European Tourist with Money: Craftshow??

[Phil Sanders]

I just got to ask, I don't know if anyone here has an opinion on this or not. This could be the wrong place to ask.

I just heard another cable news TV show mention the large number of tourist on the East coast from Europe who are spending lots of money. Exchange rates, and other factors, are making it cheaper to shop in NYC than in London. I have also heard that European tourist are in full force in Washington DC for shopping and museums.

So, my question: has anyone heard of a major effort to get a craft fair up and running for these willing to spend member of the EU?

I don't know where, or how, a craft show would (could?) be placed to get the attention of the tourist so they would buy. But sure would be a windfall if someone could get the tourist attention.

Seriously, I bet someone could fill up a cargo container with turned bowels, wooden art work, bent wood objet d'art, and what not and sell the products in London, or Milan, or some place in the EU. And one could fill that cargo container just from the members of this board.

This idea would, of course, last only until the $ -->€ & £ got back to normal and the tourist started to stay home again.

Nah-h, It probably wouldn't work out. Ain't going to happen.

Phil

[Chris Padilla]

For sure the weak dollar is a boon to the travel industry for visitors from other countries coming to the US. On the converse, it is so expensive as all get out to go to Europe these days. Last I was in Europe for significant amount of time was in 2001 when 80 cents bought 1 Euro. Now that 1 Euro costs me like 140 cents!!

Keep in mind that tourists coming to see the US are going to most likely visit the popular attractions and the popular cities like NYC, LA, SF, DC and the like. Getting tourists "off the beaten track" to your craft show could be some work in advertisement.

[Jim King]

Last week we had some customers here in the Amazon from the States. They wanted to buy some original crafts from one of the Indian groups. When the lady showed up from the jungle to sell what they wanted they offered to pay in dollars. The little lady from the jungle said no. We dont have faith in the dollar anymore. This made for a couple of shocked business people.

Incredible but true the dollar has fallen about 20% against the Peruvian currency. The positive side is it should be great news for American products for export and the trade deficit may get knocked down a bit.

[Joe Pelonio]

The Canadians from B.C. are flooding down to shop for Christmas here in WA state right now, but they are mostly going to the factory outlet malls north of Seattle. One would have to make an arrangement with the mall to have a stand set up there or the shoppers would miss it. That could probably be done but most malls of that sort would want to charge a good bit for it.

[Gary Keedwell]

I'm thinking that people who fly all the way over the pond would be looking for the big $ ticket items.
Gary

[Phil Sanders]

I'm thinking that people who fly all the way over the pond would be looking for the big $ ticket items.
Gary

Joe and Gary:

Yes, they are the big $$ ticket consumers. Lots of very high end fashion gowns and jewellery. Deep pockets to afford the plane ticket and the spare suitcase for all the purchases. That is what the cable news channels keep hitting on, the tourist are not just buying anything, only high priced quality items.

South East Michigan is getting a lot of Canadians coming to our malls, but not so deep pockets. NYC and DC seem to be the place of the shoppers with all the money. I haven't heard about Boston or Philly yet. I think they are being bypassed.

Or is this a phenomena being reported by high paid newscasters from NYC who are finding that deep pocket tourist are keeping the prices of high end products out of the "Sale Markdown" aisle for the Xmas season? The products the highly paid newscasters want to buy.

Like you implied, the deep pocket tourist from Europe are not here to go to a craft show, and there just is no way to organize any art show that would get their attention.

So Sad.

Phil

[Joe Pelonio]

Joe and Gary:

Yes, they are the big $$ ticket consumers.
Phil

Good point. I heard the Canadians were dropping across the border to buy cars, but it was causing big financial problems for the B.C. dealers so the manufacturers told the U.S. dealers to stop selling to them.

[Chris Padilla]

I'm thinking that people who fly all the way over the pond would be looking for the big $ ticket items.
Gary

I guess a "fair amount" of our electronics (stereos, HDTVs, DVD players) would be safe...or not? However, don't we import most of that to begin with?