Why travel guidebooks still matter (and how to best use them on the road)

“To go off the beaten path, I use a guidebook.” – Pauline Frommer, quoting a young reader

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Pauline discuss the founding of Frommer’s guidebooks and the guidebook revolution (3:30); curating content in the modern world (10:30); sidestepping travel-marketing content (17:15); how guidebooks have been tailored to meet the demands of current travelers (29:00); the impact of global over-tourism (38:00); and the pitfalls of travel, and how to start the process of planning one’s next trip (46:00).

Pauline Frommer (@Frommers) is the co-President of Frommer Media LLC, publisher of the Frommer’s Travel Guidebook series, for which Pauline is the Editorial Director. She is the author of the best-selling travel guide, Frommer’s EasyGuide to New York City and her writing has appeared in such publications as Budget Travel and Newsweek. Pauline is the co-host of Frommer’s Travel Show. 

Notable Links:

• Arthur Frommer (travel writer)
• The GIs Guide to Traveling in Europe (guidebook)
• Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference
• The Beach (movie)
• Lonely Planet (guidebook)
• Rick Steves (guidebook)
• Hawaii Revealed (guidebook)
• Let’s Go (guidebook)
• 60 Minutes (television program)
• Fodors Travel Guide (guidebook)
• Moon Travel Guide (guidebook)
• World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (organization)
• Workaway (travel platform)
• Anthony Bourdain (celebrity chef / travel documentarian)
• Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie (novel)

This episode of Deviate is brought to you by Tortuga Backpacks, which set the standard for the best, most durable, organized, and comfortable travel backpacks. Tortuga products also include daypacks, duffels, and other travel accessories, which are all made with the traveler in mind and have been featured by Wirecutter, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Carryology, and many other industry outlets.

This episode is also brought to you by AirTreks, an industry leader in multi-stop international travel. If you’ve ever planned a trip with multiple stops, you know that finding the right flights can be difficult. Between balancing travel logistics and cost, it often becomes impossible to build an itinerary that matches your travel goals.  AirTreks is a distributed travel company with employees working from all corners of the world to help with your flight planning, specializing in complex routes with up to 25 stops. The AirTreks website offers suggested pre-planned travel itineraries to help you get started, but can customize to fit your journey.

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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