Posted on 03/07/2008 2:21:36 PM PST by WesternCulture
Danes have always loved the US as a travel destination. But with the dollar at its lowest point in 30 years, residents are now gobbling up the many discount offers being pitched by the nation's travel companies.
Several travel bureaus are reporting increases of up to 140 percent on sales of trips to the states, where Danes can feel like wealthy plantation barons. In the past two years, the dollar has fallen from a value of 6.4 kroner to a shocking 4.8 kroner today - its lowest point since 1977.
Weekend trips to New York City have been a hot item in particular, say representatives of the travel industry.
'The appetite for the US is enormous right now,' Jahn Shapiro, head of Profil Rejser travel bureau, told Nyhedsavisen newspaper. 'And every time the dollar falls a bit more, it just makes Danes all the more hungry to head to New York or Las Vegas.'
Stig Elling, sales director at Star Tour, agreed.
'There's no doubt the low dollar has really got Danes to become shopaholics,' said Elling. 'We're selling a lot of power shopping trips to New York, where people just go for a long weekend. The demand is incredible.'
Travel experts also point out that the high-flying Danish economy has given citizens more disposable income. Shapiro said that nowadays when Danes plan a cross-country US tour, they rent larger vehicles such as SUV's and minivans.
Besides New York City and Las Vegas, Danes preferred US destinations are the Southwestern states and California. (RC)
They are certainly welcome in Solvang.
Won’t hear much about this on the nightly news.
Denmark
Population: 5,468,120
(July 2007 est.)
Come on over, Danes!
I’m likewise trying to enjoy what I can of the United States while we are still a free nation.
“Danes can feel like wealthy plantation barons...”
Should we warn them about that cultural landmine or just let them find out for themselves?
As long as they come on foot, cause there'll certainly be no place to park.
European prices are up to double what we pay locally, thanks to consumption taxes and layers of regulation that lead to higher prices there. A shopping trip to buy the exact same items (except for labeling) in New York as in Denmark can more than pay for airfare and hotel costs. This is why they show up stateside.
To prospective Danish tourists: don’t travel to Las Vegas if that’s your first trip to the United States. Too many rude and uncouth people congregate there (unsurprising, given the city’s main ‘attractions’).
Was wondering at the authors choice of imagery, too.
- Thanks for welcoming Viking visitors to California, although I'm not Danish myself (I'm Swedish).
IMO, Europeans and Americans still have a lot in common, share many vital interests and ought to nurture a spirit of brotherhood - despite Chirac’s behavior.
We ought to get together each other more frequently.
Ahh, so this is why he’s so pro-illegal.
author’s
It’s not only the Danes that have ‘noticed’ the decline in the dollar relative to their own currency. Many in other countries are doing the same.
Come along, spend those tourist dollars.
Cat's out of the bag.
Welcome - given the exchange rates, I ain’t heading to Europe any time soon.
Correction:
Perhaps the sentence
“We ought to get together more frequently” sounds better
than
“We ought to get together each other more frequently.”
:D
Sorry.
How come they’re not flocking to places like Alabama? I mean, in Alabama they’ve got...uh...never mind.
Tack så mycket for the article.
That’s pretty much my limit on Swedish.
Should have paid more attention to my Dane, Swede and Norwegian ancestors. :)
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