel information. The maps in the newest editions are particularly useless, missing key cities, sights, and often some of the limited lodging and eating recommendations that are mentioned in nearby pages. And the map scale is also a problem, zoomed in too close or zoomed out so far as to be unhelpful for planning or for getting around.
