London - BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British broadcaster, announced on Monday that it has acquired Lonely Planet, the publisher of travel guides and other travel-related media, for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 1972 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler, who will retain a 25% shareholding in the company, Lonely Planet publishes about 500 print titles and sells over 6.5 million books annually.

The company also develops programming for international broadcasters, such as "Lonely Planet Six Degrees," which is in its third season with Discovery Networks.

The company's LonelyPlanet.tv travel site attracts 4.3 million unique monthly visitors, and features both professional and user-generated travel videos.

"It is testimony to BBC Worldwide's reputation that the Wheelers believe we are the right partner to take the business forward, given the many organizations that have approached them over the years," said Etienne de Villiers, non-executive chairman of BBC Worldwide.

"We are all convinced that the association will strengthen Lonely Planet's visibility and growth potential, particularly in the digital arena, as well as providing their users access to the wide range of BBC content which connects with their interests."

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2po58y (BBC)

http://www.lonelyplanet.com