For more than a year, the weakest economies in Europe have been struggling: Greece and Ireland have already received bailouts, while Portugal and Spain may be next.
Lucky for travelers, the woes of these countries can mean opportunities for those who want to visit them. While the weak euro, which recently fell below the US$1.30 mark, makes the entire eurozone cheaper for Americans, some of the best bargains can be found in the hardest-hit countries. Ireland, Greece and Portugal, in particular, are offering what amount to fire-sale prices as hotels and tour operators slash rates.
Yet, austerity measures meant to win back market confidence can also create issues for tourists.
“In any of these cities, public services, like buses and trains, might see their services scaled back,” said Tom Meyers, founder of eurocheapo.com, a Web site that reviews inexpensive hotels in dozens of cities. “There are very real budget problems being dealt with here — and these could affect your trip.”
However, travelers who are aware of the possibility of disruptions and have the flexibility to deal with them will find a wide range of enticing deals. Below are some country-by-country options.
IRELAND
The amount of visitors to Ireland dropped to about 6.6 million last year from 7.6 million in 2009, partly because so many flights were canceled after the Iceland volcano erupted. In a scramble to make up for lost revenue, hotels and tour operators created ever more attractive packages to lure visitors. Meanwhile, the bank-financed construction boom, which helped create Ireland’s debt crisis, also left a wider array of accommodations for travelers to choose from.
“There has never been a better time to get great value offers — whether you are looking to stay in a luxury castle, five-star hotel, cottage or B&B accommodation,” said Ruth Moran, a publicity manager for Tourism Ireland. “There is something to suit every budget.”
Take a six-night package from Sceptre Tours, based in Lynbrook, New York. The US$899 per person price tag includes accommodations in a three-bedroom villa on the grounds of Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, an 340 hectare estate in Limerick, a round-trip economy class airfare to Shannon from New York and a weekly car rental. The cost, which is based on four people vacationing together between June 16 and Aug. 31, is less than it would be to buy the airfare alone.
Ashford Castle in County Mayo, on the shores of Lough Corrib and the River Cong, has reduced its rates across the board, bringing down the price for a deluxe room in summer from 550 euros (US$748) to 455 euros. The castle is also offering three nights for the price of two all year long.
CIE Tours, International, which specializes in trips to Ireland and Britain, is maintaining last year’s prices. It is offering some attractive group tours, including a six-day Taste of Ireland trip from US$658 that includes admission to popular tourist sites, such as Blarney Castle and the Cliffs of Moher, a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle, a tour of Dublin with a local guide and sheepdog demonstrations along the Ring of Kerry.
One caveat: Travelers interested in touring the West of Ireland may have a little more legwork to do this year as the economic downturn has resulted in cuts to air services to the region. Aer Lingus suspended its trans-Atlantic service between New York and Shannon between Jan. 5 and March 27. In response, some tour operators are reworking their trips to begin and end in Dublin. Sceptre’s six-night US$749 Castle Hotels package, which used to have tourists fly into Dublin and depart from Shannon, now begins and ends in Dublin, requiring travelers to double back.
PORTUGAL
Portugal’s “Old World” charm and cultural offerings have long offered bargain hunters an alternative to Europe’s pricier destinations, but hotel rates have come down even more — between 14 percent and 18 percent, according to the Portuguese National Tourist Office — as both the struggling economy and competition from new hotels put pressure on rates.
A night at the new LX boutique hotel, which opened in September in the Baixa district of Lisbon, starts at just 80 euros a night. The Bussaco Palace Hotel, a former royal palace with original 19th century furnishings and tapestries, offers an “affordable luxury” package from 120 euros a night that includes a buffet breakfast, a bottle of wine and a free upgrade to a larger room if available.
For other upscale accommodation at reasonable rates, check out Pousadas.pt, a government-supported network of Portuguese pousadas — old monasteries, manor houses and castles that have been redesigned for travelers.
Through March, the group is offering rates as low as 75 euros a night, including the Pousada in Viseu, which was originally opened as a hospital in 1842. It now has two restaurants, 84 rooms with cable television and a spa with a Turkish bath.
Meanwhile, flying to Portugal from the US is also getting easier. TAP Portugal, which already flies between Newark and Lisbon, is adding a service between the Portuguese capital and Miami this summer.
GREECE
After news of a huge bailout and wave of cutbacks last May, “there was an instantaneous drop in prices,” Greek Minister of Culture and Tourism Pavlos Yeroulanos said.
The discounts helped buoy visitor statistics, with roughly the same number arriving last year as the previous year. To help keep tourists coming this year, the Greek parliament reduced the value-added tax charged to tourists by hotels to 6.5 percent from 11 percent.
Even before the tax cut, hotel rooms were cheaper.
According to American Express Travel, average rates are down roughly 12 percent, even among high-end properties like the Blue Palace Resort and Spa or the Elounda Beach Hotel and Villas in Crete.
TabletHotels.com reports a drop of 25 percent in rates last year and expects similar discounts this year. For example, the Periscope Hotel, a trendy boutique hotel in Athens, is offering double rooms from 145 euros a night in June on TabletHotels.com, down from 186 euros, the average rate booked last June on the site. Viator.com, which links travelers with local tour operators for sightseeing, is offering between 10 percent and 20 percent off excursions from Athens, including a two-day trip to visit the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora.
Travelers must be flexible as strikes and protests could disrupt travel plans. Just last month, public transportation workers walked out to protest pay cuts and a general strike in Athens turned violent when youths clashed with police outside parliament and other central landmarks. Working with a tour operator who has local connections can help mitigate any issues caused by protests and strikes, or you can just stay away from the capital entirely.
“The islands of Greece remain virtually unaffected by rioting,” said Richard Bruce Turen, a Virtuoso travel agent who specializes in Greek cruises. “The old men still sit in the village square drinking ouzo and playing with their worry beads.”
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