Americans aren't ugly as tourists anymore

And American travelers can bask in that feeling right now. Because all across the globe, there are people who want us. Really want us.

Yes, we Americans, we normally "ugly Americans," are looking très attractive to countries that have, for one reason or another, been suffering from our dearth of visits.

Could we ever have imagined, six months ago, the French wanting to celebrate our Independence Day? It's true. The four-star Victoria Palace Hotel in Paris was offering a free night for American visitors on July 4.

"This is the hotel's way of saying that Americans will always be welcome in Paris," the news release explained. "And regardless of the tensions among the upper echelons of government on either side of the Atlantic, the Frenchman on the street will not turn his back on two centuries of friendship with the people of the United States."

In the first quarter of 2003, a slow economy, a general fear of travel during wartime, and reactions by American Jewish groups to a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in France depressed travel to the country by 15 percent to 20 percent, according to the French Government Tourist Office. France's refusal to back the United States in the war with Iraq was the final straw for many Americans, some of whom wanted to boycott the country, others of whom were afraid of how they would be welcomed.

The French today are waving an olive branch, as you'll notice on the official Web site, www.francetourism.com, where Patrick Goyet, director of the French Government Tourist Office in the United States, addresses American concerns.

"I would first like to emphasize that Americans have always been and will always be welcome in France," he writes.

Goyet points to France's gift of the Statue of Liberty in 1886 as evidence of the longstanding friendship between the two countries. And Goyet assures us that the French do remember the U.S. role in liberating the country from the Nazis - something many a tourist has muttered under his or her breath after an encounter with a rude Parisian.

"We are aware that some Americans worry that they might be unwelcome in France," Goyet writes. "To the contrary, the French have gone out of their way to make Americans feel especially welcome."

Throughout the country, nearly 6,000 billboards bear the message, "Bonjour," reminding locals to welcome visitors. And the tourism office is giving 60,000 tourism professionals pointers about good manners and good service.

The Web site has testimonials from visitors who say how friendly the French are these days - this in itself might be a new tourist attraction.

"France has implemented a very successful zero tolerance policy towards these kinds of shameful attacks," he said, noting that Nicolas Sarkozy, the French Minister of the Interior, recently received the Simon Wiesenthal Center 2003 Tolerance Prize for his work in combating anti-Semitism in France.

The French are ready to demonstrate their hospitality through a new campaign targeting American visitors. The "Let's fall in love again" program features discounts being offered exclusively to Americans. Its spokesman, oddly enough, is Woody Allen.

Allen, who is Jewish, said that he "never felt the French people were in any way anti-Semitic." The filmmaker, not exactly a model American during the last several years, has long had affection for France. In his 2002 film, "Hollywood Ending," Allen plays a filmmaker whose latest movie bombs at home and is a hit in France. His agent tells him: "Here, you're a bum, there you're a genius." Allen responds: "Thank God the French exist."

Deals exclusive to Americans visiting France now through Dec. 15 include round-trip fares on Air France starting at $354 (www.airfrance.com), and rail fares as much as 50 percent off (www.raileurope.com).

Several hotel chains are offering "three for the price of two night" deals. All 100 Abotels in France are offering a 25 percent discount for Americans. Les Relais de Paris are offering a 10 percent discount, plus a complimentary American-style breakfast in place of the usual croissant and coffee. At the Royal Monceau et Vernet Hotels, Americans will get a free bottle of champagne, and perks such as upgrades, fruit, and flowers, with a minimum stay of three nights.

All Flo Brasseries in Paris offer Americans a 10 percent discount on any prix fixe menu. Stay at the Hyatt Regency Paris-Charles de Gaulle the night before your departure and get the hotel's Last Night in Paris special that includes a special rate and limousine transport from your hotel to the Hyatt, right near the airport. Check the France tourism Web site under the France Revisited: Let's Fall in Love Again section.

France is not the only European country seeing fewer American tourists. This year, national tourist boards across the continent are predicting a fall in U.S. visitors of 10 percent to 12 percent compared with 2002. The decline is especially significant because Americans are the biggest spenders among all foreign tourists, on average dropping more than $20 billion a year in Europe, according to the European Travel Commission. The commission's Web site, www.visiteurope.com, lists discounts and promotions throughout the continent.

VisitBritain, the country's official tourism agency, has launched a $2-million advertising campaign directed at the American market: "The deals? Never sweeter. The time? Never better. The U.S. and Britain. Never closer."

The country is offering deep discounts on everything from hotels to rail travel to car rentals. Deals are listed on the Web at www.visitbritain.com/2003. Among those available, through Aug. 1, is a six-night package, including accommodations, airfare on American Airlines, and breakfast, for $636 per person, based on double occupancy.

Toronto has been working hard to revive a tourism industry ravaged by the recent SARS outbreak. After the World Health Organization issued an advisory against travel to the city, hotels, restaurants, and attractions were nearly empty of visitors, and conventions and meetings were canceled in droves. The Greater Toronto Hotel Association estimates that the city's hotels have lost $125 million because of SARS.

The Ontario government is investing more than $130 million to boost tourism. High-profile events, such as the recent Concert for Toronto, which drew more than 70,000 people, and a concert by the Rolling Stones, scheduled for July 30, have been organized to promote the city.

Airlines and hotels are offering package deals to the city. Air Canada, for instance, has a $429 per person package including airfare and three nights at the four-star Westin Harbour Hotel. Call (800) 254-1000, or visit http://aircanada.gogowwv.com for information.

Various Toronto attractions are also joining forces to offer rock-bottom deals, such as a $60 package that includes a top-priced ticket to either "The Lion King" or "Mamma Mia!," prime seats at a Blue Jays game at the SkyDome, and a three-course meal in a top restaurant. Add $28 for accommodations. The deal is available from the Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales theaters, (800) 775-4379.

The tourism devastation because of SARS is much more widespread in Asia, of course. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimated that SARS will cost travel-related industries in Asia about $10 billion. Since WHO lifted its warning about travel to Hong Kong and the rest of China on April 30, China and other Asian countries have begun a huge campaign to rebuild tourism. The Pacific-Asian Travel Association earlier this month launched its $500,000 Project Phoenix, using celebrities from around the region to encourage people to travel again. The Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian, and Singapore governments have all committed millions of dollars for tourism promotion. Hong Kong is spending $53 million on marketing.

In Vietnam, the Vietnamese National Carrier is offering discounts of up to 75 percent off regular fares. Four- and five-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City are offering one free night for every two booked.

Singapore Airlines has a new $579 Singapore Plus package, including airfare to Singapore from New York and three nights at a five-star lodging with transfers, breakfast, and some tours. Three-night add-ons to Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam are $399. Book by July 12 for travel through Aug. 31. Information: (877) 523-0560; www.asianaffairholidays.com.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board lists packages from many tour operators at www.discoverhongkong.com. Pleasant Holidays, for instance, is offering a five-night package for $699 through Aug. 31 that includes round-trip airfare on Cathay Pacific from New York and accommodations at the Ramada Hotel Kowloon.

Cathay Pacific has shaved $500 off its $1,199 All Asia Pass, which offers flights from New York to Hong Kong, and then to any of 17 other Asian cities during a three-week period. The pass must be bought by July 31, for travel from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, and is available only through travel agencies. Cathay is also giving away more than 10,000 free tickets as contest prizes worldwide, to support the tourism board's Hong Kong Welcomes You! campaign. For information: (800) 233-2742 or www.cathaypacific.com.

For those of us who haven't yet made our summer travel plans, the cry of "Yankee, come back" may indeed be music to our ears.

I find it very hard to believe that French tourism is down only 20%. If I live to be 100, I'll never understand them using WOODY ALLEN!! Tres idiotic.

Lets be honest here. They don't want us. They want our money. If you ever want to take a vacation and not spend a lot of money and truly be appreciated in a country that is beautiful. Go to Ireland. The Irish have to be some of the most hospitable on the planet and it is very reasonable. I have never met anyone who did not love their vacation in Ireland. Full disclosure: my grandparents were Irish. :-)

"...The Frenchman on the street will not turn his back on two centuries of friendship with the people of the United States."

Yeah, that was so apparent when they protested us before Gulf 2 began. {/sarcasm}

We were going to visit Germany for the first time for our 10th anniversary this spring.

We chose to go to the western US instead.

Not sure we are even interested in going to Europe anymore. (OK, maybe England someday.)

Never France!

The country is offering deep discounts on everything from hotels to rail travel to car rentals. Deals are listed on the Web at www.visitbritain.com/2003. Among those available, through Aug. 1, is a six-night package, including accommodations, airfare on American Airlines, and breakfast, for $636 per person, based on double occupancy.

Ooooo - I'm going to the website NOW!!

Thanks for the info. My son's HS band is performing at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin next year. We're all looking forward to going.

I just saw an ad for Spanish products and tourism, the new slogan of which is: "Spain - your friend in Europe."

I love it! Because, of course, Spain was probably our strongest friend, next to Britain.

Forget France and go to Spain (or Ireland, which wasn't very vocal, but was pretty supportive, too).

"This is the hotel's way of saying that Americans will always be welcome in Paris,"

And my not being there was my way of saying, "Stick it, froggy!!"

Yeah, I liked Ireland a lot too. Very beautiful place. The people, however, are no better than any other Euros. Even back in 1990, talking to them was like getting a Chomsky lecture, and half of them seem convinced that AIDS was invented in a laboratory in Texas by Evil Republican Christians bent on destroying "undesirables." In other words, the country is lovely but the people are nuts.

"...The ~~Frenchman~~ German bastards on the street will not turn his back on two centuries of friendship with the people of the United States."

"In Vietnam, the Vietnamese National Carrier is offering discounts of up to 75 percent off regular fares. Four- and five-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City are offering one free night for every two booked."

Unfortunately, the Hanoi Hilton was free.....

The best thing in Ireland that I found when visiting last November was the vegetable soup.

Their museums were ok, but they didn't have a lot of information displayed about what you were looking at and the possible history behind it. Mostly just a name tag.
They wanted people to buy the museum books which detailed everything, and you weren't allowed to take photographs. Sucked.

The country was pretty, but the endless miles of stone walled green fields and peat bogs got boring after awhile.

I still prefer the US where I can hop on the interstate and travel 900 miles a day and view the astonishing changes in landscape as I pass through multiple States and towns. More interesting to me.

14 posted on 07/28/2003 8:24:42 AM PDT by Chewbacca ("You're not paid to think. A mindless worker is a happer worker! Shut up and do your job.")

"I just saw an ad for Spanish products and tourism, the new slogan of which is: "Spain - your friend in Europe."

Spain is magnificent, the people are like the weather - warm and friendly - and prices are comparatively cheap. And English will get you by in all but the smallest of towns. Plus, there are large ex-pat communities of English and Germans, largely for the balmy weather. OK, 117 degrees in Sevilla isn't zackly balmy, but then Sevilla is the hottest city in Europe.

We'd recommend Spain to anyone and everyone.

Michael

In other words: Yankees, come back, we need your money.

To which I reply:

Up yours.

Go to Ireland. The Irish have to be some of the most hospitable on the planet and it is very reasonable. I have never met anyone who did not love their vacation in Ireland. Full disclosure: my grandparents were Irish. :-)

I have heard the same about Spain. Full disclosure: My grandparents on both sides were off the boat from Ireland.

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