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Lonely Planet has given its regional guides a makeover after quizzing travellers about their trips.
The travel publisher has undertaken extensive consumer research using focus groups to find out how and why people travel around regions.
Editor Tom Hall said: "Essentially we've recognised that people who travel to regions travel in distinguished and different ways. They usually hire a villa and a car and travel around for two weeks." For this reason there is less information on accommodation than the previous guides.
Hall explained that each title is designed to help the reader "immerse" themselves in the region. The books include information on markets, festivals, culture and food and drink. They have more itineraries and day trips, regional maps and a mini planner for each sub-region.
The front covers now have a "striking iconic image" with a full-colour section at the beginning of each title. "These titles are appealing to the older demographic, so they have more of a classic image," said Hall. The tagline at the bottom of the covers boasts "Inspirational ideas and detailed coverage for foodies, walkers and culture lovers". Hall said that the travel guides were designed to help people on a "doing trip".
The first seven guidebooks to be relaunched will be published on 22nd January. The titles are Andalucia, Corsica, Brittany & Normany, Provence & the Cote d'Azur, Tuscany & Umbria and Naples & the Amalfi Coast. There will be one brand new title, The Italian Lakes, which will also be published. The books are all paperbacks and cost between £12.99 and £13.99. More titles will be relaunched in this new style in 2011.
Hall said that Lonely Planet had decided to relaunch the titles now because it is a section of the travel market that proving popular. He added that the research had revealed regional travelers were most likely to be aged either 50+ or 26-34 and are mainly in the ABC demographic.