Fodor was born in Léva, Hungary (now Levice, Slovakia). Noting that travel guides of his time were boring, he wrote a guide to Europe, On the Continent...The Entertaining Travel Annual, which was published in 1936 by Francis Aldor, Aldor Publications, London.

He married a Czech national, joined the US Army during World War II, and was transferred to the Office of Strategic Services, serving in Europe.

In 1949, he founded Fodor's in Paris, France. He created Fodor Modern Guides, operating mainly from Paris but moved to Litchfield, Connecticut until his death.

Fodor was elected to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) World Travel Congress Hall of Fame, the only travel editor to be so honored.