Dominic Rowell has been promoted to the role of managing director of Lonely Planet’s fast-expanding digital arm.
Lonely Planet marketing chief moves to top digital job
Dominic Rowell has been promoted to the role of managing director of Lonely Planet’s fast-expanding digital arm.
He joined the guidebook company as its first global marketing director two years ago, based at its Melbourne head office.
CEO Matt Goldberg said: “He and his digital marketing team have been critical to our success in driving traffic to lonelyplanet.com, growing and commercialising our email database, and connecting travellers to our wireless products in new and creative ways.”
Rowell will lead Lonely Planet’s digital business into its next phase, translating its guides and developing new products and services across multiple platforms, according to Goldberg.
Rowell said: “We are making progress across all aspects of our digital business and I’m looking forward to building on the foundations we now have in place to deepen our connection with travellers via online services, wireless devices and through our growing community of followers.”
Lonelyplanet.com claims to attract more than 8 million visitors a month searching its travel editorial, guidebook content, images, videos and maps. The site covers 8,500 destinations.
Functionality includes the ability to book hotels, flights and other services.
Lonely Planet claims that its community of regular followers has grown to nearly 2 million people as it produced content and new products to support major wireless providers, including Apple, Nokia, Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
Lonely Planet released its first iPad app ‘1000 Ultimate Experiences’ in April and its Discover ebooks range in August.
More than five million Lonely Planet iPhone apps have been downloaded, according to the company.
