Lonely Planet co-founder: 'The first book was an accident'

Launched in the 1970s, the travel empire preempted the gap year trend. Today Tony Wheeler is working on five books and is still an avid travellerTony and Maureen Wheeler co-founded Lonely Planet in 1973 after the couple travelled overland from London to Australia. The travel publisher, which has since printed more than 120 million books in 11 languages, sold a 75% stake in the business to BBC Worldwide in 2007. The Wheelers sold their remaining 25% stake in the company four years later. Continue