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Ariana Baio
Jul 13, 2022
Lisbon airport plagued by delays and cancellations as Europe’s travel chaos continues
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If you're anywhere on social media you've probably seen photos of someone you know in Europe.
Travel to Europe has increased exponentially in 2022 due to lessening Covid travel restrictions and cheaper travel costs thanks to the euro's drop in value. And Gen Z is capitalizing on it.
On Wednesday, the euro and US dollar reached parity for the first time in 20 years, meaning they are now valued equally. This is because of inflation and the war in Ukraine.
While the news is an omen for a potential recession, it's great news for people looking for cheap European travel.
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Across TikTok and Instagram, young people and influencers are sharing their experiences and recommendations when flying to Europe, inspiring others to take the leap across the pond.
One TikToker's "6 mistakes we made while traveling in Europe" video has over two million views.
@vibesofnada Avoid these mistakes so you don’t end up like us🤠#europetrip #europe #europehostel #hosteltips #budgettips #budget #traveltok #traveltiktok #traveling #foryou #fyp #traveltips #travelmistakes #vlogwithme
Aesthetic videos showing beautiful places on the coast of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and more rack up hundreds of thousands of views and likes. Popular influencer Emma Chamberlain's vlog of her travel to the South of France has nearly two million views.
Topics like "traveling in Europe", "cheap Europe travel", and "best places to visit in Europe" are popular searches on the app too.
So how has the drop in euro value helped young people on a budget get around Europe?
According to the Wall Street Journal, the euro's drop in value is best for people looking to buy souvenirs, gifts, or food. Since the currency exchange rate is in a traveler's favor, buying a designer item made in Europe will be cheaper than buying it in the states.
Flights within Europe are also cheaper- however this is not the case for flights bought from the US to Europe.
Although from the looks of airports, we're not sure how worth it flying is at the moment.
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