Pickens

Just curious, I have seen news reports about how hotels, airlines, and the travel industry is very depressed in the United States. I have seen a few postings about the same thing happening in the UK. What about the rest of Europe? Has there been a drop in tourism in France, Italy, etc.? <BR>Also, just curious, when you do travel again, how many of you have changed your travel plans to the Americas - that includes Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America?

Myriam

Yes, there has been an important drop in tourism in Belgium as well. Especially hoteliers in Brugge have been (and still are) receiving many cancellations from USA travellers.

PB

Yes, there has definitely been a drop in tourism all over Europe. Airlines are cutting back flights, hotels have lost bookings and some businesses, at least here in France, will be out of business by the end of the year. <BR> <BR>I live in France (I'm American) and have travel plans in the next two months - to Spain and Morocco. I still plan to make both trips. Having lived in several places during terrorist bombings, life is uncertain enough without second guessing every move you make. As a native New Yorker, I'll take Guiliani's advice and "move forward". <BR> <BR>PB

travellyn

Tourism was definitely slower in Paris. We called the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel tower and got a table for the same night. This is a restaurant that books up months ahead.

Heidi

To travellyn: <BR>I am planning a trip to Paris in early November, and I have no intention of cancelling--unless the airline cancels on me, of course. While I've said many times that I'm not going to let this horrible tragedy stop me from living my life (and I have actually lost several dear business associates, living in the metro NYC area), I do think twice about a meal atop the Eiffel Tower. I have a reservation (which was made pre-9/11/01), but I have thought twice about cancelling that...did you feel very vulnerable during that meal?

travellyn

Dear Heidi, <BR> <BR>No, it didn't occur to me to worry there, maybe because the terrorists appeared to be going only after American targets, but I'm glad I didn't read this question before dinner. <BR> <BR>Now that I'm thinking about it, there were SWAT type police with machine guns everywhere under the tower, and I sure got the idea that the French would have shot down any incoming plane after seeing what happened in the US. (This was 8 days later.) <BR> <BR>On the RER train to CDG airport, there were a bunch of black suited SWAT guys with machine guns that walked through the train suddenly and had to climb over our luggage. <BR> <BR>I think I'd feel pretty secure eating there again.