Review: Tasmania Travel Guide by Lonely Planet
Against all odds, the printed guidebook lives on in the hearts, minds, and hands of travellers across the planet.
This publishing phenomenon — which can be traced as far back as the early 1800s — continues to, if not thrive, then certainly survive the digital revolution that has claimed so many other forms of print media. According to The Economist, in 2023 Americans purchased 5.8 million guidebooks and maps — down from the seven million the year prior to the pandemic. But of course, interest rates were low and many more people were travelling. The world is a somewhat different place post-COVID, but those who can still afford to explore it are still likely to reach for a printed guide.
Some attribute the ongoing success of the travel guidebook to the ability of publishers to adapt their content to meet the needs of the modern readership. These days it’s all about lists, sidebars, and break-out boxes: snappy bite-sized morsels of information that are easily digested by a reputedly skittish reader whose attention is prone to wander. But I think it probably comes down to trust. With the web drowning us in information that’s free but often out-of-date or just plain wrong, probably what continues to drive healthy sales is trust — trust that the guidebook you choose to spend your hard-earned dollars on will actually contain accurate information and enhance your travel experience. And there’s no publisher who holds the trust of the travelling public like Lonely Planet.
I’m just going to come right and out and say that I don’t love where Lonely Planet has gone with its guides. As a traveller I lived for the wry wit of their writers of the late 20th century, the columns of dense text, the in-depth description (well, a para at least) of each attraction, restaurant, hotel, and the like. There was nary a photo or splash of colour to be seen; it was the text that brought the destination to life. And as an LP puritan I still remember dissing my partner’s preference for DKs (Dorling Kindersley), which made much greater use of photos and infographics.
Well, it turns out that those DKs were well ahead of their time. Now, imagery and graphics also define the layout for Lonely Planet. There’s still plenty of information between the covers, but to me it feels less authoritative in comparison to the good old days.
OK, I’m sounding like a curmudgeon, and the truth is I would still reach for a Lonely Planet over any other published guide. And it was with plenty of enthusiasm that I dived into the 10th edition of LP’s Tasmania Travel Guide. Tassie is one of my favourite travel destinations — and while our island state is a relatively small place, it’s chock-a-block with things to see and do. You never have to travel for more than 15 minutes to see something absolutely amazing, and Lonely Planet has done a good job of capturing that experiential bounty. There’s a nice map at the beginning, and suggested itineraries depending on how much time you have up your sleeve. You’ll also find out when to go and how to prepare for your trip.
From there, we get into the actual guiding. And I have to admit that the format is pretty engaging. There are city maps, tips for getting around, a rundown on key attractions, a smattering of restaurant recommendations, and some hit lists of favoured hotels. Added to the mix are short columns from local luminaries, tips from staff writers, pieces of trivia, colour-coded lists, poignant footnotes, and the like. One can’t help but think that the editor said to their team: ‘Throw every on-page device you can think of at the reader and let’s pray that some of it sticks’. And often, it does.
And although it comes late in the piece (in the last twenty pages) I’m thrilled to say that you do actually get a glimpse of Lonely Planets past. Titled ‘Storybook’, in this section our Tassie scribes get to exercise their long-form writing chops. This is the sort of travel commentary I thought had been lost for good. Even the layout is reminiscent of my guidebooks of old. They did think of us old travel curmudgeons after all.
Everything changes with the times, and that includes Lonely Planet. Whether you love it or must learn to live with it, this latest incarnation of their travel guide will see you right on your Tassie trip.
Tasmania Travel Guide (10th Edition)
Published by Lonely Planet
August 2024 | $35.99 AUD & NZD
Paperback | 288 pages
ISBN: 9781838699642
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
