For more than four decades, it’s served as a bible for countless backpackers roaming every corner of the globe.

It was more than a guidebook. It was a source of comfort for young explorers. It didn’t just show the way to Ankor Wat and up Machu Pichu; it also led weary travellers down back alleys to cheap beds and new friends.

In its early days, that was Lonely Planet’s secret to success. Other travel guides existed before Lonely Planet’s founding in 1972. But it carved out a niche catering to young people wandering the world on a shoestring. Its inclusion—emphasis, really—on low-end hostels made international travel more easily accessible to vagabonds, and in doing so, opened the doors on a community of like-minded free spirits.

Sadly, the Lonely Planet guidebook series is reportedly no more, or at least not what it once was.

“Lonely Planet has cut 100 jobs from its Melbourne HQ this afternoon, wielding the axe across its entire editorial department,” reads a report at the Australian. “All editorial staff including the iconic travel guide company’s writers, editors and cartographers were told by management today their positions had been made redundant.”

There have long been a number of alternatives. Rough Guides, Foder’s, and Frommer’s, to name just three. And Lonely Planet was the target of many fair criticisms over the years. But it was the first to do budget guides for many less-travelled destinations, and long the most recognizable of the bunch

The Australian goes on to quote a statement attributed to Lonely Planet, which is owned by the American billionaire Brad Kelly’s NC2 Media.

“Announced to staff and contributors a series of changes to its operations in response to a challenging external environment and to position the company for continued success,” it reads. “These changes will enable Lonely Planet to be well positioned for ongoing success and investing in the future in line with our 40-year heritage.”

Exactly what that position will look like remains to be seen. But as one unnamed source in the Australian article put it, “we're no longer in the business of content creation”.