Europe’s Fine, And It Beckons, Says The New York Times Special Summer Coverage

Paris. Photo: Eric Chan.

Americans are already starting to talk about the digital versions of the New York Times Europe Summer Travel coverage in print this weekend. The message: Europe has never been as safe and affordable as it is this summer, says the Times, an influential voice in the consumer media chorus.

In a feature written by Shivani Vora, the Times declares that Paris ”Is Coming Back.” Citing various sources, including Virtuoso Travel hotel data, the article highlights how rates for luxury properties in Paris are 37% higher than the average in Europe this summer and higher than Paris daily rates in summer 2015.

Similarly, the Times reports, Booking.com says Paris average daily summer rates increased “to $261 a night this year from $245 a night last year.” The article states Italy hotel prices remain high as well, despite the strength of the U.S. dollar.

While much of Europe appears to be rebounding from the spate of terrorist events the last 12 months, sources cited by the Times show Brussels, which suffered attacks this March, is still “hurting,” with shorter lines at major attractions and smaller crowds in its famed public places. The newspaper states lodging is 40% cheaper on average this summer, and restaurants will be less expensive as well.

Spain and Portugal are featured as “Value Destinations,” with some of the lowest daily rates on the Continent.

While airfares to Europe are generally low, ticket prices to London, Paris, and Rome are steeper, the story says.

As far as safety, the Times quotes an executive in the risk management practice at security firm Kroll, who reminds travelers that no specific country should be avoided, but that of course threat warnings are elevated throughout Europe.

In a connected feature entitled “Seven Places In Europe We Call Home,” local writers talk about their personal favorites, including Lunigiana, Italy, Paris, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Madrid, London, and Copenhagen.

In a piece entitled “Spring in Paris, My Adopted City, After the Attacks,” expat Seth Sherwood writes, “The City of Light is not plunged into darkness; the Seine is not a stream of tears. The neighborhood is in bloom.”

Sherwood writes not just about Paris, but also his calming experiences in other European destinations, like Zurich, Milan, and Denmark.

He pens: “In spite of these attacks, I don’t travel around Europe any differently than I did before. I don’t pack survival gear; I don’t buy travel insurance. I’m not constantly looking over my shoulder—or at State Department travel warnings, which almost urge you to compose a will before crossing a border.”

Why is Sherwood so blithe? “Because the expanse of territory with no terrorist history, no jarring personal memories, is vast. For every spot in Europe touched by terrorism, there are many, many more that continue their routines as they always have.”

Both articles are already fully available on the New York Times website, and both have been appearing daily in the company’s New York Times Travel Facebook newsfeed. The online versions state they will appear Sunday, May 15.