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How I Became a Lonely Planet Trailblazer

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I’m now a Lonely Planet Trailblazer! This post is all about how I became one of the main Trailblazers at Lonely Planet and this is how you can do it too!

Lonely Planet Trailblazer

It’s official! I’m now a Lonely Planet Trailblazer!

Okay, okay, so these words probably don’t mean a lot to you, but in short I’m now an official brand ambassador for Lonely Planet! How cool is that!? It makes me smile every time I say those words!

I’ve been working with Lonely Planet quite a lot over the last three years producing videos, photos and articles for them, and I’m so happy I can now take this to the next level and to work a lot more closely with the whole team as one of their exclusive Trailblazers.

This is what being a Lonely Planet Trailblazer is all about!

In 2017 I started working on a couple of projects with the video team at Lonely Planet and I just loved every second of it. Firstly I presented a video where I got the adrenaline pumping by attempting ice climbing on a glacier in Iceland (the video is at the bottom of this post so make sure you check it out!), and most recently we produced a three-part series together taking in the very best of Turkey.

I absolutely adore presenting and being in front of a camera – there aren’t many people who can say that! – but my desire is to be a travel presenter with my own show one day and working with Lonely Planet is a great way of doing that. Hopefully this year you’ll see me presenting a few more videos for Lonely Planet – that’s the idea anyway!

Watch one of my Lonely Planet videos from my most recent mini-series in Turkey:

What is a Lonely Planet Trailblazer?

In a nutshell, Trailblazers are official brand ambassadors for Lonely Planet.

Much like me, they’re other bloggers and digital influencers, and together we’ll all create content for Lonely Planet and our channels, cross-promoting each other’s work along the way.

Basically, it means you’ll see me a lot more on Lonely Planet and Lonely Planet a lot more on An Adventurous World which is something I’m exceedingly happy about.

 

A post shared by Lonely Planet (@lonelyplanet) on

Who are the Lonely Planet Trailblazers?

So far Lonely Planet have only selected seven blogs out of a possible 3,000 to be Trailblazers, so obviously it’s a huge accolade to be selected.

The other Trailblazers are (and please check them out because they’re all amazing content creators)

Lonely Planet Trailblazer
How I Became a Lonely Planet Trailblazer

Why were we selected as Lonely Planet Trailblazers?

Good question! Hopefully like you, Lonely Planet love the content we create.

Personally, for me, I’ve always focused on creating the best content possible. It doesn’t matter whether that’s a blog post, an Instagram or a video for YouTube, I always want it to be perfect.

It’s not about audience size – I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have the biggest social following (though I am working on that!) – but I’d much rather produce good quality content as opposed to just pumping crap content out there. Luckily Lonely Planet think the same as me.

As Lonely Planet say:

Our Trailblazers have proven themselves to be pioneers in the blogger and travel influencer sphere, demonstrating best practices and impeccable professionalism. Their writing, photography and videography is top notch and aligns with Lonely Planet’s message. Just like Lonely Planet, our Trailblazers encourage their audiences to explore every day.” – Emma Sparks, deputy editor at Lonely Planet

Sailing in Turkey

Can I become a Lonely Planet Trailblazer?

If you’re a blogger or content creator, you betcha!

Firstly you need to sign up to their Lonely Planet Pathfinders programme, and then you need to start submitting your best content to their monthly roundups boards on the Thorn Tree forum.

Once your content has been selected a few times, then you move up a level to the second tier and you’ll start being selected for paid assignments.

Then, once you’ve done a few paid assignments you might be selected as a Trailblazer!

Taken straight from the LP site, this is what they say about it all:

We want to foster the best talent out there and help share your incredible stories with a global audience. As a Lonely Planet Pathfinder you’ll be able to take on a range of tasks, from writing content for our website and sharing tips and advice with the Lonely Planet community to becoming an official brand ambassador. Whether you’re new to the scene or a seasoned pro, there’s a place for you with Lonely Planet Pathfinders.”

From Lonely Planet Pathfinder to Lonely Planet Trailblazer!

It seems like only yesterday that I went on my first real backpacking trip to Thailand in 2005 with my Lonely Planet guidebook as my trusty companion along the way. I think I read that book from cover to cover at least four times as I travelled to different islands on boats trying to teach myself the basics of Thai and learning about the history of the country along the way.

Believe it or not, that first trip, that first guidebook, set me on a path that I had no idea where it would take me, but all I knew is I wanted to travel, I wanted to see as much of this world as I was possible.

Now, 13 years later, I can finally say I’m part of the Lonely Planet family and that I get to inspire people to travel and experience the world – for me, that as good as it gets…


Do you still use Lonely Planet as your main guide book? What’s your favourite Lonely Planet memory? Let me know in the comments below!

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How to become a Lonely Planet Trailblazer

About the Author

  • Macca Sherifi

    Macca Sherifi is the founder of the multiple award-winning blogs An Adventurous World and the Great British Bucket List. Every month he inspires over 200,000 avid readers to travel the world.

Samira

Tuesday 9th of June 2020

Congratulations! this is huge, enjoy it. I would love to become one one day, just starting my blog though... Keep up the good work! nice to see people get their dreams come true