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Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
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mbot says Spock yeah!
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
Can we just say that tourists from basically anywhere can be effing annoying? I used to suffer from the shame of being associated with "ugly Americans" while traveling abroad; but after living in tourist-soaked Prague for a year, it became clear that ALL the tourists were awful. The Brits, the Americans, the Italians, the Spaniards, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Germans-- oh lord, all the drunken, shoving, slow-moving, loud ass masses that crowded the streets morning, noon, and night. It's that heady combination of vacation time, excess drinking, and fumbling with language/cultural barriers that can turn almost anyone into a dick, really.
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jaydock
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
God, all these comments make me want to have a worldwide vacation where everyone just mingles and teases each other (and themselves) about their cultural habits.
Fun fun fun fun fun!
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SmaženýSýr
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
For whatever it's worth, TNS Infratest, the company that did the survey, is German.
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sequined
07/09/09

@SmaženýSýr: That makes it even more logically reasonable to me that France would come in last.
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alouette
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
It's strange about the French not speaking local languages. Both times I've gone to France and tried to speak French to the locals, they immediately switched to English for me. It was sort of annoying, yeah, but it was certainly accommodating which I think was the gist of the study. Oh well, one experience does not a global survey make.
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thesciencegirl
07/09/09

@alouette: I had the same experience. I just figured that my French was really bad.
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HBIC!
07/09/09

@alouette: Especially when you consider that many (most?) French schools require their students to take English (and usually German/Italian) starting in like 3rd grade. You would assume that they would retain some of that. I think when they say 'bad at foreign languages' they mean 'bad at saying the appropriate thing in foreign languages', because many things that sound perfectly polite in French translate pretty assholey to English (and I've been told in German).
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Bunsen Honeydew
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
What do these surveys contribute to? I know when there are kind of obvious scientific studies, they are usually contributing to adding validity to a later study. But a survey like this seems to only produce worn out blanket stereotypes... any insight?
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LindsayC: doctoral hilarity ensues
07/09/09

@Bunsen Honeydew: Err.. I didn't click the link but sometimes these kinds of studies produce masters' degrees and Ph.D.s. It's possible that a student did a related (and probably more involved) study and then published a smaller paper after graduating. It's common- at least in Ed Psych- to publish several papers out of your dissertation research.
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thegogglesdonothing
07/09/09

@Bunsen Honeydew: It might be looking at the prevalence of stereotyping among hotel owners, or it might be testing the validity of common stereotypes. Honestly, I've always thought that Americans were more stereotyped as bad tourists than the French, but I don't have much international travel experience, so I'm probably not the best qualified person.
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NefariousNewt
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
How did the Italians avoid being the worst? Can someone explain it to me? Example: just got back from Europe. In Colmar, riding the little trolley train that takes you around and shows you the sights. At one stop, a large contingent of old Italian ladies gets on board, and proceed to chat as loudly as possibly about everything under the Sun, drowning out the recorded tour information in my headphones. They weren't paying any attention to the tour!
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Gretchen is a new kitten mom!
07/09/09

@NefariousNewt:We just got back as well. A group of Italians at Kronberg Slot were perfectly fine - maybe it was just a case of "old lady syndrome"?

Personally, I've always found Americans to be the worst tourists abroad. We are certainly the worst at observing the social customs of others, so we seldom observe them.
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heykoukla
07/09/09

@NefariousNewt: And on another message board somewhere, an old Italian lady is posting: "Just got back from Colmar, beautiful place, so much to talk about! But it's so sad to see some people can't enjoy themselves on holidays like we can - the boring Americans were listening to the tour on their headphones and giving us dirty looks just because we were talking..."
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DutchessOfDork
07/09/09

@NefariousNewt:

I have found that the worst tourists are the Germans. Or at least they were when I travelled.
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randomnessish
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
Ha. Ha. HA. Of course French tourists would be the worst...in an American survey.

Personally, I've maybe only seen a handful of French tourists in NYC, mostly chattering on the subway. And, if it weren't for their language, I couldn't tell WHAT they were--dressing fashionably? Why don't we just say that all French babies are born wearing Dior, and that all Asian tourists take pictures of ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET EVER?
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badmutha
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
Ah, the French may be well dressed, but in my experience it is the Germans who are the best undressed. Those people get naked at the drop of a hat, and have no problem changing clothes in the middle of a store.
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Gretchen is a new kitten mom!
07/09/09

@badmutha: In the North they do. The South (Bavaria) is rather conservative and reserved. There is, however, the most WONDERFUL nude sunbathing area tucked way in the middle of a huge park in Munich.
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formergr
07/09/09

@badmutha: I am half-German and spent many a summer there as a child, and what always struck me fashion-wise was the large abundance of Germans wearing socks with sandals, as well as couples wearing matching jackets or track suits.

Granted, though, this was not in a big city, but in a rather small-town area. So that may have contributed.
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greengrey
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
Well, when I'm in midtown, it's never the Europeans or the Asians who get in my way and won't move. It's usually other Americans who are totally oblivious and ignore how walking traffic goes.
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Vivi21
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): That is the absolute worst. They've always got their heads permanently tipped back, as if skyscrapers are so fascinating, and just come to a complete halt in the middle of the sidewalk--drives me absolutely nuts.
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nessalicious
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): I have to say the people who drive me nuts in London are definitely my own folk more than tourists.

Anyway, once you leave your own country everything's shiny and exciting and you need to stop and stare at it, which then turns you into that bad tourist.
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argle-bargle? or fou-ferraw?
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): I take issue with slow-walkers in general, particularly those who insist on walking two or three abreast in heavy traffic areas. I don't really care whether or not they're locals; just get out of my effing way!
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onestrawplz
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): Oh, preach it . I was just about to comment about the slow-walking, fanny-pack wearing American tourists in NYC. They're also the ones who will be standing on like, 45th and 7th and ask you how to get to 47th. I'm just like "...the numbers, they go up."
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colormeroutine
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): My favorite are the midwestern families who think the bottom of the subway steps is the perfect spot to gather their 15 person group and discuss what to do next. I WILL MOW YOU DOWN FANNY-PACK WOMAN
Also once someone yelled at me for "skipping the line" on a subway platform. All I could do was laugh in their face. they were then shocked that I was not properly respecting my elders
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brendastarlet is on it
07/09/09

@greengrey (raidersofthelostSTAR): and it's not even tourists. It's people who congregate in groups of eight, say, in my local farmer's market. They just chat away in the middle of the aisle, totally oblivious to people trying to pass them on either side. What is it with this oblivious thing, people? Move to the sidewalk, or over to one side, please.
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shorty63136
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
Could it be that foreign tourists come from a place where they expect and are accustomed excellent customer service and quickly balk when they don't get it? I've had good experiences with hotels (I love you, Hampton Inn), but I've also had some shitty experiences b/c the staff/owners were only concerned about getting their shift over with as quickly as possible while doing the least amount of work and spending the least amount of money in the process.
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bangers
07/09/09

@shorty63136: i would argue it's the same with US travel. as a new york city-to-new orleans transplant, i've acclimated myself to a very different culture of service in the south.
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argle-bargle? or fou-ferraw?
07/09/09

@shorty63136: Or they're from somewhere with different standards re: tipping? I've heard this come up many times and though I'd never really given it much thought, tipping incorrectly, whether too much or too little could easily be considered rude.
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brendastarlet is on it
07/09/09

@bangers: yes, ma'am! Are you sure you've found everything you need? And do you have a cousin from up in St. Charles? I think I went to dancing school with them.
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Edited by brendastarlet is on it at 07/09/09 3:52 PM

Dodgergirl
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
I don't know, I think I trust David Sedaris on this one. His story, Picka Pocketoni, provides some pretty compelling evidence about American tourists.
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gangey
07/09/09

@Dodgergirl: I love that story!
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CollegeCamel
07/09/09

@Dodgergirl: Watch what you say about American tourists! If you're bad, the former bishop of Turkey and six to eight black men will come to your house and either pretend to kick you, or put you in a sack and take you to Spain!
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swimmingly
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
It makes perfect sense that in a survey by Americans about tourism, that French people who don't speak the language and are cautious with their money land in last place. I'm sure in a European survey, Americans would land in a negative place because we go places, don't speak the language, sometimes have little regard for the culture, and carry a sense of entitlement like we carry our bags of souvenirs. American tourists, in my opinion as an American tourist, are the worst of all.
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NellMood
07/09/09

@swimmingly: According to the article, they actually surveyed hotel owners around the world. So this isn't just the opinions of Americans.
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hausfrau76
07/09/09

@swimmingly: Don't forget the yelling in place of speaking the language. When they don't understand the first time, yell. That always makes it better!
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@swimmingly: see I would, as a British person, have said that the British were the worst. Perhaps every nation secretly believes that they are the crappest tourists?
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
07/09/09

@swimmingly: Believe it or not, despite our reputation, I've actually heard great things about American tourists from other nationals. Sully posted an interview a while ago with a British personality (can't remember who it was off the top of my head) who says that when he travels, he always looks for the American tourists as they are generally more helpful than the people who actually live there. Anyway, that it was what I choose to believe because I'm American and like to think of myself as a good tourist!
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Edited by Sputnik_Sweetheart at 07/09/09 2:54 PM Sputnik_Sweetheart was starred

IBleedGlitter: The High Priestess of Tinsel
07/09/09

@Sputnik_Sweetheart: I think that Americans have heard the 'stupid, obnoxious American tourist' stereotype so much that when they go abroad they try extra hard to avoid being seen that way. I know that's what I did.
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Edited by IBleedGlitter: The High Priestess of Tinsel at 07/09/09 3:04 PM

boxspelunker
07/09/09

@IBleedGlitter: The High Priestess of Tinsel: OH GOD ME TOO. I am terrified of being a bad tourist. I try to be polite and helpful (not that I don't do those things at home, but I make for damn sure I am friendly to people and polite when traveling).

I hate the stereotype that follows me and I am determined to help get rid of it.
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Ailanthus-altissima
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
From the article: "The French don't go abroad very much. We're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of its landscape and culture."
I don't go abroad because I hate America. I go abroad because abroad is cool.
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Vivi21
07/09/09

@Ailanthus-altissima: This. It's awesome to go see other places and experience other cultures. And I would say that the variety of beautiful landscapes here could also give France a run for its money, so that's no excuse to avoid international travel.
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Liz11685
07/09/09

@Ailanthus-altissima: The French also have a tradition of going to their country houses for the vacation month of August, or to the Cote d'Azur- whereas they are probably not interested in coming to America when it is sweltering. Also, some of the French people I know travel more in Europe and Middle East (many to Turkey) rather than come here. I'm guessing all these things negatively impact the view American hoteliers have of French tourists.
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cwisto moweina has got yer goat
07/09/09

@Ailanthus-altissima: or because abroad is just abroad. Diversity makes life spicy, such as.
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mass romantic
07/09/09

@Ailanthus-altissima: Good point. I actually think the French and Americans *generally speaking* have similar views on travel. There are plenty who love to travel all over the world, but there are also lots and lots who figure their country is so awesome, why leave? (I'm an American living in France, btw.)
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mrsdracomalfoy
07/09/09

@cwisto moweina has got yer goat: Are you sure it's not just the opposite-ness?
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boxspelunker
07/09/09

@Ailanthus-altissima: Clearly you are just in denial, you America-hating, abortion-having, Jesus-denying harpie. We know about you. We're on to your.... tricks. Real Americans do not need to travel. We have TV.
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formergr
07/09/09

@Liz11685: Right-- it's less than a 3 hour flight from France to say, Morocco, not to mention a ton of other fascinating and very different places. Whereas flying to the States is 8 hours minimum (much more if going to CA or the West, of course), so it's a much bigger commitment.
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LadyFabulous
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
What does it say about the number of American's sewing Canadian flags to their backpacks?
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bitingfairy
07/09/09

@LadyFabulous: We don't have to do that anymore do we? I thought they liked us now.
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eri401
07/09/09

@bitingfairy needs a job: I don't know. I'm sewing a Canadian flag AND an Obama picture onto my bag just to be safe.
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counterclockwise's using her promoting-power for good
07/09/09

In reply to Why Yes, The Survey Does Appear To Be American
German and British tourists are the best out of the European ones? They obviously didn't ask me. Maybe they didn't bother to ask because I don't own a hotel...
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rah29
07/09/09

@counterclockwise: But the Germans do tan extraordinarily well. Damn them and their early morning acquisition of all the sun loungers. Damn them.
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BlondeGoddess
07/09/09

@counterclockwise: Maybe it is a survey of who are the loudest drunks? Won by the Brits, no contest.
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counterclockwise's using her promoting-power for good
07/09/09

@rah29: The tradition of using a towel as a tiny part of Germany that symbolises the possession of a sun lounger was perfected in many years by my people. And now the Dutch are challenging us everywhere I look during a vacation. We're pretty close to an international towel war.
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@counterclockwise: As a Brit I find this very very hard to believe. In my personal experience we are obnoxious, drunk, generally half naked and sunburnt and very very loud. We also take our clothes off and vomit and piss in public streets. Seriously I'm not sure we should actually be allowed off our island.
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@rah29: hahaa it's all in the towel use you know. Why yes i am quoting from my big bumper book of British stereotypes of evil other nations.
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haguenite
07/09/09

@counterclockwise: We let the Germans get away with stealing our granddaddies' bikes AND our sand pits on the beach.

We will never relinquish our right to a sun lounger!
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curiousgeorgiana
07/09/09

@emilyanne: Don't deny the world your awesome culture.
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heykoukla
07/09/09

@emilyanne: Brits also finished second on the list for best-dressed. If they are counting a suit of lobster-red skin as fashionable, then I would argue the Brits should have topped the list.
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@heykoukla: how did they manage that? How? Are shorts and badly fitting t-shirts now in fashion? Am I going to the wrong places? I am officially bemused.
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@curiousgeorgiana: ha we have a lot to teach the world you know, a great deal, most of it involves alcohol and getting lary at sports fixtures.
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counterclockwise's using her promoting-power for good
07/09/09

@haguenite: Let's take this battle to a three star hotel in Mallorca. We'll see who emerges victoriously!
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rah29
07/09/09

@emilyanne: Oh, my parents used to have a timeshare in the Canaries. It's all true. The Brits were drunk, burned and naked; the Germans were swarthy, tanned and naked.

Of course, I'm Irish. I have no high horse on which to stand, because my horse is currently drunkenly singing and telling stories about potatoes to complete strangers. He embarasses me like this every damn time.
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emilyanne
07/09/09

@rah29: your horse should get together with my husband's horse and play the fiddle some day while bemoaning british imperialism.
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haguenite
07/09/09

@counterclockwise: I will throw your towel in the pool and tell you "ich hatt's nicht gewusst" while looking bemused and innocent, because yes, I know a person who did this once.

Whenever someone tells me the Dutch are PC and tolerant, I laugh in their face. Obviously, the person saying this is not German, Surinaams, Afrikaans, Indonesian, etc.
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counterclockwise's using her promoting-power for good
07/09/09

@haguenite: That's so rude!
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