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.

Travel Myth Number 2: Comfort increases the more money you spend. "Yes, this is true - only if you sleep in the lobby", quips Pauline Frommer. Hotels have invested millions in renovating their lobbies, adding restaurants and bars, and upgrading other facilities such as gyms and swimming pools. These steps are often aimed at gaining a higher star rating from AAA or Mobil, and do not necessarily have any relation to customer comfort. Room features and amenities have generally remained the same. thus, Ms. Frommer advises customers to patronize hotels known for their standards of cleanliness, comfort of the mattresses, and absence of mold.

Travel Myth Number 3: Someone at your destination can be relied on to explain accurately what you are seeing. Have you ever excitedly visited the Louvre but felt bored afterwards because you couldn't quite "understand" the paintings, and thought they all "looked the same"? Or gone inside St. Peter's Cathedral and left after five minutes without appreciating any of the sculptures contained within? Then ask yourself, what preparations did I do before embarking on my journey? Did I do any research on masterpieces residing in the Louvre, read any books on famous artists and the historical context and deeper meaning behind their work? Although becoming an expert is not necessary nor possible, doing some advance reading is essential, insists Mr. Frommer.

Travel Myth Number 4: Travel prices are fixed in stone. "Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate", emphasizes Ms.Frommer when booking hotel rooms. Compare rates on both the general travel websites (Expedia, Hotels.com) and the hotel chain's own website which generally offer better rates. Call the hotel directly, not through its 800 number, inform the reservations department of the rates you have found online and ask if further discounts are available. Moreover, if you are using price bidding websites (e.g. Priceline, Hotwire), consult the website Biddingfortravel.com where winning bidders share tips and room rates they've paid at hotels purchased via those services.

Travel Myth Number 5: Stock up on foreign currency before you leave. There are a few valid arguments against doing this. First, major banks will charge you an unfavorable currency exchange rate. To add insult to injury, there are several additional fees and surcharges - for example, a delivery fee to mail the Euros or British pounds to your home, or a fixed commission per transaction. Second, cash is prone to theft, either on the Paris metro or in the confines of your hotel room. Therefore, Mr. Frommer advises travellers to carry a combination of travellers' cheques, ATM cards, and credit cards to pay for their purchases and meals. Be sensible and only withdraw enough cash from the ATM to cover the next couple of days' expenses, and not more than that.

Travel Myth Number 6: Taking a guided tour is the best way to see a place you've never been to. True, there are numerous advantages a guided tour offers, such as a knowledgeable guide, instant travel companions, and minimal effort required in planning the logistics of a trip. However, the decision also depends on your destination. If you plan to go on safari in Africa, hiking the Inca trail in Peru, or an adventure in Estonia it would be advisable to join a tour group, but if you are visiting a major city such as London, Paris, or Rome, that is a different story. Cities are usually easy to get around in via public transportation or taxis, most people speak English as a second language, and local tours are plentiful. You can also control your itinerary based on your interests, eat in small, intimate restaurants, and not have to be dragged into glass-blowing, diamond-cutting, leather-making and other such demonstrations that are a staple of travelling with a tour group.

Travel Myth Number 7: Shore excursions should be bought in advance of boarding the ship. Aimed at cruise passengers, Arthur Frommer decries the overpriced shore excursions offered by the cruise companies. Typically priced starting at nearly $100 per person, these excursions generate the majority of the cruise line's profits because of the captive audience. He recommends that cruise passengers share a cab into the town and do sightseeing on their own, or book a local tour on the spot.

Travel Myth Number 8: You save money by booking at the last minute. Ms. Frommer bemoans the fact that this travel myth used to be fact, but nowadays is no longer true in general. While hotel operators and airlines were basically giving away rooms and seats after the events of September 11, the economic recovery in the developed world plus rising prosperity in the emerging countries has enabled many more of the world's population to travel, thus putting pressure on prices and availability. Widespread usage of the Internet has contributed to transparency in pricing, and booking online in advance has never been easier. Bottom line, the earlier you book, the better.

Travel Myth Number 9: The Bahamas and Florida are reliably warm in winter. Not all the time, says Mr. Frommer. Many a snowbird has been stuck inside their vacation homes or hotel rooms waiting for the rain to subside. He recommends considering alternatives such as warm weather destinations in Latin America - Costa Rica and Nicaragua, for example.

Travel Myth Number 10: You should carry different gadgets, electronics, pillows, fanny packs and other things. Bringing unnecessary gadgets only serves to increase the weight of your luggage, surely it is possible to survive without them for a couple of weeks. Isn't that the point of going on vacation, to get away from quotidien life? All one really needs are the basics: money belt, comfortable shoes, appropriate clothing. To entertain yourself on the train or flight, as Pauline puts it, "All you really need is a book".