Lonely Planet Buys Local Experts Site Elsewhere for Trip Planning
Photo Credit: Lonely Planet is banking of its acquisition of Elsewhere to help the publisher remain competitive in the marketplace. Flickr / Razlan
Skift Take
Even if Lonely Planet's main reason for acquiring Elsewhere isn't to sell more guidebooks, increasing its digital scope will help the publisher do so. The company still hasn't made a full recovery from the pandemic, so it needs to take steps to turn increasing numbers of people eager for travel advice toward its products.
Travel guidebook company Lonely Planet has bought Elsewhere, a website that links travelers directly with local experts who assist in designing trips, in attempt to deepen its digital reach to consumers as the publisher has seen a decrease in book sales since the start of the pandemic.
"The challenge we're signing ourselves up for is to take Lonely Planet into the digital future, and that means we have to know our customers," said Lonely Planet President Philippe von Borries.
"We have to create a more personalized experience for (the modern traveler), so Lonely Planet can show up for you and actually be of greater service to you. For (us), it's so important to connect you to people to make your experience richer. Elsewhere has a phenomenal network of local experts."
Financial terms of the deal, which closed on January 31, were not disclosed.
