Fodor's (pronounced /ˈfoʊdɚz/) is the world's largest publisher of English language travel and tourism information, and the first relatively professional producer of travel guidebooks. Fodor's Travel Publications and Foders.com are parts of Fodors LLC, a Random House subsidiary. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system of phonetic notation devised by linguists to accurately and uniquely represent each of the wide variety of sounds (phones or phonemes) used in spoken human language. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Travel is the transport of people on a trip or journey. ... Tourists at Oahu island, Hawaii Tourism is the act of travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. ... Random House is a publishing division of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann based in New York City. ... In business, a subsidiary is a company controlled by another company or corporation. ...

History

Founder Eugene Fodor was a keen traveler, but felt that the guidebooks of his time were boring, uninspired collections of quickly outdated facts and figures. He decided to address these shortcomings and wrote a guide to Europe, On the Continent—The Entertaining Travel Annual, which was published in 1936. World map showing Europe Political map (neighboring countries in Asia and Africa also shown) Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Going beyond the usual lists of hotels and attractions, the book was updated yearly and gave practical guidance, such as tipping advice, alongside information about the local people and culture. For example, in the introduction, Fodor wrote "Rome contains not only magnificent monuments, but also Italians." now. ... The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with its root meaning to cultivate, generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location within Province of Rome in the Region of Lazio Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... The Taj Mahal, commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his wife, Arjumand Banu Begum. ...

The pioneering book was a success in England and the United States. Fodor's Modern Guides, Inc. was founded in 1949 in Paris, France. The company was sold to Random House in 1986. Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Part of the Paris skyline with from left to right: Montparnasse Tower, Eiffel Tower, and in the background, towers of neighboring La Défense. ...

In 1996, Fodor's launched a travel-related website, Fodors.com, which was nominated for a Webby Award in 2004. Today, Fodor's has published more than 440 guides (in 14 series) on over 300 destinations, and has more than 700 permanently placed researchers all over the world. 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, the Webby Awards are a set of awards presented to the worlds best websites. The awards have been given out since 1996. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2006 the company produced a guide to The Da Vinci Code, a mix of travel guide and insight into the book. This article is about the novel. ...

External link

• Fodors.com, official site.
• 1989 audio interview with Michael Spring about the origin of the Fodor name by Don Swaim

Don Swaim is an American journalist, writer, and broadcaster. ...

References

• About Us. Fodors.com. Retrieved on October 28, 2005.
• Random House Information Group. RandomHouse.com. Retrieved on October 28, 2005.
• Eugene Fodor. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on November 1, 2005.