The Worst Tourists?

[DNK]

I hear Americans get a lot of flak as tourists, but I'm not sure if we're really the worst of it. Then I read this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/world/europe/24crete.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=world

“They scream, they sing, they fall down, they take their clothes off, they cross-dress, they vomit,” Malia’s mayor, Konstantinos Lagoudakis, said in an interview. “It is only the British people — not the Germans or the French.”

They are also hurting themselves in the process. A recent report published by the British Foreign Office, “British Behavior Abroad,” noted that in a 12-month period in 2006 and 2007, 602 Britons were hospitalized and 28 raped in Greece, and that 1,591 died in Spain and 2,032 were arrested there.

Earlier this summer, flying home to Manchester from the Greek island of Kos, a pair of drunken women yelling “I need some fresh air” attacked the flight attendants with a vodka bottle and tried to wrestle the airplane’s emergency door open at 30,000 feet. The plane diverted hastily to Frankfurt, and the women were arrested.
In Laganas, on the Greek island of Zakinthos, where a teenager from Sheffield died after a drinking binge this summer, more than a dozen British women were charged in July with prostitution after taking part, the authorities said, in an alfresco oral sex contest.

Okay, that's ridiculous.

So, discuss the British or the poll. When I went to Scotland, it seemed pretty dead. I didn't see much of a party scene, but I guess I wasn't looking very hard.

 

[negZero]

So, discuss the British or the poll. When I went to Scotland, it seemed pretty dead. I didn't see much of a party scene, but I guess I wasn't looking very hard.

Ever thought they only party in other countries so they don't have to clean up the mess.

 

[Arwon]

Most anglo cultures can be pretty awful when they travel overseas in groups.

I hear Israelis can be very rude and snobby.

Americans tip and stuff which is always nice, and in my experience most of them are just a bit ignorant and naive, which is no great crime... curiosity and generosity goes a long way. The American tourist stereotype is the fat middle aged family marching around like they own the place, but that's a small minority even among the middle aged tourists (as opposed to younger student backpacker types).

It depends on the type of tourist... backpackers are completely different to package tourists. Worse, in some ways, cos of that damn snobbishness and wanting to be the first to do something and be all unique and hip and acting snobby towards "tourists" as though they're not one of them. I call it the Lonely Planet disease.

 

[Arwon]

Also, did that article describe being raped as "hurting yourself"!?

 

[emzie]

Absolutely not Americans.

People do polling of hotel staff / resort staff and end up with different answers as to who is worst. But there's some recurring names among the bottom of the bunch.

BBC's list from 2007

1st Germans
2nd Americans
3rd Japanese
4th Italians
5th = French, Norwegians, Swedes
...
17th = Argentines, New Zealanders, Czechs, Finns
21st Indians
22nd = Irish, Israelis
24th British

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2137729.stm

I saw one earlier this year (can't remember where ) that put Indians at the bottom. Americans get poor marks in some areas (likely to complain about petty things) but great marks in others (very big spenders / tippers)

 

[emzie]

And Expedia from this year, which puts the British among the best.

1. Japanese
2. British/Germans
3. Canadians
4. Swiss
5. Dutch
6. Australians/Swedes
7. Belgians
8. Norwegians
9. Austrians/Danes/ Finnish
10. New Zealanders

http://www.smh.com.au/news/news/aus...s-best-tourists/2008/06/24/1214073208562.html

 

[scy12]

BBC's list from 2007

1st Germans
2nd Americans
3rd Japanese
4th Italians
5th = French, Norwegians, Swedes
...
17th = Argentines, New Zealanders, Czechs, Finns
21st Indians
22nd = Irish, Israelis
24th British


Personally i think it is biased. Most other Big European Nations are in the first places why the conveniently are 24th.

 

[Nylan]

I voted Americans, and purely because Eastern Seaboarders are far more rude than say, the Germans or French. Sure, they may have interesting...attire...at the beach, but I'd rather a timid foreigner with either a language barrier or a misunderstanding of local mechanics than a New Yorker who storms in like they own the place and has absolutely no regard for manners whatsoever, local or otherwise.

 

[Trajan12]

I voted Americans, and purely because Eastern Seaboarders are far more rude than say, the Germans or French. Sure, they may have interesting...attire...at the beach, but I'd rather a timid foreigner with either a language barrier or a misunderstanding of local mechanics than a New Yorker who storms in like they own the place and has absolutely no regard for manners whatsoever, local or otherwise.

East Coasters >>>>>> Californians. There is not even any competition. You never want Californians visiting where you live, ever. And I think the most rude Easterners would be Bostonites, not New Yorkers.

But at least they're more pleasant to look at than the giants that come from the South.

 

[MjM]

Canadians are the scourge of the Earth.

 

[Bill3000]

but I'd rather a timid foreigner with either a language barrier or a misunderstanding of local mechanics than a New Yorker who storms in like they own the place and has absolutely no regard for manners whatsoever, local or otherwise.

But we do own the place.

 

[alex994]

What's so bad about Californians? I seem to think we're a rather well mannered and well educated group of individuals! Well, here in Southern California at least; I can't say anything for those... "people" up in the northern portion of our state.

I'm amazed that the Chinese weren't rated that high on the bad list. It's probably that there aren't enough of them traveling to make a significant impression on people or that the PRC's policy of demanding some sort of collateral for people going on foreign trips is actually working....

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

This is a REAL GENUINE announcement from the Tube in London.

 

[Nylan]

But we do own the place.

Not Florida you don't. Go back to your 20x20 apartment, and stay the heck away from my pool.

 

[Alpine Trooper]

Oh my . .. .. .. ., easily Americans.

 

[Arwon]

Come on, nobody voted for Australians?

 

[CIVPhilzilla]

Japanese tourists with their relentless use of cameras.

 

[Nylan]

"Sai Mickeh Moooowse!"

Seriously, as someone who watches tourists professionally I can say with certainty that Americans are the worst.

 

[Winner]

Russians. At least the rich Russians.

Like all people who got rich in a very short time, mostly in a way which would be considered illegal in the West, they tend to be rude, loud, puffy, very very drunk most of the time and often accompanied by women who dress like they were 16 years old hookers. Maybe they are.

Visit Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) if you want to see some examples. The town is practically owned by Russian oligarchs.

 

[philippe]

Dutch tourists, they don't travel, they colonise. The south of Spain is a Dutch/German colony and all the Dutch are packed with caravans and cheap bad alcohol and supplies so they immediatly colonise the area and assimilate the natives.

Luckily the high gas prices are crushing those imperialists.