Sandy

O Experienced Ones,<BR>Are there fewer Americans traveling to Europe this summer because of the fallout from 9/11? I've talked to several people who have changed plans to avoid plane trips, and I'm wondering if the European travel of Americans (and others) has been down this year and is expected to be down this summer. <BR>Anyone know, or have anecdotal info? <BR>Sandy

Sjoerd

The hotel owners are still complaining, but they are a bit like farmers: they always complain. <BR>What I have seen here in Amsterdam: there are lots of tourists, seems like there are more tourists every year. There are still many, many Americans, very many Europeans from all corners of Europe (lots of Russians!) and more and more Chinese and other Asians. Fewer Japanese groups. <BR>I think most people have decided that Sept 11 was bad, but they are not going to make that event ruin their lifes. You only live once, and if you have always dreamt about visiting a certain country/city/continent, today is as good (or better) as tomorrow.

Beth

You wouldn't know it from the crowds in Paris last week. Our GTG alone had nine of us.

xxx3

We cancelled our tentative plans for a trip to England this year because of high airfares, which are probably an indirect result of 9/11.

Shar

My opinion is the high cost of airfare is a major factor in traveling to Europe this summer. We are taking a tour this summer and found that a few tours were cancelled--less before and after Summer. We also changed our plans to see Italy and changed to Austria and Switzerland with a direct flight, just felt more comfortable.