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The founder of Lonely Planet has defended the travel guide empire's publication of its much criticised travel guide to Burma, insisting that tourists visiting the military-ruled country empower locals by bringing money into communities.

Human rights groups have attacked the Lonely Planet guide, saying tourism income supported the junta’s generals who run Burma, also known as Myanmar, and control many sectors of its economy.

But Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler argues that tourists put money directly into the hands of individual Burmese and helps to open up a society that has been largely shut off from the rest of the world since 1962.

“I am not going to be an ad agency for Burma, but going there is doing more good than bad,” Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler said in an interview with Associated Press.

BBC Worldwide has also was also being pressured by critics of the book.

The Trades Union Congress, which represents 6 million people in the United Kingdom, began an online petition earlier this year calling for Lonely Planet and BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75 per cent share of Tony Wheeler’s company last year, to withdraw the Myanmar guide.

"The very existence of a travel guide to Burma encourages people to visit a country they might not otherwise consider," the TUC's General-Secretary Brendan Barber said.

"We want to see the travel industry drop Burma from their list of destinations and taking the Lonely Planet guidebook off the shelves would help enormously.

"If enough people sign our petition and stop buying Lonely Planet guides, we hope we can encourage the BBC to think again."

“If BBC decides to withdraw the guide, it would be a deal breaker,” Wheeler said, indicating he would sell his remaining shares.

Wheeler said his Planet Wheeler Foundation has started a health clinic and a number of other humanitarian projects in Myanmar and intends to fund more.

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