Articles tagged “frommers”

Thus the turmoil in guidebook world continues. The impending closure of Frommer's print division has been likely since the August sale to Google, but this is the first clear sign that the series will not continue in its current form.

Professionally created guides will always have a place in the traveler's toolkit, but they aren't going to be limited to paper any more and the next generation of guidebook brands will need to make the business work sooner rather than later.

Larry Page couldn't resist touting Google Maps and sticking a pin in Apple and its maps woes, although the Google co-founder didn't call out Apple by name.

It will be interesting to see how the relatively downbeat price that Google paid for Frommer's will impact BBC Worldwide's efforts to find a buyer or partner for Lonely Planet.

As Google adds one Frommer's review after another to its database it's realizing that it got a great deal for $23 million and totally screwed by it's Zagat acquisition.

It's only going to get harder for Penguin and Random House: Neither one has displayed much talent when it comes to extending its print brands to the web.

If Google is to succeed as a travel content provider and discovery engine, it needs to integrate its search capabilities with the insights of experts -- humans -- who know a destination best.

Integrating the Frommer's brand will pose a bigger challenge to Google than Zagat did. Not only does the brand have a print legacy of over 55 years, but its digital chops have been dulled by layoffs and it will take some time to adjust its print-first strategy.

If Google only thinks about Frommer's for its point-of-interest content it will be throwing away the most valuable asset the brand has: Its expert voice and trusted curation skills that go beyond mere listings.

With the purchase of Frommer's and Zagat, and a push to elicit reviews from Google users, Google's travel strategy is multifaceted, although TripAdvisor's Stephen Kaufer chooses to focus on just the guidebook aspect for now.