Rick Steves' Europe: European Tourist Offices in the U.S.

European Tourist Offices in the US

Tourism is an important part of Europe’s economy. Just about every European city has a tourist information office (abbreviated as TI in my books) located downtown and loaded with maps and advice. This is my essential first stop upon arrival in any town. But you don’t need to wait until you get to Europe. Each European country has its own official tourism website — a great first stop when you begin researching your trip. Many of these sites are packed with practical information, suggested itineraries, city guides, interactive maps, video and audio files, colorful photos, and free downloadable brochures. Some also allow you to order printed materials by snail mail (either for free or with a handling fee). For an even more extensive listing of tourist boards, see www.towd.com.

In addition, nearly every European country has a national tourist office in the United States that you can call with specific questions.

Austrian National Tourist Office: tel. 212/944-6880

Belgian Tourist Office: tel. 212/758-8130

Croatian National Tourist Board : tel. 212-279-8672

Czech Tourism Office: tel. 212/288-0830, ext. 101

Denmark (see Scandinavia)

Estonian Consulate and Tourist Office: tel. 212/883-0636

Finland (see Scandinavia)

French Government Tourist Office: tel. 514/288-1904

German National Tourist Board : tel. 212-661-7200

Great Britain Tourist Office: automated phone service only — tel. 800-462-2748 (US) or 888-847-4885 (Canada)

Greek National Tourist Organization: tel. 212/421-5777