World-leading travel publisher and digital travel media company, Lonely Planet, has joined forces with Withlocals, a leader in community-driven tours guided by locals, to expand its catalog of Lonely Planet Experiences into 23 new cities while adding more private tours to existing program cities.
The new additions will bring Lonely Planet Experiences well beyond 300 carbon-neutral tours worldwide.
Lonely Planet Experiences have been designed to have a low environmental footprint while having a positive impact on local communities. True to Withlocals style, all tours will be small, private and led by local experts. The tours will support locally owned-businesses while being 100% carbon-neutral – reflective of Lonely Planet’s commitment to responsible travel as part of this partnership. In addition, all tours will include exclusive discounts on Lonely Planet’s guidebooks, free access to Lonely Planet’s flagship Guides app, plus additional Lonely Planet insight throughout the tours.
“For over four decades, travellers have looked to Lonely Planet for trusted travel advice,” says Luis Cabrera, CEO of Lonely Planet. “With travel behaviors changing due to the pandemic, we see this as an opportunity to provide new Experiences tailored for communities in smaller, private settings. This will allow travelers to go deeper into the local culture and see more than the typical city center highlights.”
Matthijs Keij, CEO of Withlocals added, “I am thrilled Withlocals will be part of the next phase of Lonely Planet’s growth by connecting passionate local experts with travelers from around the world through private experiences that embrace the local history, food, culture, and people.”
For travelers, the tours will offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience of what it’s like to truly know a place, through explorations of local food and drink, behind-the-scenes access to hidden gems, interactions with locals and insights from trusted travel experts. Travelers will gain a deeper understanding of, and connection to culture and individuals who make up a community. They will be able to delight in the sights, smells and tastes of some of the world’s most exciting and original experiences that exist outside the hot tourist areas.
Cabrera adds: “I am most excited about the new markets that we’ll be adding with this expansion through Withlocals. Not just in new cities, such as Milan, Dublin, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, and Sydney, but new Experiences that venture from the city, such as the Cliffs of Moher, Atlas Mountains, Lake Como and more.”
The partnership will add 40 new Lonely Planet Experiences starting off, varying from nearly 2 hours to all day. Some examples include:
Lonely Planet Experiences – Powered by WithLocals
Experiences (PRODUCT) Example:
- The Alternative Side of Melbourne – Fitzroy Neighbourhood Tour, 3 hours, starting at €54 per person ($63, £48)
- Atlas Mountains Day Trip, 9 hours, starting at €90 per person ($106, £81)
- Bruges Unveiled – Kickstart Walk, 1.5 hours, starting at €22 per person. ($25, £19)
The launch of Lonely Planet Experiences was announced in January 2020 and is the latest in a series of new ventures by Lonely Planet as the company seeks to maximise adjacent business opportunities under the new strategic direction of recently appointed CEO, Luis Cabrera.
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