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Viewing Tourists, Mind Your Manners! The World is WatchingTourists, Mind Your Manners! The World is Watching
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When going on vacation, remember to pack your manners. No matter where you travel, the locals are going to base a lot on your behavior (including how they perceive your culture in general). Want to know who the worst and best tourists are? Read on! By Roger Munns When preparing to go on vacation, remember to pack your manners. No matter where you end up traveling, the locals are going to base a lot on your behavior (including how they perceive your culture in general). Many who travel abroad forget to be polite to those who host them when they are away from home. Some suggest that behavior on vacation is directly related to whether or not you have visited before. The thinking is that, once you have had a taste of the culture, surely you will be more sensitive the next time. Others argue that, regardless of how many times they have visited, tourists remain a painful necessity to any economy. While it is not limited to one demographic or culture, some tourists are notoriously worse than others. However, no matter where you are from, you will have a bad reputation for one thing or another. So, how does the bad behavior break down? We have a quick overview of who is notorious for what when on vacation. A recent survey gave Brits the top nod for bad behavior when they travel abroad. They have been labeled as noisy, rude, badly dressed, and terrible tippers. In addition, recent research by the popular online travel agent, Expedia, shows that Britons are thought to be untidy. Maybe that is a direct result of their sometimes-haphazard dress. While not as obvious as it used to be, for some reason people are still able to tell a Brit from everyone else. Things are looking up though; seven years ago, a survey similar in nature labeled Brits the worst tourists overall, while they now place fifth. Other badly behaving tourists include those that call Germany their native land. Considered the absolute worst tippers, one might think that they are stingy. If you consider the tipping system they are accustomed to, it may shed a new light on things. In Germany, wait staff do not work on a small hourly wage plus tip system, they work on an hourly wage, period. Therefore, when you go out to dinner in Germany, you do not tip. Maybe their bad tipping behavior is not stinginess as much as it is a lack of knowledge. Living in America and think you have packed a fashionable wardrobe? Think again. Americans are notoriously the worst dressed tourists around. Many also find Americans to be lacking in manners and obnoxiously loud, albeit not as bad as the Brits, Russians, and Danes. Those from the U.S. do score points, though, for at least attempting to learn and speak the native language of the countries they are going to visit. Attempting to take the bull by the horns, the Chinese government has taken the liberty of posting the do's and don'ts of travel etiquette in train stations, bus stops, and hotels across Beijing. Although many of the Chinese are angered by what they feel is degrading treatment by their own government, the government is not budging. They are trying to curb Chinese bad behavior before the Olympics next year. They have even gone so far as to issue pamphlets and make travel agencies and their tour guides responsible for correcting tourist behavior. Talk about uncomfortable! So, who gets kudos for being the overall best behaved on their summer vacation? The Japanese! Considered both polite and tidy, they seem to ruffle no one's feathers. In Reuters's 2007 study, they scored a full 35% higher than Americans, who came in second. Remember, when on vacation, do like the Romans do... or like the Japanese do. Be courteous and keep in mind that you are representing your entire nation. Figure out local customs and, if you are really brave, learn a little bit of the language before you go. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well your efforts are received. About the Author: Tribune Properties produces a series of travel guides, including the Spanish islands of Mallorca and Minorca. They also have details of villa holidays with Meon Villas, airline information, and flights. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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