hey Asian travelers in Europe...

For the OP: With the current proliferation of the virus in Italy, you do run a very real risk of being quarantined in a city of a foreign country should things take a turn for the worse with the Coronavirus (this is already happening in Italy).

Personally I would not take that risk, at least not now. As others have already said, including yourself, maybe best to avoid a bad experience for your daughter and postpone the trip.

I am sorry for your friend who was harassed in the pub. Is there discrimination / hate rampant in the streets? Of course not. But I wouldn't discount that you may get some sideways looks, or people trying to avoid you. At the same time, I would not call it hate or discrimination of you or your family based only on your race or ethnicity, but rather people are scared of a genuine threat and are unfortunately stereotyping (no thanks to the media hyping this into something bigger than it actually may be). Then again, there are idiots everywhere in this world, not only in Europe, a lot of which can usually be found in pubs and bars.

At the same time, some countries (France and Switzerland for example) have had instances of people not liking tourists from Asia, saying they are tired of them, considering them too loud and very rude:

https://www.whatsonweibo.com/too-lo...roduces-separate-trains-for-chinese-tourists/
https://www.tourism-review.com/chinese-tourists-bring-troubles-to-paris-news5433

Bah, ok. Different cultures, different ways of doing things.

Personal experience and of friends'. Facts enough for me.

Based on many, many trips all over Europe. Personal and biz.

If you disagree, that's cool.

You must be going to the wrong places! 😉

Definitely not everyone and everywhere. Probably also related to the articles you referenced.

What a stressful decision! If it were me, as a racial minority traveler myself, if there was any uptick in a given moment around race and/or intolerance, I would not travel. When on vacation, you usually want and need things to go well. I know I’ve wanted relaxation, to splurge, to dream and to play. And for me all it takes is one jackass who says something sideways or refuses to give you good service and the trip starts to feel entirely different—a drag. Add kids into the mix and it can be even harder. Since major events are now being canceled as far out as May, I would strongly consider postponing the trip too. Maybe as a tiny consolation, could you go somewhere not too far from home that is a bit better under control? I’m thinking if you like beaches and there is a beach that isn't’ too far, maybe you can have a little weekend getaway instead. Or dare I say, camping? Also could it be a teaching moment for your daughter if you do some of the more science related examinations on world health scares and how quickly they got under control? I mean, the idea wouldn’t be to scare her but to emphasize that these things usually get contained. Anyway, good luck to you and your family!

2001 was FMD ( Foot and Mouth ) in the UK.
BSE was 1996 with a ban of beef sales for 10 years to 2006 From the UK to EU (also why UK citizens can’t give blood in Australia)

FMD in the UK in 2001 was responsible for the Department of Agriculture in Australia and New Zealand quadrupling it’s quarantine ( now Biosecurity ) staff