United Nations and Lonely Planet launch partnership

(September 26, 2011, New York, New York): The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Lonely Planet, the world’s leading travel publisher, today announced the launch of a partnership to provide information vital for responders in humanitarian emergencies. OCHA mobilizes and coordinates emergency humanitarian efforts around the globe, and deploys the first international responders on the ground.

Staff from a variety of UN agencies and government and non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian aid, who usually deploy within 24 hours of a disaster, will now be able to use Lonely Planet’s information to help them familiarize themselves with the country’s geography and infrastructure, learn more about the country’s history and cultural background, and get essential basic information they should know before traveling.

"Lonely Planet's expert content makes it easier for humanitarian workers to hit the ground running in unfamiliar environments," said Gwi-Yeop Son, Director of Corporate Programmes at OCHA. "We value Lonely Planet's commitment to provide accurate and up-to-the-minute information for our teams on the ground."

“Lonely Planet’s mission is to provide trustworthy and informative content about a destination,” said John Boris, Executive Vice President of Lonely Planet Americas. “Our unique, in-depth information will empower the teams of humanitarian workers to learn quickly about the areas they are working in and the people they will be assisting.”

The partnership has been started in time to coincide with the celebration of the UN’s World Tourism Day on September 27th, 2011. World Tourism Day fosters awareness of the role of tourism within the international community and demonstrates how responsible tourism positively affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.

Stephanie Bunker
Spokesperson and Public Information Officer
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

e-mail: bunker@un.org
Tel: 1 917 367 5126
Cell: 1 347 244 2106
Fax: 1 212 963 1312