ATLANTA, 22 March 2003 — Jessica Georgenton planned to visit Vietnam, but fears of war and a mystery disease sent her to Hawaii instead. Elizabeth Wands’ backpacking trip across Europe is on hold because of her parents’ anxiety.
Concerns about terrorism and war are forcing thousands of Americans to change their spring vacations, with many tweaking travel plans at the last minute in favor of destinations perceived as less risky.
Many people are reluctant to head to the Middle East, but demand is also down for travel to Europe, Asia and Africa, travel agents say.
Two cruise lines, Celebrity and Princess, have completely pulled their Mediterranean packages. Airlines are waiving penalties for changing or canceling flights for the next several weeks. On Thursday, Northwest Airlines suspended its daily nonstop service from Amsterdam to India through Sunday, citing the start of military action. And American Airlines plans to cut international flights by 6 percent in April because of the effect the war is having on bookings.
The unease also extends to domestic travel. Some people are choosing to drive, rather than fly, on shorter trips and cancel others — especially to New York and Washington.
“A lot of business people who have to fly are flying, but those in discretionary travel are delaying,” said Matt Bennett, publisher of FirstClassFlyer.com, a guide for business travelers. “If people are afraid, we tell them not to fly. There’s no reason to fly scared.”
Bill Moore, a businessman based in San Diego, canceled a flight to a board meeting in New York next week and decided to participate in the conference via the Internet.
“It was a request from my family,” he said. “Being in New York, based on historical events, my family felt a little uneasy.”
Recreational travelers are also focusing on destinations that make them feel safe.
“People pick the US and the Caribbean because they think they are safety zones,” said Aimee Ricca, owner of Bonne Amie Travel & Dreamtime Journeys USA in Rockport, Maine. “We’ve had a lot of Disney trips, because people view that as the ultimate safe place.”
