Lonely Planet Founder Bans These Travel Destinations Forever

• In 1973, Tony Wheeler established the travel guide firm alongside his spouse.
• READ MORE: World's most walkable city revealed as European gem tops the list

Tony Wheeler, one of the foremost figures in travel literature, has been guiding adventurers through some of the globe’s most awe-inspiring destinations since the early 1970s after founding Lonely Planet.

The holiday sage Now 78 years old, he frequently shares his favorite spots as well as the locations he has absolutely no interest in visiting, and his newest list has just been released.

Although some may not shock many, considering worldwide politics, the remaining two that have landed on Wheeler's exclusion list are major draws for tourists.

In a blog post on his website, the Lonely Planet co-founder - he set the company up with his wife Maureen in 1973 but later sold it to BBC Globally, he shared detailed explanations behind his choices.

The post, entitled, I’m Not Going There Anymore , indicates that traveling anywhere by airplane seems challenging due to the threat of global warming goes up, but acknowledges he ' continues travelling and continues to feel guilty about it’.

The first two destinations on the list are Russia and Saudia Arabia. While the latter is investing heavily in wooing tourists with luxury hotels and high-end developments, it doesn't float Wheeler's boat - and he's frank about it.

Although he found his visit in 2002 intriguing, he shows no desire to return, which echoes a comparable sentiment regarding Russia; the co-founder of Lonely Planet points out political narratives from these nations that led him to vote against revisiting them physically.

Where readers of his books might be most astonished? The Indonesian island of Bali.

“Apologies, Bali,” he clarifies. “That Indonesian island has plenty of amazing aspects, and I recently enjoyed an incredible gathering for travel writers there. However, with the current state of traffic, I have absolutely no desire to return unless there’s a compelling reason to do so.”

Although he says he enjoys the art, food, shopping, and cultural attractions in Bali, the traffic between Kuta Beach and Ubud has deterred him from returning anytime soon.

Moreover, a location he has been to many times still receives minimal attention, suggesting he might not achieve his aim of visiting all 50 states.

Indeed, the USA has fallen off the radar for the travel expert, whose trips to Missouri and North/South Carolina might very well mark the end of his visits for some time—possibly up until the next four years.

He clarified: "Even though I've spent around a decade of my life in the USA and have numerous American friends, for now, I prefer keeping the USA towards the end of my list."

He discloses that it’s the present president who is deterring him: "At this moment, with the orangutan fellow (or even Donald Trump for some folks) at the helm along with his cronies, I genuinely have no desire to visit there anymore."

In 2007, Wheeler along with his spouse Maureen offloaded Lonely Planet to BBC Worldwide for a sum of £130 million.

However, the commercial arm of the BBC later sold it to US company NC2 Media at a loss of nearly £80million. In 2020, the brand was acquired by Red Ventures.

Last year, the current batch of travel experts at Lonely Planet unveiled a wanderlust-inducing list of the 30 best places to visit in 2025 - and the US did make the cut.

The Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2025 publication highlights the top ten countries, regions, and cities worth visiting this year.

The rankings were put together by Lonely Planet experts, contributors worldwide, and collaborating publishers. The guide mentioned that these locations were selected for their relevance, distinctive offerings, awe-inspiring elements, and steadfast dedication to environmental responsibility, social engagement, and inclusivity.

Cameroon led the national rankings, followed closely by Lithuania in second spot and Fiji securing the third position.

In the city rankings, Pittsburgh secured the sixth spot, with Toulouse from France leading the list at number one. East Anglia claimed the eighth position among the best regions globally.

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