Arthur Frommer gets his brand name back from Google
Skift Take
This is a clear win for the Frommer name and what the brand means to the people who made it the best-selling series in the U.S. and one of the most visited destination websites. But it also raises more concerns about Google's stubborn commitment to its Google+ product despite the clear lack of user interest.
Arthur Frommer has regained the right to publish the guidebooks and run the travel website that bears his name.
The guidebook founder confirmed the return of the name to the Associated Press' travel editor Beth Harpaz in a phone call late Wednesday night. No price for the naming rights was disclosed.
A Google spokesperson acknowledged the arrangement to Skift: "We’re focused on providing high-quality local information to help people quickly discover and share great places, like a nearby restaurant or the perfect vacation destination. That's why we've spent the last several months integrating the travel content we acquired from Wiley into Google+ Local and our other Google services. We can confirm that we have returned the Frommer's brand to its founder and are licensing certain travel content to him."
The story
In late March Skift broke the news that Google was not going to continue publishing books with the Frommer's Travel name, and at the end of March only one employee was left manning the controls at the almost silent Frommers.com website. Long-time authors reported receiving the silent treatment or w
