Ten Travel Myths According to Arthur Frommer

2007 marks the 50th anniversary since the debut of Arthur Frommer's travel guide called "Europe on Five Dollars A Day". This ground-breaking work focused on helping ordinary travellers enjoy their holidays in Europe on a tight budget, yet without a major sacrifice in creature comforts. Since then, Mr. Frommer has become a renowned travel editor and expert, with the Frommer's guide books becoming the best-selling travel guides in the United States. In addition, Arthur Frommer founded Budget Travel magazine aimed at helping the masses plan affordable vacations. As Budget Travel's slogan says, "Vacations for real people".

At the annual New York Times Travel Show held in New York City, Mr. Frommer presented a list of "Ten Great Myths in Travel" gleaned from fifty years of experience working in the travel industry. He was assisted by his daughter Pauline, who served as Editor-in-Chief of Frommers.com and is the author of her own series of guidebooks. Her latest, Pauline Frommer's New York City, was named Best Guidebook of the Year by the North American Travel Journalists Association.

I was a member of the audience in the jampacked auditorium at the Travel Show. We hung on each word of the father-and-daughter Frommers' duo as they alternated in presenting the "Ten Great Myths of Travel". I am pleased to share those travel myths with you, and elaborate on them as well.

Travel Myth Number 1: You get what you pay for. Most luxury hotels are rip-offs, Mr. Frommer says, citing specific cases of properties in the Caribbean islands charging $600-$800 per night. Usually these hotels boast in their advertisements and glossy brochures of prime locations, fine white sand beaches, and famous chef restaurants, but often fail to deliver on these promises. He advises consumers that the quality of a hotel property cannot be determined from its prices and lavish advertisements.