Anyone re-thinking European vacation due to weak $ ?
 

With the administration removing support for the USD, European expenses in dollar terms are 20-25% higher than they were just last year. Seems as though travel to Europe is off (judging by the persistence of low airfares).

Curious if anyone will use their budget for "more" vacation elsewhere.

I'm still going to Italy/France this summer. Sure, the dollar is weaker but with fewer Americans heading to Europe, the demand for accomodations has weakened. Thus, prices have fallen in some places. I've found some tremendously good deals in southern France...

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Well, weekend rates at 4- and 5-star hotels that a couple of years ago would have given me that tingly great-bargain feeling, all of a sudden don't look like such tremendous deals anymore. My travel volume hasn't decreased any because of it. In fact, with deep-discount airfares persisting unusually late into the spring this year, I've been crossing the pond more often than usual. So although I've been forgoing Leading Hotels of the World properties in favor of places like the local Renaissance, I've been spending more nights than in years past.

No, I'm still planning a six week stay in Italy. Fewer travellers is a better situation for me.

I've made a couple of trips to Europe recently and haven't found prices nearly as high as I expected due to the incredibly shrinking dollar.

I too am off to France soon and am glad now that most everything has been paid for in advance. I'd also wanted to use a SPG50 at the Prince de Galles, but am now happy they only had full awards.

Flights to Europe have been so cheap this summer that the savings there can certainly help make up for the extra costs in other areas.

No plans are changing. I just try to make it up in other areas of my budget. If not, then it is just the cost of travel.

Starpoints for hotels and US Air miles for the flights! This is one trip to Italy I am glad is "prepaid".

My extended weekend trip to Paris in July will be paid for in BA miles (Concorde) and Hyatt Gold Passport points, so other than a little shopping and my meals, I don't think that my trip will be considerably more expensive than where I will be coming from, having been in New York working the week prior.

While the devaluation would be of consideration for a longer trip, I certainly noticed a change in value between my 2000 to 2002 trips to Paris.

I wouldn't postpone a trip to Europe due to the weak dollar, as others have noted, there probably will be less crowds to contend with and perhaps, prices will come down in hopes of luring more tourists to visit the many wonderful European cities.

Yup. Yup. Yup.

More trips will be shorter by at least a day or two. I will do much the same with purchases I make here in the US. Pick it up, look at it and ask myself if I will love it when I get home and how I will feel about it six months from now.

Actually, I'm glad for once we are paying for our week rental in Rome in USD and concentrating on eating and drinking in.

I have most everything I need (save some more shoes and purses http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif), so we really don't spend lots of extra money while travelling. I think my dearest will even cut down on her book buying.

We will also start looking at using some of our SPG points for hotel stays in smaller markets. I used to want to hoard these, but not anymore, saving 100 or 200 USDs a day on a hotel in padova, bologna or sorrento adds up.


lala

Yes, with the $ falling, it's not worth the expense of travelling to Europe. This summer, I'm thinking about Vancouver.

I hear that Canada is beautiful and the people are really nice http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

If I end up in Europe in the near future, the hotels will be award stays.

Hey, look at it the other way around...I'm looking forward to some nice stays in the US this year http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif.

No, but I'll probably do less shopping there.

Definitely a minus factor. Will not even consider France due to their anti-American sentiment, though Italy is a possibility, especially if we see more $216 fares to Venice.

At this point, I am more likely to book Thailand or Argentina - the dollar is king in both those places and fares (particularly to Asia) are dirt cheap.