The travel industry is a global marketplace, and the events of
Sept. 11 were felt across the world. For Europe, which had welcomed
increasing numbers of Americans during much of the 1990s, there was
a sudden and dramatic drop in arrivals. Katerina Pavlitova, Director USA, Czech Tourist Authority,
shares an insider's view of what was going on at U.S.-based
European tourist boards this past year:
It must be said that many European destinations were getting a
free ride throughout the 1990s. We were seeing unprecedented
figures in transatlantic travel, and we didn't have to work
extremely hard for it. Some of us, anyway.
And 9/11 just brought an abrupt end to that. I believe 9/11 was
a huge psychological shift that will have effects for years to
come. It caused the impulse to stay home, be safe, be with your
family and not go anywhere you might feel exposed.
"American travelers are looking today at just how comfortable
they are with the political orientation of a country, how friendly
the destination is. So we really need to make people feel not only
safe in Europe, but welcome, too. People are extremely thin-skinned
about any sign that European governments may not support what the
U.S. is doing, or that they might potentially be targets for
unfriendly remarks or attitudes.
I think that the patriotism that this has brought is going to
last. I think that people do feel that they are doing their duty by
spending their vacations in the U.S., by supporting the American
economy, especially when the economy is not doing so well.
We [U.S.-based heads of tourist boards] are not being helped by
the fact that a lot of the decision-makers for European
destinations are based in Europe -- ultimately, we don't have the
final say. The people back home all want to take the safe route,
which is, "Let's not spend money on marketing in the U.S. because
it's very uncertain and costs a lot of money. Let's just focus on
Europe." And this has harmed us. That's the second blow that none
of us needed. It has become extremely difficult for U.S.-based
European tourist boards to get funding, not just emergency funding,
but ongoing marketing funds for the U.S.
Many destinations in Europe are very frustrated with the
American market. They have not seen returns for the past year, for
obvious reasons.
Nobody is really surprised at that, but they are frustrated.
They do feel that this is a lucrative market, but not at all
costs.
For additional coverage, see:
• Travel execs see industry at a crossroads
• Post-Sept.11, a new norm is taking shape
• Travel industry shows signs of resilience
• Airlines still in crisis mode one year later
• Yields pay price for heavy discounting
• TW agent poll: Better times are coming