What happens when a large American city starts attracting European tourists by the millions? Stores start taking euros just as easily as US dollars. That's what is currently taking place in New York City where "Euros Accepted" signs are popping up all over the place. Businesses want to make a buck, and apparently it doesn't matter what kind of currency that buck is in. Those businesses are doing some smart thinking in taking whatever kind of currency the tourists can fork over; tourism in the city brought in $28 billion in 2007.

If you own your own business, things are even better as pointed out by Billy Leroy of Billy's Antiques and Props, "I am happy to take 200 euros , because what I do is keep them. So when I go back to Paris I don't have to go through the nightmare of going to an exchange place." Smart man, I'd be doing the same thing.

Only a few time zones and a 7 hour flight away from big European cities like London and Paris, New York City is pretty much the new European weekend shopping getaway. Make euros the accepted currency and the Big Apple might even be on its way to joining the EU... I don't think so, but if you are a European, those dollar prices make the city pretty attractive.

Filed under: Business, North America, United States