DENVER — Travel expert Pauline Frommer told attendees at the Denver Travel and Adventure Show that artificial intelligence and surveillance pricing have made finding genuine bargains more difficult, but savvy travelers can still save money with the right tactics.
Frommer, president of FrommerMedia and editorial director of the Frommer’s guidebook series, noted that traditional low seasons for airfares have largely disappeared due to higher fuel costs. She recommended using comparison sites such as Skyscanner to search for the best flight deals across multiple airlines and dates.
To combat surveillance pricing — in which travel sites raise prices based on a user’s search history — Frommer advised using a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. A VPN masks your location and browsing data, often unlocking lower fares and hotel rates while also protecting personal and financial information on public Wi-Fi networks.
For experiential travel on a budget, Frommer suggested platforms like Travelstride.com and TourRadar.com for tours with food and wine components. She also highlighted InternationalGreeters.org for local-hosted experiences, and TravelingSpoon.com and EatWith.com for authentic home-cooked meals with locals.
Frommer warned travelers to be cautious of AI-generated guidebooks flooding Amazon and social media. She cited an example of a best-selling Japan guide that included a fall-season section on “how to avoid falling down.”
She paid tribute to her father, the late Arthur Frommer, whose groundbreaking “Europe on $5 a Day” helped generations travel affordably. Additional tips included avoiding basic economy fares due to their restrictions and lack of mileage earning, trying “gateway hopping” through major hubs like New York or Boston for cheaper long-haul flights, and carefully vetting vacation rentals for hidden fees and fake reviews.
