Google Acquires Frommer's

John Wiley & Sons has sold the Frommer's travel brands to Google for an undisclosed price. John Wiley & Sons said in March that the company was looking for a buyer for several of its publications.

Google bought Zagat’s, the publisher of restaurant guides with consumer ratings, last year. Adding Frommer's means Google can broaden its offerings beyond restaurants to hotels and destinations.

Frommer's produces guide books and has a website with booking capabilities and travel information. It also has mobile apps. Frommer's dates to 1957, when founder Arthur Frommer produced a book about how Americans could tour Europe for $5 a day.

Research eMarketer estimates nearly two-thirds of U.S. internet users (about 119.5 million people) will research travel information online this year, up from 107 million in 2010. And, more than half of Internet users will book travel online, according to eMarketer.

http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Google-acquires-Frommers/