While some people hate Tony Wheeler for bringing travelers to undiscovered lands and ruining them as a result, others herald him as a travel god who has provided reams of knowledge about obscure locations people wouldn't have visited otherwise.

Tony Wheeler is, of course, the brains behind the Lonely Planet empire. He and his wife began the publishing company after a backpacking trip through Europe and Asia during which they discovered a dearth of information for travelers exploring the region. Like any good entrepreneur, the husband and wife duo sought to fill this niche and Lonely Planet was born. Since their first publication, Across Asia on the Cheap, the publishing house has expanded to cover nearly every country in the world and has become one of the most trusted brands of guidebooks on the market today.

Simon Calder, a regular columnist for The Independent, recently caught up with Tony and his wife Maureen and recorded a nifty podcast of their discussion. To listen in and learn more about these travel gurus, click here.

Filed under: Podcasts, Books