In a previous blog I shared my brother’s take on the current crisis regarding the worth of the U.S. dollar abroad. (His exact quote upon returning from a recent snowboarding trip to Canada: “The American dollar and Canadian dollar are equal for crying out loud!”)
Now, even more bad news for Americans traveling to India. India’s tourism minister just announced that the dollar is no longer being accepted at the Taj Mahal and other national tourist sites.
Traditionally, if you wanted to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World and other attractions in India you were charged in dollars or rupees. For example, admission for the Taj Mahal used to be $5 or 250 rupees. However, after falling 11% last year and hitting a near record low (around 39 rupees) the dollar is no longer welcome in India. That means if you were taking a trip to India and planned to carry only U.S. currency you would no longer be allowed access to the famed white marble monument to love.
Travel experts say India’s decision to refuse the dollar is a practical move and will save tourists money because the dollar is weaker than the rupee. The Taj Mahal made the switch to rupees-only in November and becomes just one more place in the world where American tourists will have to shell out more money. With the switch, American visitors to the Taj Mahal are now having to fork over nearly $20 for admission.
As I mentioned in my previous blog the dollar has fallen against most major currencies. The dollar hit record lows of $1.49 against the euro on November 23rd, the weakest since that currency began trading in 1999, and was down against almost every major currency again today.
And make no mistake; the weak dollar is affecting the travel plans of many Americans, according to tour operators. According to a recent survey European bookings for 2008 are down while tours to places such as Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Peru, and Belize are on the rise.
Has the currency rate affected your travel plans for the coming year?