What is the current rate of exchange from dollars to euros? How many euros do you get for every $100.00 U.S.?

How is the low rate of exchange affecting tourism to Italy from the U.S., Latin America and other non euro using countries?

I haven't checked in the last day or two but it was $1.46 U.S. per euro. It will have an effect on my visit in 13 days-can't help but effect it since I'm not rich. Last Feb on my visit it was 1.34 U.S. per euro if I remember correctly. So now 100 euros are $146 instead of $134.
James

Grazie James e che peccato per noi!

Just a quick follow up, euro's are 1.56 per my bank's exchange rate when my wife place order today. I guess that's about .68 euros per dollar

Just last night one of my students said this is not the year to go to Italy for Americani.

Probably not what people want to hear but for me the falling dollar has sort of been a wash. I live in DC area and have a rental house in Abruzzo. The house is paid off and I have very few expenses there. So when people rent the house and give me euros it is all the better for me. The slightly lower number of inquiries from Americans has more than been offset by the increase in Brits, Australian, etc.

Casale

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Check out that site for current currency conversions.

It most definitely is cheaper to travel TO the US then away from it. I dont believe it is a huge factor though. If people want to really travel they will still do it. It is not a significant enough change to show a major change in plans for most people. IMO

I agree with JoeItalia7 - a slight fall or rise in any currency may make a difference as to what tourists purchase whilst abroad, but you would have to be pretty shallow to base an entire holiday purely based on a 1-15% variance in currency exchange.

I would doubt many people would plan a holiday to Italy on price alone - some things are above monetary value. If you just want the weather, booze and beaches on the cheap - get a package deal to Spain, otherwise pay the price and get some real culture here!

It has gotten worse since this thread started, obviously.
I recently heard Rick Steves (US based european travel pundit) say that while the US tourists will decline, tourism prices in the EU's tourist centers would not. The US tourists will simply be replaced by newly wealthy Indians, Russians and Chinese tourists.
He runs a EU tour operation as well, which is pre paid well in advance in US $, so his customers are impacted less than the independeant traveler, like me. His tours are nearly sold out for 2008, however.

We have plans, tickets and partial payments already is, so we are coming regardless, but we will be forced to cut expenses when we can.

Capsu78 - "tourism prices in the EU's tourist centers" will not change purely because they can't - Europe deals in Euros (except the UK), and they can't easily reduce their prices to compensate for a temporary drop in the US dollar against the Euro, as their bills have to paid in Euros.

The pundit who says American tourists/visitors will be replaced by others from Russia/China or wherever is not quite correct - other, monied people may help with the downturn in US tourists, but the US$ will bounce back soon enough, so I would doubt American tourists will ever be replaced.