nina

So sitting home and being a martyr is going to do wonders for the travel industry and the US economy overall. Great news to add to an already bleak economic forecast.

I can understand if you have relatives who are actually in the armed forces, but what about the rest of you? Do you really think you are doing anyone any favors by staying home?

buckeyemom

I agree with nina. If people cower in their homes afraid, it is going to devastate the economy. Not to mention, put a lot of people who depend on tourist dollars out of work. I saw a terrorism expert on CNN the other day and he said the risks are still relatively low. You can't protect yourself from life or cower in fear. Life is for living. Live each day to the fullest. Why worry about things which you have no control over?

Ellen

Nina, are you trying to provoke an argument here? People being martyrs and sitting home ruining the economy? the economy has been in ruins for well over a year and was not forced into its decline due to lack of overseas travel. If you truly are interested, I am not traveling overseas until things calm down for several reasons--first, with this shaky economy I may not get a paycheck for the next several weeks. second, a vacation is supposed to be relaxing. If I have to spend hours or even days on the phone and in airports trying to rearrange flights home from Europe due to war related delays, that does not make for a happy camper. Third, maybe I can be of more use to my country HERE during a war than sunning myself on the riviera. Just my 1.5 cents.

Myrna

Ellen, chill out will ya? There are plenty of people who are canceling US travel plans also. Nina wasn't only referring to European travel. If people are not traveling because of money that is one thing but if people are not traveling because they are afraid that is entirely different and as the poster above said will put a lot more people out of work.

As for me, I am taking my family to Florida as usual for spring break. I am not afraid one iota because I walk with the Lord and he is in charge, not me.

Barthox

Hi there,

I read many posts (if not all) saying "Should we go on vacation outside the US?", but the contrary is really valid here in Europe!

People are re-considering travel to the US.

I'm part of the team organizing our yearly International Sales Conference, and this year it is planned at our headquarter in Wisconsin. Well we were asked to check if we could be reimbursed of hotel and airline costs if it were to be canceled. Some people have voiced concerns about flying US carrier!

Also, privately, I'm currently organizing my honeymoon in California and the South-West next October. Well, everybody in the family is trying to convince us to change plan! Personnaly, I don't see why a war in the persic gulf could endanger my stay in Yosemite!

Now, I do believe there's a slight chance of terrorist attacks on planes, but not big enough to keep me home!

cd

Well said Ellen
We have trips planned for April, June, and July and will take them because they are paid for. I am not afraid or fearful, but traveling when my country is at war is just not as much fun. The joy and excitement is not there and the priority of travel falls to a low on my list of what's important.

Loki

Barthox,

Good point. Slightly similar, my company does business in Israel and we used to joke somewhat about those required to travel to Israel not being too happy about it. I know Jewish families who go back and forth and people tell them they're crazy. Since things got worse we've elliminated travel to Israel all together so it's not an issue, but I can understand Europeans being apprehentious to travel to the U.S. at this time. While I'm not deterred, I bet most Americans would shy away from travel to another country "at war". Price of war...

Kate2

Well, I am pretty sure that most of us aren't traveling to Yemen or Saudi Arabia, that sort of place.
But once you are out of the USA, you are automatically in a little more danger than at home.
Three people were shot, two killed in oil fields, working in Yemen. If one goes out of the country, there is always the slightest risk that someone will harm you for being American.
While there are plenty of people content to just call names and bash Americans, there might be some who would go farther when the opportunity presents itself.
So while I do not urge anyone to stay home, I would definitely think about where I am going and how safe is it.
This is of course, my humble opinion.

E

I agree with Ellen, Cher and cd. Irrational fear is just that, and if your plans are already made, bought and paid for, you should by all means go. However, war has a way of sucking the joy out of things like vacations, and I, for one, would feel wrong disporting myself in, say, Orlando or Cannes, while others are fighting and dying. I'm not judging anyone else--it's a free country.

Myrna

DUH! You would be stupid to travel to the Mideast right now! Did you know that travel to Mexico is also dangerous? The Canadian equivalent of our state department strongly urged caution to their citizens traveling to Mexico, Costa Rico and a bunch of other countries right here in our own hemisphere. They are robbing and killing tourists in broad daylight in Mexican cities and putting drugs in people's drinks and either raping women or robbing tourists. No where in this world is 100% safe. Interesting, too the Canadian government warns of high crime rates right here in the USA in places like South Beach, New York etc. and Florida in general...

Tansy

I agree that there is a difference between cancelling plans that have already been made, and deciding not to make immediate travel plans in the first place.
I for one am keeping all my travel plans intact, and even making more plans for later this year and next year. I just don't feel that there's any reason to postpone, and I'm not afraid.
However, I can understand not wanting to be stranded away from home in the event of some sort of attack. Or taking a trip to such a remote spot that you may have trouble getting up to date info (if needed) on what's happening at home.

Ellen

Uh, Myrna--based on your last post *duh*, I don't believe I am the one who needs to 'chill out'. As for chilling, the atmosphere is cold enough right now thank you very much. I am devastated by another war and have absolutely lost the desire to travel anywhere to go sightseeing. I want to be home, listening to updates, hanging with my family, and hoping and praying that my home town of NYC is spared anymore grief. I am afraid everytime I walk past a major landmark here in the city. But I still live here and I still walk around. Spending thousands of dollars to be stressed out somewhere else is just not worth it at the moment. Maybe in 6 months we will have reason to celebrate. For now, the airlines are on their own. Sorry if that sounds cold, but that is the way it goes.

nina

Ellen, I'm not trying to start an arguement, I'm looking for valid reasons that people have for not traveling. I think having relatives who are fighting is a valid reason, and fear of separation from non adult children is also valid. To me, being of more use to your country by staying home (HOW???) is not. Do you anticipate being called upon during your 1 or 2 week vacation by the government to make some sort of significant contirbution to the war effort? Forgive me, but that reason sounds really off the wall.

My mother in law can't give me a valid reason for cancelling her trip to Italy. She went to boarding school there for 20 years, speaks fluent Italian and despite the fact that she was born in the US, is more Italian than American. She has friends there and a home there, yet she is afraid of getting "stranded". All her children are adults. Go figure, because I can't. I just think that if people try to think about what their fear is, they'll realize it's irrational.

ncgrrl

I just finalized vacation plans for June. Got a great airfare price. I don't know if it is because of war fears or airline bankruptcy fears.

My parents who lived through WWII are making plans for their vacation.

Maybe it's because we live in North Carolina? I don't think the terrorists will target my hometown, but I could be wrong. And I don't think the war will last until June (Desert Storm didn't last that long).

I wouldn't want to be stranded during my vacation, but I would handle the situation as best as possible. At least I would like to think that. I have had car breakdowns on roadtrips but I still take car trips.

Spike

Nina, for me, as long as I have my husband and children with me I feel safe. I'm not worried about flying on planes, but I do think that those many people who had some fear about flying before are having a hard time with it now. This impending war is terribly depressing and I feel absolutely horrible for the people of Iraq and our armed forces who are pawns caught up in a crazy man's greed, but by cancelling my vacation plans I am only affecting my own little family which desperately needs to spend some quality time together without CNN. I'm not advocating vacation for everyone, but we must remember to take care of ourselves and those around us and not let all the bad news on television ruin our lives. Children especially need to be assured they are safe and that their little worlds won't be affected by this war. I can't think of a better place to put my family's worries at ease than sitting on a beach in Hawaii building sandcastles together. A family vacation together has always been the best remedy for stress and difficult times for us.

Ellen

nina-so you have appointed yourself the authority on 'valid' reasons for someone cancelling or not taking a vacation during wartime. A little bit pushy, don't you think? If someone doesn't want to get stranded for whatever the reason, it is valid to THEM. If someone feels they could be more useful supporting businesses in their city (mine happens to be NY), during hard times, that is valid to THEM. If it sounds off the wall to you, tough. Your mother-in-law not wanting to be stranded somewhere away from familiar surroundings is valid to HER. I hope she stands up to your inquisition and authority and does what is best for her.

OliveOyl

Spike your post made me smile when you mentioned the very thing I've been thinking about for the past 1/2 hour or so...ever since I finished my workout. WHATEVER YOU ALL DO, TURN OFF CNN!! Get outside. Go for a walk. Hopefully some of you are seeing signs of spring. Enjoy life!

Good grief...I spent the past hour in the hotel's health club while CNN was on. I wasn't in the least fearful (we have an upcoming trip) when I went in, but after listening to their hype for the next hour, I was practically looking over my shoulder when I left. As I watched from my perch on the treadmill, cars pulled up the front drive and the occasional driver abandoned his vehicle in the circle just outside the front door to the lobby, dashing in on a quick errand. I began wondering if parking shouldn't be banned there now that we're in an Orange Alert level! lt; "Oh now there's a long black van parked out there there...duck! gt;" I swear, that station is mind poison, but then if you are charged with reporting news 24 hrs a day, what are you going to do but look at it from every conceivable angle, including inside out, chewed it up and spit it back out again. We need to take care not to get caught up in it though, to keep things in perspective! A terrorist has succeeded in his mission if he causes us to over-react simply out of fear of what he MIGHT do.

Suzie

Olive,

The news is crazy for the war. Since you are a bit east of me you got the president's speech later in your evening. For us it was 5:00. After the speech ABC went to "All Sadaam All the Time" Or All Iraq, whatever. It was obvious that they had been preparing for this for some time so they could be the first to go wall to wall with the news. Short answer is to turn off the TV. Kids are already afaid and the schools think it's their duty to expose them to more of it. Ugh.

Ryan

There is a simple answer, in times of uncertainty and potential turmoil, most people like to be in their own home. There is a comfort that comes with the familiarity of surroundings.

CoCo_Chanel

After reading through this post, truth to tell, I'm a little afraid of nina!