Moon doesn't have the name recognition of some of the other travel brands, but it's managed to avoid they pitfalls that's taken them down. Newlin's experience demonstrates the value of bucking traditional wisdom.
As far as its print strategy, National Geographic is such an iconic brand that it may be a special case. Yes, print definitely has a role, especially for guidebooks when roaming charges would otherwise come into play, but experiential writing, if not photography, can be savored just as nicely on tablets.
It is still early in the travel information game in digital, and the consumer behavior is likely to continue evolving, and will likely still include some mix of old school methods.
LP has a formidable challenge ahead of it as Google has signified that it wants to own travel and has the resources to reach consumers at every step of the way as well as hire whoever it wants to make this happen.
These Insider Guides can be a nice add-on for vacation rental owners and their customers. A nicely created guide, with neighborhood attractions, could be a selling point for the rentals.
Thus the turmoil in guidebook world continues. The impending closure of Frommer's print division has been likely since the August sale to Google, but this is the first clear sign that the series will not continue in its current form.