High price of European Travel May Encourage US Vacationers to Look Homeward
An article in USA TODAY reports that after bouncing back a bit last year, the U.S. dollar has resumed its multi-year slide against the euro, just as the heavy summer vacation season kicks into gear. The greenback has dropped more than 6% in just the past three weeks — making everything from croissants in Paris to Vatican tickets in Rome that much more expensive for Americans
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The article by Gene Sloan reports that the decline has pushed the cost of a euro back up to $1.27, not far from its peak in 2005 and a dizzying 50% higher than five year years ago.
“You're dealing with $100-plus taxis, $50 per-person meals at a basic neighborhood cafe, $8 beers, and much higher rates than here on rental cars and gasoline," says Tim Leffel, author of The World's Cheapest Destinations.
As we have previously reported, hotel rates have risen sharply in major travel destinations in the US this year. While that USA Today article suggests other cheaper destinations, such as Eastern Europe, we suugest that this is a good year for vacationers to stay in North America and look for a reasonalby priced vacation rental on VRO or other directories
