With annual sales of 7 million copies, the Chinese edition of Lonely Planet debuts

Text & Photography / Chi Bing-Hui

 

Known as the “travel bible,” Lonely Planet has been published for over thirty years and has accumulated 500 publications. In 2008, it was prepared for launch in magazine form in collaboration with the BBC in the UK, and finally, on August 1st of this year, it was released as an international Chinese edition in partnership with Cite Publishing Group. In addition to featuring classic global travel reports, it also incorporates the unique cultural charm of Taiwan, conveying the beauty of Taiwan to readers around the world.

In 1972, Tony Wheeler and Maureen Wheeler spent a year traveling across Asia. After completing their grand journey, they began writing, clipping, and binding their experiences into a book to share their travel stories with more adventurers. In 1973, they published Across Asia on the Cheap, which caused a sensation. Since then, they founded Lonely Planet, which has sold over 7 million copies annually. The content is written by 350 senior authors from more than 40 countries who speak over 70 different languages, all of whom conduct on-site research. It can be said that the travel bible is a must-have in every backpacker’s pack, and it has expanded into TV programs, magazines, mobile services, and websites.

The inaugural issue of the international Chinese edition of Lonely Planet was released on August 1st, with the feature topic “The Peaceful Battlefield – Matsu.” The e-magazine versions for iPad and Android were also launched simultaneously. Readers can visit the Pocket E-Reading Library (http://www.cite.com.tw/ereadingnow) to download and read the free trial version.