Arthur Frommer, the pioneering travel writer whose guidebooks transformed the travels of countless Americans, has died at the age of 95.
His innovatively titled book, “Europe on $5 a Day,” made international travel accessible and affordable for the average American. This has significantly influenced the travel industry and inspired generations to explore the world.
His daughter, Pauline Frommer, confirmed his death in a statement Monday. statement on his website, saying he died at home and surrounded by family.
“Throughout his remarkable life, Arthur Frommer democratized travel, showing average Americans how everyone can afford to travel widely and better understand the world,” wrote Pauline Frommer.
“I am honored to continue his work of sharing the world with you, which I proudly do with his team of extraordinary and dedicated travel journalists around the world. We will all miss him dearly,” she added.
Frommer's Guides have become a popular series offering travel tips and planning advice for destinations around the world.
He began his travel writing career in the 1950s while serving in the United States Army in Europe.
He wrote “The GI's Guide to Traveling in Europe” and, shortly before completing his service, had 5,000 copies printed by a composer in a German village. Priced at 50 cents each, the guides were distributed in the Army newspaper, Stars & Stripes, and quickly sold out.
Encouraged by its success, he created a civilian version of the guide. This inspiration ultimately led to the launch of one of the travel industry's most iconic brands, with the self-publication of “Europe on $5 a Day” in 1957.
“It's a book for American tourists who a) don't own any oil wells in Texas, b) have no connection to the Aga Khan, c) never got rich in Las Vegas and still want enjoy a wonderful vacation in Europe,” he said. » wrote in the original guide, which sold millions of copies.
Which seems mundane today – donning a backpack, staying in hostels (or modern equivalents like Airbnbs or hostels), sightseeing independently using public transportation, and dining with locals in coffeehouses – was revolutionary in the 1950s. At the time, most Americans traveling abroad stayed in upscale hotels and dined in restaurants, luxuries only the wealthy could afford.
Frommer introduced this new concept to Americans, arguing that budget travel was preferable to luxury travel “because it leads to a more authentic experience.” His message encouraged ordinary people to explore the world.
Until the end of his life, Frommer avoided traveling first class. “I fly economy class and I try to have the same form of travel, the same experience that the average American and the average citizen of the world has,” he said.
Reflecting on his decades of travel to more than 100 countries, Frommer wrote on his website that it made him “a different person.”
“Travel has taught me that despite all the exotic differences in dress and language, in political and religious beliefs, all the people of the world are essentially alike. We all have the same desires and concerns, we all aspire to the same goals. » he said.
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri, during the Great Depression, Frommer was the son of a Polish father and an Austrian mother. After graduating from Yale Law School in 1953, he was drafted into the Army.
He then left his legal career to concentrate full-time on writing travel guides.
In addition to being a writer, Frommer was a television and radio host whose work profoundly influenced the way people thought about travel.
Today, the Frommer's series and brand, now run by his daughter Pauline, remains an important name in the travel industry, offering guides to destinations around the world, an influential social media presence, podcasts and a radio show.
Frommer is survived by Pauline, his second wife Roberta Brodfeld and two granddaughters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
