One of the reasons I still went ahead with my european travel plans, inspite of 9/11 and the higher ticket prices, is that I could still get a good deal because of the strong dollar. But as you can see that is changeing. Analysts predict that the Euro will become much, much stronger. That certainly will but a halt on many peoples travel plans. Of course everything else is already much more expensive in Europe. I'm interrested in your predictions of future travels abroad.

I cant believe it Janet! I was just about to post about the weakening dollar too! What a bummer! I noticed that the dollar has dropped a few cents just in the last week. Im going to Europe this summer and was also counting on the dollar being at around 113. to the euro. Its at 109.today It makes a difference!

Not being sarcastic, but does it really make a difference to people's travel plans if the Euro is at 1.09 USD or 1.13 USD? Can't imagine it's worth the trouble worrying about it at those rates.

Ooops, should read ".87USD or .91 USD."

well You all voted for GWB. What did you expect?

The weakening dollar won't change my plans, but this post did cause me to recheck the exchange rate from when I first book my hotel room in Paris. It will now cost $9 a day more than it orginally did.

Wel, actually, MOST of us didn't!

Hey Euro Shmuro,<BR>The thing is that that is quite a drop in a matter of days! The dollar should have gone up again in the last day or so but it didnt. This leads me to believe that by June, July, or August when most of us will be travelling, the dollar might even see a more significant drop in value. This would suck!!!!

Whoa! Whoa! Hold your horses! The Euro has risen about three cents against the U. S. dollar during the past month...following a steep decline against the dollar during the past six months. Currencies, like stocks and many other financial instruments, tend to overshoot on the down side as well as on the up side. Don't get your knickers in a twist, dear travelers to Europe. Many European currencies are vastly overvalued against the dollar; for example, the British pound (outside the Euro area), the French franc, the Swiss franc, and all the Scandinavian currencies. Low-cost countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Eastern nations. Should these over-valuations affect your travel plans in any major way? Hardly. Find ways to economize, but certainly don't let these currency swings ruin your trip. We always find ways to "beat the system." There literally are dozens and dozens of ways. Doubt that? Read Rick Steves' web site, for example. Prediction: the Euro will within the coming year trade at par with the dollar, and there still will be many ways to enjoy a European holiday ... and at considerably less cost than to enjoy a sojourn of equal length in the U. S.

Al, there is actually very little to enjoy when you have to travel on a tight budget. If you have planned your trip months in advance and budget in a certain amount for lodging, food and transportation, and then have your money so steeply devalued, it sure makes a difference. Also, with the intro to the Euro many hotels, restaurants, and shops have increased their prices. Just wait and see, you will see the difference and it will hurt!!

I'm with Al's take on this. On trips in the mid-90s, we were looking at something in the neighborhood of 4.75 French Francs per U.S. dollar. The current rate would translate into a 7+ FF range. The Euro and the underlying national currencies prior to the conversion this year were weak for a lengthy stretch of time. U.S. travelers have benefitted mightily. But we're not talking about really getting beat up on the exchange rate because even at par (which has not happened yet) it would STILL be considerably better than what we were seeing just a few short years ago.

Steve: I sympathize with you; it hurts to find your money not going as far as you had planned. Either abroad or here at home. But I have a problem seeing as how the dollar has been "steeply devalued," as you suggest. A few cents vs. the Euro, yes. Steeply? No. We are in the early stages of a downward shift in value of the U.S. dollar, in my opinion based on years in the banking business and a long interest in international economics. Why has this downward shift occurred? Like most revaluations, it is largely a matter of perceptions. Our economy remains strong overall. We are slowly coming out of a business slowdown. Government spending for many reasons -- some good, some not good -- has begun to skyrocket. Our government has chosen to move from surplus to deficit. America's balance of payments in world trade continues its decades-long deficit slide. Foreign lenders sense that their holdings in U.S. bonds will become less valuable (and they are right). Interest rates here are about at their ebb. We will have to pay foreign lenders (we refuse to pay our own debts through increased taxes on American taxpayers, in other words) more to salve their fears. We remain an importer of capital, so we must pay up. All this sound familiar? Sure. And the result is a lower dollar. Who will pay? Look in any mirror.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

The 4 cents per Euro difference may total as much as $1200 on my three months in Europe. But in 2000, that's about the same amount I gained between the time I booked in the fall and the time I went in the summer. It all averages out -- I just had that extra $1200 to play with for two years.

I expect to spend about $3,000 for my two weeks in Italy. Even a 4% drop in the USD to the EURO would only amount to $120.00. I am also on a budget, but if a couple of hundred dollars would make or break my vacation I had better stay home. I will probably spend that much on espresso and gelato during my stay. I got a $600 r/t Denver-Chicago-Rome, so I have a little room to play with.

Then go to the UK, if 4 cents on the dollar really makes a difference to you. The pound costs about $1.41 as of May 2, down from $1.45 not too long ago.<BR><BR>If your travel plans are based on currency exchange rates, then you really should just stay home or go to Canada.<BR><BR>

"What goes up, must come down"<BR>Who remembers when the US$ was worth 10 Frecnh Francs in the mid 80's? Anyone complained then?<BR>It's all part of life and it helps to remind us that we're part of a big world.

ttt

At the end of John McLaughlin show on PBS tonight, Pat Buchanan (not my favorite contributor there) - - predicted the "collapse" of the US dollar in the second half of 2002 - - based on growing trade deficit.<BR><BR>Hope he is wrong (I think I hope that - - I realize that it will help SOME industries).<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

ttt

I agree with Suzy; I believe if you will check, the majority of Americans did not vote for GWB.