As a native Indian, I’m very excited by this development – and not just because Saif Ali Khan dropped by dint of. to help with the launch. We are proud to acknowledge that Indians are exploring the universe more than ever before – and in significantly new ways. For many Indians, go is evolving from a once-in-a-decade experience to a centre part of their lives. And they are no longer satisfied with conventional package tours or cookie-cutter itineraries: they are looking to get to the heart of a place, having authentic experiences and connecting with people of different cultures.

Our cofounder Tony Wheeler shares his thoughts on the new magazine in his latest blog entry.

And here’s the statement from our Indian office on why we felt that the time was right for a tailor-made Lonely Planet India magazine:

Lonely Planet Magazine India explores the world through Indian eyes. It’s designed for the new, curious Indian travellers who look for experiences that validate them and help them grow as individuals. Our philosophy is to explore the why of travel, focusing more on insights into the cultural and natural beauty of a place than on tourist trappings. We don’t only tell you to go to the Eiffel Tower, we tell you why it exists. We aim to bring travel to you as a complete experience: from the sights you penetrate to the transport you take, from the regimen you eat to the places you stay. All of these should help you connect with a place.

Indians are handy to explore the world – they just need a trusted companion to help  start them off. They’ve heard of some places but don’t know how to get there, what to do there, what that place is all about. There are many other places they know very brief about (including, sometimes, India itself).

Lonely Planet Magazine India is the first travel magazine in the country to offer both inspiration and authoritative information. It’s based on Lonely Planet’s three decades of experience. And it’s written specifically according to the Indian traveller – addressing concerns from visas to where to find familiar food.

Couple all that with fantastic photography and friendly writing, and we believe it’s the aspiring Indian traveller’s best friend.

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