TRAVEL INSIDER
Travelers to Europe defy the weak dollar
Finding ways to beat higher costs of European destinations
The timing is right for Linda Pepin to go Italy next month with her sister and sisters-in-law, and nothing is going to stop her -- certainly not the weak dollar.
"We're all in our 50s and 60s. It's the right moment to go. ... Life is ephemeral. I don't want to be in my 80s thinking I didn't go to Europe because I didn't want to spend an extra $200 on airfare.
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"The reality is that we are all getting a little older," she says. "Someone could need a knee operation or a hip operation next year."
Pepin is planning to spend two weeks in Italy this month, and she expects to spend about $600 or $700 above what she had figured would be a $4,000 trip because of the poor exchange rate. A couple of weeks ago, she said, "reality hit" when she went into the bank and spent $680 to get 400 lire.
The extra cost of the trip will be significant, she said, but in the scope of her life, it won't mean nearly as much as taking this trip.
With the dollar so weak in Europe, you might expect to see fewer Americans interested in going to those countries, but most local travel agents and national experts say European travel is as strong as ever, perhaps even stronger.
"We thought for sure that [Europe] would sort of bomb this summer," said Susan Forslund of Sundial Travel. "We really did, but we aren't seeing it. It seems like every day another person is coming in and asking for Ireland or Italy."
Ken Sause, owner of Travelworks, concurred: "Italy is crazy. France and Italy are way up."
Why are Americans so interested in traveling to Europe, even when they'll have to pay a lot more?
"There are many reasons, I think," said Sause. "It's heritage. More and more people are in their 60s. They want to see where Grandma or Grandpa came from."
"Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America. You can still get a terrific meal there for $10, but most people in our area are not connected to South America."
Of all the European destinations, Sause said, he is finding that Italy is the most popular, probably because of its "good food, the weather and the magnificent cities."
Paul Largay of Largay Travel said, "There's such a variety of attractions and sights and sounds in Europe. They want to see the antiquities, the magnificent villas, the spectacular restaurants and historical sites. There is something for everyone.
"You can easily navigate a country in seven to 10 days and get a sense that you've seen it and not feel like you are on an aerobic tour."
Forslund said Europe also feels safer and more familiar, compared with other destinations.
Some agents are reporting that clients are reacting to rising costs.
Rose Frett of Dream Travel and Escape said fewer of her clients are going to Europe this year. She said she has more choosing instead to go to South America and the Caribbean.
The No. 1 reason her clients aren't going to Europe is the weak dollar, Frett said. The rising price of airfare is also a factor.
Sause, Largay and other experts say, however, that many travelers who choose Europe take steps to economize.
For instance, they are saving money by signing up for package deals -- river cruises or escorted bus tours -- which they can pay in advance in American dollars.
Cruising for bargains
Arnie Weissmann, editor and chief of "Travel Weekly," a national newspaper for the travel industry, said so many cruise lines have moved their ships to Europe that there is a bit of "softness in the cruise area."
In addition, he said, many of the tour companies printed their brochures last summer and "basically locked in rates based on mid-2007 for 2008."
A package is "probably the best way to see Europe, if you are trying to get some value. You're not able to touch it by doing it by components."
Mike Pina, director of public relations for AAA, said the tour-booking fees for Europe are actually up 5 percent from last year at this point. He said the top European destinations are London, Rome, Dublin, Paris and Athens. "All of those destinations are linked to the euro," he said.
He has an additional theory for Europe's popularity: People are interested in going to Europe because many got passports last year -- they are now required to fly to Canada, Mexico and much of the Caribbean -- and so now they are thinking about other destinations.
Eastern Europe cheaper
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