Photo by Claytron 

While hordes of Europeans cross the Atlantic for the US to purchase cheap Levi’s and iPhones en masse, the weak dollar and the US economic slowdown have decreased the amount of big spending Americans in Europe.

According to Amy Ziff of Travelocity the bookings for countries that use the euro, such as France, Italy and Spain, are 15 percent lower than last summer. This is indeed a painful blow to the European tourism industry, and some of the ‘big players’ are now offering: “special price for you, American”, to try to lure US tourists back to Europe.

In Venice, the legendary Harry’s Bar – that gave us Carpaccio and the Bellini cocktail - is offering 20 percent discounts on food for American ‘victims’ of bad economy. US citizens won't need to bring their passports—"We will judge by the accent," says owner of Harry’s Bar Arrigo Capriani, according to Reuters.

Britain's tourism agency, VisitBritain, is letting Americans buy discount cards in dollars so they can see the sights for less, writes USA Today and Ireland is running a new advertising campaign: "Ireland, Can you afford not to go?"

However, it is not all European destinations that have fallen into disfavour among the American travelers. Bookings are up 16 percent for Eastern European countries that don't use the euro, says Amy Ziff from Travelocity.
 

Some cities just have it all – and Venice is one of them! In addition to its splendid beauty and rich culture, the Italian city might now also become a scuba diver’s paradise.

Mobile barriers are under construction in the Venice lagoon to protect the city’s churches and palaces from flood tides. These barriers are protected by breakwaters, which have unintentionally given Venice an instant barrier reef that boasts an abundant underwater life, writes The Guardian.

"There are people already showing up to dive and I envisage tourists coming to Venice to see the canals before indulging in a spot of scuba diving," says marine biologist Andrea Rismondo, according to the newspaper.

Venice’s latest tourist attraction is home to 150 species of fish, sea creatures and colorful algae such as cuttlefish, starfish, crabs, jellyfish, molluscs measuring 30cm (1ft) and the tree-like Cystoseira algae.

“The breakwaters were a real chance for sea life to set up, but we were still surprised by the numbers," says Andrea Rismondo, according to The Guardian. The marine biologist says that the warmer climate might have had an impact on this development.

However, not everyone is happy about the development. Environmentalists fear that the lagoon could be turned into a marine park, which would damage the fragile eco-system, and they have therefore contested the lagoon-project.

David Rich Momondo 

Believe it or not – Venice actually has local residents. About 60,000 people live in the city’s historical centre, where they encompass an exotic minority compared to the estimated 2 million tourists, who visit Venice every year.

Just as Venice’s tourism industry is booming, frustration grows among locals, who complain about being crushed by the hordes of tourists and backpacks in the local water-buses vaporetti.

"We get packed like sardines, and then fights break out”, Marina Vio ,72, says. “That’s if you manage to get on.”

To oblige the beleaguered Venetians and avoid a local revolt, the city officials have just opened a new water-bus line reserved for locals, who are holders of the Carta Venezia pass.

“It’s an extra service for residents who are forced to bear the brunt of mass tourism” said Mayor Massimo Cacciari, according to The New York Times.

The new No. 3 water-bus line follows the Canal Grande from Piazzale Roma to Piazza San Marco and has been launched just in time to ease public transportation during the Venice Carnival.