Pushy French are world's worst tourists: study

[Catty1]

But other countries mentioned here: USA, Canada, Japan, Britain. I wonder how each of these countries measures tourists visiting THEM. :p;)
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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090710/oddities/lifestyle_tourism_travel_france_offbeat

Pushy French are world's worst tourists: study

Fri Jul 10, 12:14 PM

PARIS (AFP) - Penny-pinching, rude and terrible at foreign languages: French people are the world's worst tourists and Japanese the best, according to a study of the global hotel industry.

Carried out last month by TNS Infratest for the Expedia online travel agency, the study asked 40,000 hotels worldwide to rank tourists from 27 countries based on nine criteria, from their politeness to their willingness to tip.

Clean and tidy, polite, quiet and uncomplaining, Japanese tourists came top of the crop for the third year running.

At the other end of the spectrum, French holidaymakers and business travellers were the least generous or ready to tip, and ranked next-to-last for their overall behaviour and politeness.

Pushy French travellers made amends on elegance -- classed third -- as well as for their discretion and cleanliness.

But the French were the least ready to try a new language, unlike US tourists who were most likely to swallow their pride and order a pizza, baguette or a paella in the local lingo.

US tourists also got top marks for generosity -- as the biggest spenders and tippers -- but fell short on other counts as the least tidy, the loudest, the worst complainers, and the most badly dressed.

Despite cliches about beer-guzzling hordes descending on Mediterranean resorts each summer, Britons came a surprise second for their overall behaviour, politeness, quietness and even elegance -- second for dress sense only to the Italians.

But the model Japanese were followed by Canadians as the least likely to whinge when a trip goes wrong.

France's rivals for the "worst tourist" tag, Spaniards and Greeks came near the bottom of the pack in almost every category.

The study was released on Thursday.

[Kirsten]

That is interesting! :) I always wonder how German tourists are perceived in foreign countries.

Once I was buying groceries in a supermarket in Sweden when a group of German tourists entered the shop. They were acting loud and silly, and I was so ashamed of them. When I had to ask a salesperson for something, I spoke English because I didn't want him to think I'm one of them. LOL

Kirsten

[Barbara]

I don't know about tipping etc. - but for sense of dressing I feel Northern European, that is Germans, Britons and Netherlandish are the worst. No way can they get up to Italians. And French are much better than the Germans are in dressing. Certainly.
Of course that doesn't mean me ;):p

There is this saying: The others are tourist, we aren't:D

[Catty1]

LOL I read a saying somewhere: "If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?" :rolleyes::p:D

[Karen]

When we travel, I always try to be friendly and polite as I know how! I will never win any points for style, but that is not one of my goals in life anyway.

[Sonia59]

About French and foreign languages, it must be true! Every time there were foreign people at work, almost nobody wanted to talk to them. In restaurants, it's very common that the waitress will keep on speaking French (preferably fast :rolleyes:) although it is obvious foreign tourists don't catch a single word. Sometimes I felt so ashamed and annoyed that I helped with translating.

About tips, French are not used to give them because in France the price includes everything, you don't have to add a tip. We do it at restaurants when we are happy but the tip remains small and we don't have to do it.

Kirsten, about Germans acting loud and silly, I have often seen them doing this on the ski slopes but they were young and in groups. That's why we can see there are Germans around :D I think it's different with families with young kids.

Barbara, I agree with you about dressing :D

[kokopup]

I lived and traveled in Europe very extensively up until I retired a few years back. I was treated well almost everywhere I traveled. The only places that I was treated badly is in French speaking Belgium and France. In both places unless you spoke French you were treated like crap. I really loved visiting both countries but hated dealing with the the People. I don't know if I was treated that way because I was American or because I didn't speak French. Everywhere else in Europe people would try to communicate even if I didn't speak their language. In France they would ignore you if you were not trying to speak French even if they spoke English.

[Kirsten]

Every time there were foreign people at work, almost nobody wanted to talk to them.


In France they would ignore you if you were not trying to speak French even if they spoke English.

I have to agree. My cousin is married to a French guy (lives in Avignon), and when she's here for a visist (which doesn't happen very often), both her husband and her daughter wouldn't speak a single word, even though they understand some German (in fact, her daughter was raised bilingual, but the girl refuses to speak German, or even English).



Kirsten, about Germans acting loud and silly, I have often seen them doing this on the ski slopes but they were young and in groups. That's why we can see there are Germans around

That doesn't surprise me! LOL



About tips, French are not used to give them because in France the price includes everything, you don't have to add a tip. We do it at restaurants when we are happy but the tip remains small and we don't have to do it.

It's the same in Germany. We're not used to it (except for restaurants, and there, it's freely).


Kirsten

[sasvermont]

They are everywhere. They just don't get it. I don't think it is country specific, when it comes to bad behavior and/or taste. Some people just don't fit in!

There cannot be anything any uglier than the "flip flop, tshirt, shorts look" when walking through a beautiful city, in France, for example. Ahem, US Americans are noted for that. Many just don't care.

I try to blend in when I travel. Some folks just cannot blend in - dress, personality-wise, manners, etc....whatever you want to call it.

I enjoy the difference for the most part, but do find it trying at times when travelling.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have had great experiences in France. Once my husband and I and another couple were standing on a side street -- trying to find our hotel. I'll always remember a woman who was carrying two lamp shades went out of her way to cross to where we were and ask -- in English - if she could help us find our way. Another time we were trying to figure out the subway map and again - without asking, a guy helped us - in English.

We traveled Normandy on another trip and stayed in Bed and Breakfast Inns. Everyone we met was so nice. One couple gave us a tour of their private quarters and served us wine and cheese. My husband really liked the cheese served at another one and I emailed the owner six months later and he graciously helped me out to find it.

Not to say we never met any rude people there - but that can happen at the grocery store or the bank or whereever - here was well any there.

[Sonia59]

I don't know if I was treated that way because I was American or because I didn't speak French. Everywhere else in Europe people would try to communicate even if I didn't speak their language. In France they would ignore you if you were not trying to speak French even if they spoke English.

I agree with you. And it has nothing to do with you being American, I think it's because you didn't speak French. I don't understand why they act like this, but for this reason I feel really ashamed to be French. I love to speak English (or trying to :D) and help people who are lost in the street, or at the shop, post office, etc.

[sasha the cat]

Qu'est-ce? Les Français sont les pires touristes du monde entier? J'aime la France et les Français. Et quand les Français visiter ma ville - Montréal, Québec, Canada - ils sont polis. Je parle français et anglais (langue maternelle). Cependant, quand je suis le touriste, en visite en France, je parle anglais juste pour tester la théorie selon laquelle les Français sont impolis. Chaque fois, les gens essaient de comprendre ce que je dis, s'ils ne parlent pas anglais, et ceux qui parlent anglais immédiatement commencer à parler anglais avec moi.

in English:
What? The French are the World's worst tourists? I love France and the French. And when French people visit my city -- Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- they are polite. I speak French and English (mother tongue). However, when I am the tourist, visiting France, I speak English just to test the theory that the French are impolite. Every time, people try to understand what I'm saying if they do not speak English, and those who speak English immediately begin speaking English with me.

I have no idea how tourist guide books/articles rate the countries visited regarding politeness and helpfulness. Wonder how we Canadians are viewed as tourists in other countries?

Generally in life my experience is that if one is polite and respectful when interacting with another person, the other person responds in kind.

[wombat2u2004]

I agree with you. And it has nothing to do with you being American, I think it's because you didn't speak French. I don't understand why they act like this, but for this reason I feel really ashamed to be French. I love to speak English (or trying to :D) and help people who are lost in the street, or at the shop, post office, etc.

Same with us Aussies when we visit New Caledonia....forget lunch... if you can't say frogs legs or snails in French, then you go hungry.
It's a different story tho, when one of them gets sick and has to be admitted to an Aussie hospital (they don't have decent hospitals there on their island).
I have a French lady friend here who actually organises hospital trips to Aussie from New Caledonia....she is disgusted with their attitude.

[RICHARD]

Wait a minute,

If they are pushy as visitors and rude as hosts......

hmmmm:eek:

[wombat2u2004]

Wait a minute,

If they are pushy as visitors and rude as hosts......

hmmmm:eek:

And you think they'll share their snail flavoured crisps with ya ???
No way !!!!

[RICHARD]

And you think they'll share their snail flavoured crisps with ya ???
No way !!!!

I draw the line at tacos de tripa, Intestine Tacos!

Really!:)

[Bonny]

I call them the Poopie French. On vacation out West years ago there were French & German tourists everywhere. Maybe the money exchange was in their favor. A Frenchman was trying to put leaded gas into an unleaded gas car rental gas tank because it was cheaper. The nozzles on the hoses are different & he was getting gas all over the place. :eek Then if you met them on the sidewalk or trails they would not move out of the way or single file it. I got to the point when I met them I would stop & not move & they would have to go around me.;) Then two French families got into it over a motel room. They kept trying to get the cheapest discount for a room. Finally the clerk told them she didn't have any rooms for either of them. :o Then I was in a convenient store & had my stuff at the register & a Poopie French lady barged in right in front of me. :mad: The clerk told her I was first in line she would have to wait her turn.:D They had zero manners & sucked big time. :mad:

[wombat2u2004]

I draw the line at tacos de tripa, Intestine Tacos!

Really!:)

Ahhhhh...they taste like crap :p

[wombat2u2004]

I call them the Poopie French. On vacation out West years ago there were French & German tourists everywhere. Maybe the money exchange was in their favor. A Frenchman was trying to put leaded gas into an unleaded gas car rental gas tank because it was cheaper. The nozzles on the hoses are different & he was getting gas all over the place. :eek Then if you met them on the sidewalk or trails they would not move out of the way or single file it. I got to the point when I met them I would stop & not move & they would have to go around me.;) Then two French families got into it over a motel room. They kept trying to get the cheapest discount for a room. Finally the clerk told them she didn't have any rooms for either of them. :o Then I was in a convenient store & had my stuff at the register & a Poopie French lady barged in right in front of me. :mad: The clerk told her I was first in line she would have to wait her turn.:D They had zero manners & sucked big time. :mad:

You know why french people have big noses ???
Cos the air is free !!! HAAAAAH !!!!!

[Bonny]

On the other side of the coin. We had 3 French students stay with us for a month, three different summers back in the 1970's. They were the best well behaved kids & clean. :)

When in Alaska years ago we stayed at B&B in Valdez. There was a snorkel snouted French doctor & his lovely wife. They wouldn't sleep in the basement room so we gave up our room on the upper level. I can only think the reason was the possibilty of an earthquake & the place caving in is all. He reaked of arrogants & his sweet wife was not French but Oriental. At breakfast he complained about the food.:( The hostess said they trashed the room she put them in.:( So you run into all kinds.:confused: I would of liked to have thrown my cup of coffee in his face though just for good measure.:D

[Sirrahsim]

I haven't had a chance to go down to France yet but a while ago I was being helped by a lady speaking French in Belgium. She was all smiles and chatty cathy with everyone else but when it was my turn she didn't even TRY to speak to me even though I smiled and said hello in French just like everyone else :( She did crack a smile when I said Merci though so maybe the rest of it was just too butchered to be understandable:D:D
Here in Germany I have had MANY good experiences with language and it seems that everyone I have met so far appreciates that I TRY to ask/order in German :D

[Kirsten]

Here in Germany I have had MANY good experiences with language and it seems that everyone I have met so far appreciates that I TRY to ask/order in German

Where in Germany are you? :) It's true, many Germans appreciate when people from other countries try to speak our language (btw, I think German must be very difficult to learn). Do the Germans you know try to speak English with you? I have to admit that many Germans speak a horrible English... :o

Kirsten

[Randi]

I remember John telling some stories about the French and German’s. He left England when he was about 21 and went to Germany to work for a year doing technical drawings. He got a job ans lived in a small rented room where he studied German from an old book with Gothic letters! He did quite well there and liked the people. Than, after that, he went to Paris, France and got a similar job, also for a year. He did get to know a few people, but he felt most was very hostile, even though he studied French and spoke some. :)

His plan was to go to Japan, but he wanted to take a two week holiday in Copenhagen first - he had been corresponding with a friend of a friend here. Well, as some of may know, he loved it here and stayed until he died. He was introduced to the best Bar in town, though. ;) People were all over him to practise their English. This was in 1961.

In his later years, he used to complain about the German's "stealing" the sun chairs wherever we went on holiday.

Oh, there was one thing he couldn't stand about Danes... no queue culture!

[Kirsten]

Oh, there was one thing he couldn't stand about Danes... no queue culture!

LOL! :)


In his later years, he used to complain about the German's "stealing" the sun chairs wherever we went on holiday.

Oh yes, definitely a bad German habit, from what I've heard (I don't travel).

Kirsten

[wombat2u2004]

He did get to know a few people, but he felt most was very hostile, even though he studied French and spoke some.

My daughters boyfriend has just returned from six weeks in Paris, on student exchange. He has exactly the same story.

[Randi]

Well, I guess there are all types - I know this very nice French couple who now live in Copenhagen (actually they were born in Spain, but they lived in France most of their lives, and still have a house in Paris). They are simply the nicest people you can meet - OK, they have travelled a LOT, have three children and a one eyed cat (Dali). Of course... cat people has to be nice. :)

However, the way they speak English is SO charming. :D

[wombat2u2004]

Well, I guess there are all types - I know this very nice French couple who now live in Copenhagen (actually they were born in Spain, but they lived in France most of their lives, and still have a house in Paris). They are simply the nicest people you can meet - OK, they have travelled a LOT, have three children and a one eyed cat (Dali). Of course... cat people has to be nice. :)

However, the way they speak English is SO charming. :D

Yeah, Spanish people are ok, I've known a few of them, and Portuguese to are a nice sort of people.
We had a Danish family living near us recently, there daughter Phia was one of my daughters friends, they were in the same class at school. Phia's mother worked as a professor of science at the university. A lovely lady, and a real fitness freak.....last year she had a stroke...she was like only 42 yo, so tragic it was. So they had to sell their house and move back to Denmark.
Hubby was also a professor, but couldn't find work here at the uni, and was driving taxi's. So they had to move back so that he could find better paid work teaching in Denmark, as his wife needs lots of care and all. The Dr's doubt she will ever be able to return to her work, as the stroke rendered her almost speechless.
Terrible thing to happen to her, she was a really nice lady.

[Sirrahsim]

Where in Germany are you? :) It's true, many Germans appreciate when people from other countries try to speak our language (btw, I think German must be very difficult to learn). Do the Germans you know try to speak English with you? I have to admit that many Germans speak a horrible English... :o

Kirsten

I live way over by Trier! In my experience so far, I will speak German the best I can and they will answer me in English. Maybe because I live near a US military base?? I've only met a couple of people who I could not understand at all, even with asking them to speak slowly, but we managed to communicate well enough with hand gestures:D I love Germany:love::love:
I would agree that German is difficult to learn:eek: I have been using Rosetta Stone and Mango language programs but I am still terrible at anything but the basics!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I think this article is interesting, but probably not scientifically valid. :D

I was in France for 10 days in 2004, and didn't speak but a few words of the language- but everyone was very nice! I actually didn't run into anyone who was rude, but also did make sure to at least give basic salutations in French. (I also had a friend who spoke French, but even when I was out alone I found people very helpful despite my language deficit).

[Randi]

I've never been to Portugal, but Portuguese people are supposed to be really friendly. Come to that, some friends of mine visited New Zealand a few years back - I believe that was the height of your journey "around the world" - well apart from Western Samoa. The place they hated was Mexico.

I learnt a bit of Spanish - good to know when you're stuck out in nowhere and there's only this old man to ask for directions. :cool:

How tragic with that Danish woman, I hope she is doing better now!

Sirrahsim, I agree that German is difficult. In my case it's because of the grammer. I do understand a lot, though. :)

[K9karen]

Well, I consider myself pretty well travelled, having been a travel agent. On the way to Monaco for an award ceremony, 3 friends and I took an extra week off and went to Paris. We were looking at a map on a busy street, when the most sophisticated woman stopped and asked us in English if we needed help! Then when we got on the bus in the wrong direction, the poor driver was so upset he couldn't get through to us. A passenger in the rear of the bus, walked toward us and apologized for his poor English but he would try to help is! Sorry, our week stay in Paris was lovely (except for April rain). We were shocked at how well we were treated. Maybe we were just so cute. :p

I never did remember about the tipping customs in certain countries. I always left a tip.

I enjoyed everywhere I went (except one country which will remain nameless).

My main complaint, are line breakers and shovers. I was at a very old hotel in Vienna, that had an old elevator with a pull open/close gated door. My friend (very tall) and I were waiting to get on, when a large group of foreigners raced down the hall, shoved us away and closed the door since there was no room for us. The next day, same thing, and my friend stood in front of the door and being a lot taller than the other group blocked the door with her arms and pulled me in and closed the door. It was hysterical. Those short people were dumbfounded and probably terrified. But lesson taught.

[Scorpio]

The Germans take the prize for me. Pushing in front of you in queues and acting generally crass. In the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, there are signs asking you to not plant your heathen ass on the benches reserved for moslems. One German lady was sitting right next to the sign. Meanwhile, on the floor of the mosque, a German was pretending to pray moslem-style, while he got his son to video him.

[Sonia59]

K9karen:
In France the tip is optional. People leave a tip only when they are very happy and they think the waiter deserves it. If food was not good or if you were served quickly and had no attention, you don't leave a tip. This is usually what people do, now some always leave a tip, and some never do.

Glad you had nice experience ;)



Bonny, good news for you with the euro not as high as it used to be, you will have less of the stingy poopy visitors :p


Standing in a queue is definitely not a French, and more generally, European thing :rolleyes: Except in great Britain :)

[Sirrahsim]

This afternoon I took the boys to the park and there was a lady there with her son who was speaking a language I couldn't identify. After a little gesturing and broken German we figured out that we each spoke a (VERY!) little bit of German and French. Between the two languages we were able to exchange names and ages of all the kiddos and she told me that she was visiting her daughter and something about a baby....:confused: Oh and I asked her what time it was:D
It was great fun! Though not really the topic of the thread it seems relevant:D

[smokey the elder]

I don't think it's fair to tar a group with a broad brush. I found, many years ago, when I tried out my college German in Germany the folks liked the attempt. I bet my accent was terrible!:D I think for the most part if you can say, Hello, goodbye, please and thank you in a language that can get one pretty far.

I hope all these line jumpers don't go to Disney World or Universal Orlando...line jumpers are VERY frowned upon!:D

[Kirsten]

I live way over by Trier! In my experience so far, I will speak German the best I can and they will answer me in English. Maybe because I live near a US military base?? I've only met a couple of people who I could not understand at all, even with asking them to speak slowly, but we managed to communicate well enough with hand gestures I love Germany

I never visited Trier (it's about 375 km away from where I live) but it must be a beautiful city. One of the oldest towns in Germany, with a strong Roman background and influence...
Yes, could be very well that the people there are used to the US people on the military base and that's why they speak English with you. :)

Glad that you like Germany! :) However, the weather is really awful this spring, usually it's not that bad! :eek:



Sirrahsim, I agree that German is difficult. In my case it's because of the grammer. I do understand a lot, though.

Randi, I used to be on holiday in Denmark many times when I was younger, and I always found that most Danes spoke an excellent German - with a cute accent, of course! :)


In the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, there are signs asking you to not plant your heathen ass on the benches reserved for moslems. One German lady was sitting right next to the sign. Meanwhile, on the floor of the mosque, a German was pretending to pray moslem-style, while he got his son to video him.

I agree that was disrespectful. :( If I was there, I would have been ashamed of my fellow countrymen... However, not all Germans are like that, there are many who respect foreign cultures.



This afternoon I took the boys to the park and there was a lady there with her son who was speaking a language I couldn't identify. After a little gesturing and broken German we figured out that we each spoke a (VERY!) little bit of German and French.

Maybe they were from Luxembourg oder Belgium? These countries are very close to where you live now...

Kirsten

[Sirrahsim]

Yes they very well could have been from Luxembourg or Belgium! That didn't even occur to silly me:D