The world of travel is changing. Following the global upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to put our beloved forum, Thorn Tree, into “read-only” mode, which prohibited the creation of new posts. This helped to curb the spread of information that would lead to unsafe travel in a rapidly shifting world.

Now, in 2021, as we continue to live with the effects of the pandemic, we recognize that travelers need different kinds of tools to navigate this unpredictable landscape.

As Lonely Planet embarks on a new journey to bring you even better guidance, support, and information for your next trip, we’ve made the difficult decision to completely close down and remove our Thorn Tree forums.

We know Thorn Tree has been a big part of many of your traveling lives, as it has ours. Thank you for all of your contributions – your incredible stories, planning ideas, and lively conversation – to this space throughout the years.

This certainly isn’t the end of Lonely Planet’s community. We hope you’ll join us on our social channels to continue the conversation. In particular, our Lonely Planet Facebook Travelers Group is the place to share questions and get advice when planning travel. You’ll also find us on Twitter, Instagram and our new TikTok account.

Our newsletter is the best way to stay in touch with Lonely Planet on new developments, products and travel news.

Thanks for your understanding, and we look forward to bringing you an all-new Lonely Planet in the coming months.

- Lonely Planet Editors