From the former CEO of renowned travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, a look at how travel can transform not only the traveler, but also the world.
Imagine your job was to travel the world, then report back on how everyone else should do it. Thatâs what happened to Daniel Houghton when, fresh out of Western Kentucky University, he took the helm of legendary travel publisher Lonely Planet, then owned by a billionaire who had taken a shine to his work. Suddenly, he was not only jetting off to parts unknown, but closing business deals in foreign languages and scrambling to learn fifty different sets of table manners.
As the son of a Delta pilot and a flight attendant, Daniel had always loved to travel, but after Lonely Planet it morphed into a missionâto spread the word about travelâs unique power to change hearts and minds. In Wherever You Go, he speaks for, and to, a new generation, who want more out of travel than a list of experiences. They use it to develop empathy and cultural awareness, whether flying across the world or just heading to a different neighborhood for dinner.
Daniel shares his own tips, as well as drawing on interviews with travel legends like Richard Branson, pros like Deltaâs longest-serving flight attendant ever, and everyday folks with fascinating stories. Youâll meet Kevan Chandler, a young man in a wheelchair who realized his dream of seeing Europe thanks to six friends who carried him around in a homemade backpack; Captain Lee Rosbach of Bravoâs Below Deck, who guides his young crew to all ends of the earth; and Laura Dekker, the youngest person ever to sail single-handedly around the world. They talk about everythingâfrom their favorite places and their worst misadventures to the environmental and economic impacts of travel. And everyone attests to how their cross-cultural experiences have shaped their worldviews, their politics, their relationships, and even their careers.
Whether youâve booked your next trip or youâre still Instagram-dreaming, let Wherever You Go inspire you to roam beyond your comfort zone.