annhig

Hi Ira,

we're off to Venice at easter, and being from the UK, i leapt at the opportunity to pay for our apartment in £. As long as the £ doesn't go down against the euro too, I'm not too worried, though I'm going to be buying some euros soon for spending.

from a purely selfish point of view, does this mean that Venice will be less crowded this easter?

regards, ann

scatcat

I already have a May and a September trip booked, so I will once again try not to think about the exchange rate. These are the only two trips I have planned for this year. This would probably have been a better year for Hawaii. Too late.

Carta_Pisana

the psychological impact upon Americans being told daily their money is worth less has a cumulative impact. A stronger dollar would encourage me to invest and buy - the daily reminders has made me curtail my spending and investing (though when the market is down that is the time to buy - but if the ship is sinking....)

Travelnut

All of you who won't be going to Europe any more will be helping push airfare down (by lowering demand), which will help offset MY exchange rate increase. Thank you! >

simpsonc510

I agree travelnut. We'll be going to Europe at least twice this year (next month and then again in Nov/Dec. Exchange rates... although we grumble some, they won't keep us from going.

Our SwissAir tickets were really quite reasonable for next month. Hope to find the same, or better, in searching for Nov/Dec rates!

Bon voyage...

Carol

rbnwdlr

Boo hoo, Disney World here we come....Bye, bye Roma, love ya like a mother. I'm actually considering getting a second job to pay for Europe!!! And I'm someone who never cared much for having even one job...

zoecat

I'm with you rbnwdlr! I am sure we will not be receiving raises this year (at least I survived the layoffs), so I will be making even less going forward. I cannot give up my Italy habit though- time for a second job!

dawnnoelm

Well, we are still going. Grumbling a bit but still going in December due to the airfare we had purchased a year ago and had to re-use. I imagine this is our last trip to Europe for a long time. Plenty for us to do and see here in the USA that will have to do!

seafox

Hey - at 1.50 it's at least easy to do the math for conversions....argh the Bush reign will not end soon enough!

dawnnoelm

I just wonder if I should start buying Euros... will it keep going up???? I leave in December... sigh long time.

mcnyc

Travelnut, sorry. I don't think the airlines are willing to play the supply/demand game right now.

They're going to continue to cry poor, get government bailouts, and continue to charge us what they want, with an add on for the 9/11 security charges, fuel, and pretty soon, tips for the plane crew, including the captain.

Pinchme_iam_dreaming

The truth about European travel and the exchange rate of Dollars to Euros is simple. If your budget is so tight that an increase of 12% over last year or 17% over 2 or 3 years ago is so close you may not be able to swing it... then don't go. I spent $6,500.00 last year when the Euro averaged about $1.39. If it goes to $1.60 this Sept I will spend another $900.00 for the same trip. That's just an extra $69.00 a month I have to save! Big deal. Save a little more... spend a little less. It's that simple.

traveller1959

The weak dollar will not affect tourism significantly.

American tourists are a neglectable quantity for practically all European countries. They may account for 1 or 2% of all travellers, not more (even if they like to focus on just a few destinations in Europe). I remember, how much posters from the USA were puzzled when they learned in a recent thread that the number of travellers visiting Hamburg is much greater than of those coming to Venice.

Europeans have largely reduced their travels to the USA in spite of the falling dollar because they are treated so bad by U.S. immigration & security.

Flights will not become less expensive because tourists form a small minority of passengers on transatlantic flights.

rex

See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35105621

Visit Germany over Easter weekend for total airfare cost of only $309! That should help with the bad exchange rate!

Best wishes,

Rex

mariebut

Sorry to say but us Australian travellers are thrilled with the currency movements at the moment with AUS/USD nearly the same and the AUS/EURO at .63 and AUS/GBP at .47. It costs us SO SO much to travel anywhere overseas so for once the dollar and EURO are in our favour which means we may be able to spend more when in your beautiful countries!! which then helps your economies.

WillTravel

Europeans are not thrilled about having a high Euro:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/mai.../cneuro128.xml

xyz123

Remember, what goes up, must come down...it's only a question of when.

Carta_Pisana

this is just another chapter in bubble economics...

Henda

In my opinion you still have nothing to complain about. Our exchange rate is 1:11.22€ and I still go. If you love to travel you spend less on other things. So no new curtains of gadgets, as long as I can save I will go. Will be going in May for 3 weeks and next year's trip is already taking shape.But, of course is would be nicer if the exchage rates were better.

travelme

"I will spend another $900.00 for the same trip. That's just an extra $69.00 a month I have to save! Big deal" Pincheme I am dreaming.
Wake up and smell the coffee, and stop dreaming! How inconsiderate and presumtuous of you to think that everyone is in the position to just pay $900 more for a trip. Maybe an extra $69 more a month might be tight for some people. With $900 2 people can fly to another destination. Yes, a second trip!