The Worst Tourists?

[Arwon]

The south of Spain? Naw man, it's more English than German! Either way though, the complaints about colonisation pretty much hold true.

Though it's funny, you tell white people to assimilate and they GO NUTS.

 

[GinandTonic]

that 1,591 died in Spain

Lots of Brits retire to Spain. Lots of them then die. Like if lots of New Yorkers retire to Florida then lots of New Yorkers die in Florida.

That said our tourists are a national disgrace.

 

[Nylan]

Lots of Brits retire to Spain. Lots of them then die. Like if lots of New Yorkers retire to Florida then lots of New Yorkers die in Florida.

That said our tourists are a national disgrace.

Oh, well I'm not so sure those New Yorkers are dying of old age....

 

[philippe]

The south of Spain? Naw man, it's more English than German! Either way though, the complaints about colonisation pretty much hold true.

Though it's funny, you tell white people to assimilate and they GO NUTS.

well, it's a funny sight though, you see a lot of poeple (whereunder also a lot of the right-wing anti immigration type) who decides to move to an enclave like Benidorm where he will settle down for the rest of his life, not learning the language, and will stick in the village where they will serve him in Dutch, where he can buy dutch newspapers, go to dutch bars, watch dutch tv,...


The Irony is delicious.

 

[Grisu]

tourists who expect everything to run as it does back home, except in a vacation setting, they come in all nationalities...

 

[echinococcus]

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.

Similar to what ive heard. In Austria there are some hotels who keep unofficial quotas of russians in order not to annoy their other customers to much.

 

[TheLastOne36]

I remember when i was in Canada, they did a study, where they checked Japanese, Canadian, American, British, Russian, Australian, Italian, Swedish, Some south American country(i think it was either Venezuelan or Peruvian), Chinese and i think South african tourists, sent a group of each countries tourists to all the other countries listed above, and the results were that EVERY single country they were sent to, when they found out they were american, they were treated unequally by the natives!

Treated second worst was the Russians, followed by the Chinese. The best treated were the Aussies, Canadians, Japanese, and Swedish.

They stressed this point (maybe cause it was Canadian news?), the natives always assumed that the Canadian tourists were American, and treated them badly, BUT when they found out they were Canadian, they started treating them MUCH much better!

Very interesting. Maybe it has something to do with the American Foreign Policy?

 

[jessiecat]

I remember when i was in Canada, they did a study, where they checked Japanese, Canadian, American, British, Russian, Australian, Italian, Swedish, Some south American country(i think it was either Venezuelan or Peruvian), Chinese and i think South african tourists, sent a group of each countries tourists to all the other countries listed above, and the results were that EVERY single country they were sent to, when they found out they were american, they were treated unequally by the natives!

Treated second worst was the Russians, followed by the Chinese. The best treated were the Aussies, Canadians, Japanese, and Swedish.

They stressed this point (maybe cause it was Canadian news?), the natives always assumed that the Canadian tourists were American, and treated them badly, BUT when they found out they were Canadian, they started treating them MUCH much better!

Very interesting. Maybe it has something to do with the American Foreign Policy?

I'd agree with all that. As a Canadian who's lived in Europe for many years I get treated pretty well. ("But you're not like Americans at all, are you"). In fact Americans are mostly welcomed in the UK as well though people tend to snigger at them, because they never seem to know where they are or even why (Zero sense of geography it seems). But they are very polite once you get over phrases like "Gimme" or "You got a?". And as a whole seem well-meaning though incredibly naive outside their own country (or state?).
I used to work for London Underground and was constantly faced with questions like this.
"Sir, when does the next tube leave for Cornwall?" (250 miles, underground all the way?)

I voted for the Brits as being the worst, having spent a lot of time in Spain over the years. Let them anywhere near cheap booze and they turn into loud, boorish children. Faced with decent food they moan about the lack of fish and chips or a "decent" fried breakfast. But do they ever try and learn the language? Never. I've known Brits who have lived in Spain for 20 years and they still can't hold a conversation with the locals. And proud of it! Maybe the French, Dutch and Germans are like that too. Though hopefully without the arrogance. But for me British tourists are the worst, I must admit.

 

[Julian Delphiki]

Brits FTV.

 

[Grisu]

I think a lot of these repudations for being bad tourists just stem from cultural misunderstanding. For example, germans have a rather bad reputation in Switzerland for being impolite. But more often than not, they mean no offence it's just that a phrase like "Ich krieg' 'n Bier und 2 Bratwürste" seem rather impolite to the average swiss while they would be perfectly ok in Germany, it seems.

 

[Arwon]

Another thing i suspect may happen is whenever Irish, Australians or New Zealanders behave badly on the continent, people watch them and go... "****in' Brits."

 

[Thorbal]

I think a lot of these repudations for being bad tourists just stem from cultural misunderstanding. For example, germans have a rather bad reputation in Switzerland for being impolite. But more often than not, they mean no offence it's just that a phrase like "Ich krieg' 'n Bier und 2 Bratwürste" seem rather impolite to the average swiss while they would be perfectly ok in Germany, it seems.

I know a lot of these people as well. But ordering a meal like that cannot really be considered an example of perfect politeness and courteousness - EVEN in Germany . I tried that line as well just for fun once (in G) and the answer I got was "Schön, aber nicht von mir Kumpel!" It´s more the people that like to appear on the DSDS or Nanny shows that do that if you know what I mean. I guess it´s cultural misunderstanding as well and the feeling that you´re on vacation and want to relieve stress and act like an a****** because nobody over there knows you and you will never meet them again. Just "lass die Sau raus".

 

[Tee Kay]

Japanese and American tourists tied for first place, followed by Chinese, French, British and Australians. Most tourists I met/seen overseas, including most from those countries, are really nice people. It's the case of "those few idiots who gave the rest of us a bad name".

The most civilised tourists I think are the Arabs, Germans and Canadians.

 

[Shekwan]

Probably the Brits or Irish. However only those who go on those horrible package holidays to random mediteranean destination and/or football matches. When going on normal holidays not centred on booze and drugs I think we're/they're quite civil.

Americans aren't annoying at all. I think Americans tourists are great because they're in general pretty friendly and they speak english which always helps. I think this anti-american thing is justified if you're going to criticise their government, but Americans themselves are usually very nice people.

I voted other because I think the Japanese camera horde is infamous in tourism. In my opinion visiting another country is about seeing how the inhabitants live and getting a feel for their culture and sticking to a huge group of your countrymen taking picture of everything isn't how thats done.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Americans aren't annoying at all. I think Americans tourists are great because they're in general pretty friendly and they speak english which always helps. I think this anti-american thing is justified if you're going to criticise their government, but Americans themselves are usually very nice people.

That compliments my above post. I think the American govornment overshadows Native peoples opinions about Americans. I wouldn't be surprised if ounce those natives got to know the american tourists, they start to be more friendlier.

But, iirc in my other post's study, they only visited each country for 3 days. Not really long enough for the natives to get to know the american tourists.

 

[Loki130]

Everyone seems to think Germans are good tourists, but when they come to Denmark... they're just lacking something.

 

[Shekwan]

Everyone seems to think Germans are good tourists, but when they come to Denmark... they're just lacking something.

Danishness?

 

[Loki130]

Danishness?

It just seems like they don't respect us as a people-they're a bit condesending in a way.

 

[Cutlass]

I hear a lot that the Japanese are pretty bad.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

When in Toronto recently, a group of British tourists sat down next to me, and god, they were the most obnoxious people. Not that this is new to me, the Brits have disappointed me before. There was the standard complaining about the food and that we don't use the same stupid British words for breakfast food. After a good ten minutes of complaining about Canada, they finally all ran to the window of the restaurant to laugh at and mock some mentally ill person who was walking awkwardly. The most awful, loud laughter. Especially from the women.

IME this is not unique amongst the Brits .