Joining Lonely Planet felt like a natural extension of this work. Now, I commission our guidebooks for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, working with a team of around 50 local travel experts.
Lonely Planet writer works 5am to 9pm for about 45 days straight. Photo / Unsplash
I also still occasionally write for the books. Right now, I’m researching Dunedin, Waitaki and the Catlins for an update of our New Zealand Aotearoa guidebook, which will be published next year.
Take us through a typical day on assignment
Days on the road start at 5am. Photo / Unsplash
Guidebook writing might be the “dream” job – but it’s incredibly long days. Days on the road start at 5am, writing and taking care of admin. Around 7.30am, I quickly pack (I typically stay in a different place every night) and head out to start research.
It’s a packed schedule. We update the books every two years, and Lonely Planet writers are expected to physically visit every single hotel, restaurant, attraction and tour we feature in the books.
Then it’s time to drive to the next destination and if I’m lucky, I might get into my hotel room around 8pm. That’s when I take care of social media, laundry and phone calls home, before passing out around 9pm. I once did this schedule for about 45 days straight and can confirm I was a zombie by the end of it.
What’s the most challenging aspect of the job?
Jessica Lockhart reveals the reality of guidebook work. Photo / Unsplash
Probably trying to convince people that it’s definitely not a holiday!
The biggest challenge though? There aren’t enough pages in the books and it’s sometimes hard to decide what makes it in and what gets cut. Our New Zealand Aotearoa guide is around 680 pages, making it one of our bigger guidebooks. Honestly, even if we had 1000 pages, it wouldn’t be nearly enough room.
What happens when you visit somewhere that doesn’t appeal to you personally?
As a guidebook writer, you end up doing a lot of activities that you would never choose to do on holiday. (Yet another reason why guidebook writing isn’t a vacation). I have little interest in aviation or engineering, but I have spent a lot of time in WWII and automobile museums. I don’t eat fish, but I’ve gone on countless seafood cruises. What appeals to me personally ultimately doesn’t matter – it’s about what I think will appeal to most readers.
Seafood doesn’t appeal. Photo / Unsplash
We’re writing for a wide audience, and no activity, attraction or destination is going to be everything to everyone. Our writers often have particular areas of expertise (for example, Brett Atkinson – who also writes regularly for the New Zealand Herald’s travel section – is a beer enthusiast), but they’re also generalists who are interested in (or can at least feign interest in) everything from honey production to astronomy.
After seeing so much of the world, what travel advice do you swear by?
Les Iles-Pont de Mouli; Mouli Bridge. Photo / Monique Ceccato
The question I’m asked most often is: “Tell me the top three places you’ve ever been”. I always refuse to answer this question, because so much can affect a trip: the weather, the people you’re with, if you get gastro or have a flight cancelled. It makes it impossible to choose favourites.
My advice? Don’t confuse feelings about a particular trip with your feelings about a destination, because they can be two different things.
What are the up-and-coming travel destinations that you predict will be popular in 2027?
My pick for Kiwi travellers in 2027 is New Caledonia, which is just one of the 50 destinations and experiences we feature in this year’s Best in Travel. I’ve been twice in the past 12 months and both times I’ve had pristine beaches and gorgeous lagoons entirely to myself (and I do mean entirely), incredible French food, and the opportunity to connect with Kanak communities. For a winter getaway, it’s an entirely different experience than just flopping and dropping somewhere exotic. Plus, it’s less than a three-hour direct flight from Auckland.
Best in Travel 2027. Photo / Supplied
Best in Travel 2027 by Lonely Planet is out now, $34.99 RRP. Available at Whitcoulls or shop.lonelyplanet.com