Lonely Planet, a well-known publisher of travel guides, is preparing its most significant update in decades for its Pocket and Classic guide collections. Changes to the Pocket guides are set to begin in January 2027, while updates to the Classic range will start in March 2027. The company claims it holds about 28% of the American market for tourist guides, a share described as "unprecedented" by its publisher, Piers Pickard. This redesign aims to move away from comprehensive coverage to more curated content, including 24-hour or three-day itineraries, neighborhood walks, and more dining and drinking spots. The guides will also feature maps using colors and alphanumeric grids to help travelers navigate more easily. According to internal research by Lonely Planet, very few people now plan their trips using a single source. The guides will highlight formats such as "24 Hours In" and "Three Days In," which have been well-received in reader studies. These formats are popular because they help reduce the mental fatigue associated with making too many choices. The challenge for travelers today is not finding an address, but deciding which one is worth the time. Travel planning now often involves using search engines, social networks, apps, content creators, and artificial intelligence tools. Lonely Planet states it does not use artificial intelligence to produce its original reports, recommendations, reviews, or expertise on destinations. However, it does use AI for certain support tasks, such as data analysis or suggesting titles and summaries, with human validation ensuring accuracy. This approach reflects a commercial paradox: the travel guide market is declining in the United States, but Lonely Planet claims to be gaining market share from its competitors. Some players are leaving the market, and the company believes it is benefiting from this consolidation. In the United States, the number of travel guides and maps purchased dropped to 5.8 million in 2023, compared to 6.9 million before the pandemic and 4 million in 2020, according to an article in The Economist. In the United Kingdom, Lonely Planet states it represented 46% of travel guide sales in 2025, a figure attributed to Nielsen BookScan on its professional site. In France, the brand is under Edi8, within the Editis group. The competition is also about identity: Lonely Planet plans to make its authors more visible in the new volumes through prominent signatures, photographs, and notes explaining their connection to the destinations they cover. This approach aligns with the company’s editorial policy on artificial intelligence, emphasizing human expertise and personal experience.