Is there less interest in traveling to Europe in 2017?

[Cary Cruiser]

We originally had a land tour to Croatia planned for next year. Our tour operator, GCT recently cancelled that itinerary, and about 4 other European trips for the entire year, citing a decreased lack of interest in travel to Europe. Next up on our list was their Rhone River cruise so I was happy to switch gears and hop on a river cruise (with a "free air" incentive). I know tourism in France, and particularly Paris has been suffering, but do you think interest in traveling to Europe as a whole is diminished?

[nancyevans]

With the pound down against the US dollar, there may be more interest in the UK. I just got back from Scotland last week where the pound fell to a new low while we were there. We traveled on our own. Most museums in Glasgow were free; public transport is cheap and frequent; there are senior discounts on travel and entry fees and, most importantly, the people were friendly especially Glaswegians.

[Hoyaheel]

I spent a week in Portugal last month and one of the tour guides we spoke with said that in his area, tourism was up 25% in August - it was a very busy month for them (which is great, as Portugal has had one of the more depressed economies in the EU)

 

The exchange rate (for Europe & the UK) is still great for Americans - certainly I view it as a great time to visit:D I've seen some good cruise specials but not really great airfare (eg most years there are great ex-US fares to Europe around Thanksgiving - this year, nope) Alas, we're going to Asia on a cruise in Nov/Dec so probably won't be doing another big trip in the near future - but never say never ;-) 2018 is my husband's 50th birthday, though, so we're trying to keep 2017 low key....

Edited October 13, 2016 by Hoyaheel

[Missus Makkem]

Great news for us that live in Europe then, we will have the river boats to ourselves.

[CPT Trips]

We also had a GCT trip scheduled for March canceled, Old World Prague and the Blue Danube. They said it was due to low sales. We were quite pleased to change to the same trip, with no additional cost, in April/May as the weather should be better.

[pinotlover]

I've read that advance 2017 bookings for most of our national and state parks are at an all time high. Inexpensive gas prices are putting people back on the road again here in the good ole US of A. One travel agency talked about how we now have an entire new generation of travelers that has seen very little of the US and they are now turning their sights on visiting here now, more than going abroad. Our neighbors are renting an RV for a month next summer and taking the grandkids on a trip to Mt. Rushmore, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Glacier Nat. Park, and several other locales. They say the month's trip will cost less for all of them than a week's river boat cruise for two in Europe. Their grandkids have never seen any of that country, and they haven't been to Yellowstone in over 20 years and never to the other destinations.

 

High international airfares were also listed as a reason of more domestic travel. Tickets to Europe are now = or > than going to China!

 

Some are putting of trips to Europe because of all the highly publicized terrorist activities. I believe it has hurt and no of several that have cancelled plans to travel to Europe in 2017, especially France and the Southern nations.

[scluvsrain]

Guess I am bucking the trend. I've got 3 back to back trips to Europe planned next Summer. First up a 20 day North Cape ocean cruise out of Amsterdam, then a 14 day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, followed by a 12 day land tour in France - Paris, Normandy, Giverny, etc. ocean cruise on Holland America, the river and land tours on Tauck. It will be my first river cruise and first organized land tour too.

 

 

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[ewizabeff]

Guess I am bucking the trend.

 

Me too. We're off to Amsterdam/Germany next month, and then France in July 2017. I don't understand the airfare argument....if I want to fly economy, I can get a roundtrip ticket from Chicago to many major European cities for under $500.

[Barrheadlass]

Me too. We're off to Amsterdam/Germany next month, and then France in July 2017. I don't understand the airfare argument....if I want to fly economy, I can get a roundtrip ticket from Chicago to many major European cities for under $500.

 

I as well. Leaving for Italy in 3 weeks...my fourth trip this year to Europe...well, one of my trips was to Bhutan and Nepal. Have 3 trips booked for 2017...Rhine cruise, Scandinavia trip, and trip to Patagonia.

[caviargal]

We have two trips booked to Europe for 2017 and will likely add a third. In 2 weeks, we will be leaving for our 4th trip to Europe this year.

 

Between the exchange rate and good flight prices, we will go as often as we can.

[notamermaid]

I have not heard anything about a diminishing interest in Germany. The official tourism board publication for Germany is confident that the interest in travelling to Germany will grow in the next few years, seeing that there will be more people getting close to retirement age and have time to travel for a longer period. I tend to think that for all of Europe there will be a shift away from France and Turkey towards other countries, mainly the UK due to the favourable exchange rate. I have certainly already profited from it (private imports)!

 

According to statistics by the German Tourist Board, London is the US-American's favourite tourism town in Europe followed by Paris. 16 Percent of all US-Americans have German ancestors which can be an incentive to visit the country of their ancestors.

 

My opinion is that there could well be a shift in river cruises away from the Seine, mainly as Paris is the embarkation port, towards other rivers like the Rhine, like Crystal has demonstrated with their "re-deployment" of their new-builts as stated in a press release earlier this year. River cruising is a small market compared to other ways of travel.

 

Apart from a few destinations that stick out in recent travelling habits of US-Americans I cannot see a great change in the overall statistics for all ways of travel for next year happening. At least it is not predicted by officials in Germany (those that carefully monitor what people across the big pond like to do in their leisure time).

 

Oh, and what is the US-Americans favourite German town rated in the number of overnight stays? ... Berlin, with Munich (not a close) second!

 

notamermaid

[terry&mike]

It hasn't changed for me, nor for the people I know who are travelers. Like the posters before, I currently have 2 trips to Europe planned for next year, and 1 to South America, and will add a 3rd trip to Europe if the right opportunity/deal presents itself.