BBC Worldwide has bought a majority stake in travel guide company Lonely Planet. The corporation's commercial arm has acquired a 75 percent stake in the privately owned company using part of its 350-million pound debt facility designed to snap up companies outside the UK. Independent: The BBC said the deal would enable it to develop a "huge amount" of digital and online opportunities with the brand.
The acquisition fits with BBC Worldwide's ambition to move from programming into a content business, it said in a statement.
The Lonely Planet operation will boost BBC Worldwide's travel output, which includes over 500 hours of travel programming such as Michael Palin's New Europe and Planet Earth.
