The Biggest Season

The boom in European travel this year will be the greatest ever. Last week transatlantic airlines and shiplines predicted that they will boost last year's record haul by 10%, carry abroad more than 600,000 Americans who will spend upwards of half a billion dollars.

American tourists were already spreading over Europe. They poured into London at the rate of 1,000 a day. bought out (through June) Stratford's Shakespeare fete, booked all available accommodations for the late summer (Aug. 21-Sept. 10) Edinburgh Festival. In Madrid all hotels were filled, and at the bullfights, Americans sat in the best seats (shade). At 11 o'clock one night last week, no fewer than 75 Americans were happily throwing coins into Rome's famed Trevi Fountain, thus, according to legend, ensuring a return trip.

The Other Side. In the U.S. reservation clerks and travel agents were hard pressed to keep up with jingling telephones and lines at the ticket counters. Though airline tickets on first-class nights abroad are still in fair supply, tourist flights have been almost sold out. TWA's tourist nights for June are 85% booked, and Pan American's tourist runs are reserved from 60 to 90 days ahead. Ocean liners are even more popular. The U.S. Lines' 1,700-passenger United States and 950-passenger America are booked solid for all tourist and cabin classes until August. For the critical eastbound season (June 1-July 15), Cunard's Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth have not a single cabin available.

Both group travel and package tours are booming. Stenographers, farmers, mountain climbers are banding together to book their own special excursions. In Manhattan 25 photographers will take off in July for a 30-day picture-taking swing through Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, five other countries; a group of 100 congressional secretaries will sail in midsummer to escape Washington's heat. Last December American Express offered 19 Banner Tours to Europe (42 days for $1,225 to $1,645), sold them out by February, had to add more to meet the demand. Its de luxe student tours (54 days for $1,232 to $1.650) were sold out in 3 1/2 weeks.

The airlines' installment-plan vacation (10% down, up to 20 months to pay) is bringing in new customers every day. Some travel managers object on the ground that it requires more paperwork and hurts future business. Said one Chicago agent: "If you buy a car by installments, you've got something to look at and use. Once you've taken a vacation, you've got nothing left but a memory." But Pan American, by pushing its installment plan, boosted sales $4,200,000 last year, expects that it will top $7,000,000 (6% of all business) this year.

Places to See. For the army of tourists Europe has some outstanding attractions in addition to such old standbys as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower (1,301,152 visitors last year), the Prades Music Festival (July 2-20). France has the Paris International Trade Fair (May 14-30), an international dance festival at Aix-les-Bains (July 23-Aug. 7). Italy offers the International Music Festival at Taormina (June 1-10), the Turin Sports Exhibition (May 2 5-June 19), Rome's Feast of St. Peter (June 29), Florence's May music festival, the Venice Regatta (Sept. 4), lavish, outdoor opera at the Caracalla Baths during June, July and August. For the first time this year Italians expect thousands of visitors to journey to beautiful but primitive southern Italy, where the lack of hotels has discouraged visits to such scenic spots as Piazza Armerina, Ischia, Positano. To make sunny southern Italy more comfortable, the government has built or renovated more than 100 hotels.

The Price Tag. In addition to new comforts, Americans are due for some surprises, notably in prices. Touring, except for those who stay at youth hostels, small pensions, etc., is no longer cheap. In Paris double rooms in a first-class hotel run from $10 to $14, dinners in the best restaurants from $5 up (plus $2 more for wine).

To combat its reputation as an expensive country, France is plugging the low-cost package tour, e.g., an eight-day jaunt from Paris through the Loire Valley, along the Riviera and back for $100, including all transportation, food and hotels. The French national railway now offers a 30% discount on trips of 950 miles or longer, provided that the tourist stays at his destination for six days or more. And the new issue of the famed Guide Michelin, which has always concentrated on quality rather than price, now lists more than 2,000 restaurants where a traveler can eat for $1.60, tip included.

Bargain Counter. Prices are considerably lower in Italy, where a double room may be had for about $9 and dinner at a top restaurant for $3. London hotels range 3 to $10 nightly for a sir " but country inns still charge only $3 for bed and breakfast. In Spain prices are as low as $2.50 for a room, $2 for a dinner, including wine and cognac, but rooms in good hotels are as scarce as American whisky. In Germany a de luxe room and bath costs $6 or less and a man-sized steak with a half-bottle of wine may be had for $3.

Whatever the cost or inconvenience of a European trip, many an American feels that it is something he has to have. Says a Cunard official: "The travel industry has now become as big as General Motors. These days, if a person has a car and a washing machine, he has to have a trip to Europe."

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