And the best tourists in the world are...

Wed May 23, 2007 9:49AM EDT LONDON (Reuters) - The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on views from hoteliers across Europe said Wednesday.

Japanese tourists stood out for being polite and tidy, securing 35 percent more votes than the Americans who came second.

Swiss tourists were commended for being quiet and considerate, unlike the Britons who were judged to be the fifth worst tourists because of rude behavior, noise and a miserly attitude to tipping.

But despite their faults, hoteliers do look favorably upon British spending habits voting them the third biggest holiday spenders after Americans and Russians.

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers, the survey carried out on behalf of travel Web site Expedia showed that the worst tourist nation was France, followed by India, China and Russia.

Britain was second in the worst-dressed tourist table which was headed by the Americans, and fifth in the least-generous table which was headed by the Germans.

© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.

Everyone has heard about tourists behaving badly especially in LOS.I admit to getting embarrassed by fellow countrymen behaving badly.

And the best tourists in the world are...

Wed May 23, 2007 9:49AM EDT LONDON (Reuters) - The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on views from hoteliers across Europe said Wednesday.

Japanese tourists stood out for being polite and tidy, securing 35 percent more votes than the Americans who came second.

Swiss tourists were commended for being quiet and considerate, unlike the Britons who were judged to be the fifth worst tourists because of rude behavior, noise and a miserly attitude to tipping.

But despite their faults, hoteliers do look favorably upon British spending habits voting them the third biggest holiday spenders after Americans and Russians.

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers, the survey carried out on behalf of travel Web site Expedia showed that the worst tourist nation was France, followed by India, China and Russia.

Britain was second in the worst-dressed tourist table which was headed by the Americans, and fifth in the least-generous table which was headed by the Germans.

© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.

Everyone has heard about tourists behaving badly especially in LOS.I admit to getting embarrassed by fellow countrymen behaving badly.

Actually the top 3 don't surprise me in the least!

I would guess that the yanks <like myself > may be known for being loud ... expressing opinions etc ... but overall polite and big tippers Fortunately we aren't hooligans very often!

Who are the best dressed tourists?

Don't know the best dressed but some Aussies get around in jock strap and sandals or the singlet and burn-the -bra brigade.Does that make us the worst dressed?

Who are the best dressed tourists?

That's a good one. Ask any Thai person and they will tell you the best dressed man is the one with long trousers, neatly tucked in shirt and proper shined shoes. For women, modest non-revealing dress of any type. In the tropics, on holiday, that is not a tenable position. So, by default, the best dressed people on holiday will be the goofiest, gooniest misfits in the west, but the best dressed in Thailand. Go figure.

And the best tourists in the world are...

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers,

Interesting statistic but I would love to see something similar on Asian Hotels...I think the the scores change substantially and it would include aussies...

I also think that considering the hooligans distort the reality as they are not real tourists...they are just pomms going abroad to fight on football events..... If hooligans are not be considered as tourists, pomms will have a different rate, I think.

Who are the best dressed tourists?

The Asian tourists by far ... so probably the Japanese

Were we discussing politics or tourism?

Oh well .... no surprise ... Yanks tend to say plase and thank you .. tip well ... and pay pay pay ... THAT makes a good tourist

Discrimination I say !

Were do Canadian tourists fit on this list ! If anything, we are probably the politest, and nicest dressed (but most likely not the biggest spenders).

The problem is, we are so nice and well-dressed, we tend to blend into the surroundings and rarely get noticed.

Dunno Kerry ... but there has to be more of you guys than us in Thailand

Do as they say....Not as they do.......

As usual many generalisations, in reality people should take you as they find you, one reason I hate the Uk is its now thug culture where staff in shops often call me "mate" say cheers instead of thanks and thats if you get a thanks at all and the total obsessionwith football as if it was the only thing that mattered in life and where the whole familygoes into morning if a game is lost.

Japanese are very polite had a Jap woman stay with me once, she said Japanese men treated them like third class citizens and she was amazed when people held doors open for her in the Uk. This was 30 years ago now.

"mourning" sorry for my awful typing I can spell honest, innit, sorted, boverrrrrrrrred

I think he was being sarcastic Meibanfa here's some more on tourists very funny.....

UK tourists 'among worst in the world'

By Martin Beckford

Last Updated: 2:20am BST 24/05/2007

Britain's image overseas will take a battering from a survey claiming our tourists are among the worst in the world and a new guidebook pouring scorn on the nation’s love of junk food and talentless celebrities.

British tourists have improved their reputation from five years ago

The poll of 15,000 European hoteliers found that British tourists are the fifth most miserly tippers of all nations, the second worst-dressed after Americans and the third biggest complainers.

Even British hotel managers found their fellow countrymen to be the worst behaved and among the most impolite.

But Britons were voted the third biggest spenders while on holiday, after Americans and Russians.

Overall the UK was voted the fifth worst nation of tourists but this constitutes an improvement on a similar survey carried out five years ago, in which Britons were considered the worst in the world.

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That dubious accolade now goes to the French, while the Japanese are seen as the best tourists.

Caroline Cartellieri, managing director of travel website Expedia.co.uk which carried out the research, said: “It’s disappointing to learn that our position in the world rankings hasn’t really changed, with foreign hoteliers still perceiving Brits as noisy, untidy and badly dressed.

“Although it’s good to see Brits perceived as generous in their spending habits, now we just need to work on ditching those 'socks and sandals’.”

An updated edition of the Lonely Planet guide to Great Britain, published today, also rails against Britons’ lack of cultural sophistication.

The book says it is “a telling indictment that more people vote in TV talent shows than for their country’s leaders”, illustrating the nation’s “ever-growing obsession with fame and celebrity”.

It adds that Britons love reading news about famous people “even though their 'celebrity’ status is based on little more than the ability to sing a jolly tune, look good in tight trousers or kick a ball in the right direction”.

The guide says “great food” can be found in Britain but adds: “It’s just that not all the Brits seem to like eating it.”

It claims Britons eat more junk food and ready meals than the rest of Europe put together.

“Vandalism and nuisance behaviour caused by binge drinking” are serious problems around the country, the guide states, and that a “general air of disillusion” prevails in the aftermath of the July 2005 London bombings.

Can't find anything about Aussies or Canadians.

I would guess that the yanks <like myself > may be known for being loud ... expressing opinions etc ... but overall polite and big tippers Fortunately we aren't hooligans very often!

True.

In my country we look at you as you described yourself.

Loud, opinions.

Mostly polite, and fairly good tippers.

Unfortunately a lot is a bit ignorant maybe, and step on other cultures without actually knowing or mean to do it.

But the vast majority of Americans I have met are quite a positive lot.

Rgds

Sailor

Discrimination I say !

Were do Canadian tourists fit on this list ! If anything, we are probably the politest, and nicest dressed (but most likely not the biggest spenders).

The problem is, we are so nice and well-dressed, we tend to blend into the surroundings and rarely get noticed.

Recently heard:

Everyone likes the Canadians for all the reasons listed above and more.

They are like the world's gay friend.

LOL Old Croc .... I certainly am not ... so someone needs to be!

Everyone thinks Canadians are actually Americans in disguise if it wasn't for the flag sewn on the backpack.How many countries have a pot leaf on their flag hahahaha.

They are like the world's gay friend.

When your national animal is a furry beaver, I don't think many people think of Canadians as "gay" !

What furry Beaver??? Croc's from Perth our national animals are the kangaroo and emu mate and they make good tucker too.

best dressed in my opinion are the young stylish english and the italians(thais and particulary japanese present themselves well).most of these tend not to wear sandals,scruffy clothes,stupid dreaded unwashed hair etc(israelis are the pits).

alot of guys ie wear shorts for going out.now if you see a decent pair of designer jeans and a nice top,chances are they are english.americans are mixed,some smart,most couldnt give a toss.would say the germans are by far the worst dressed.

except for the beach resorts,alot of scruffs there from every nation

1 Japanese:

They bow for the elevatorman, they bow when their soup is cold and the room dirty, and finally they bow when they leave the hotel with the receptionists "piss of tojo" still ringing in their ears.

2 Americans:

They spend far more money than anybody else, so even if they are the most loud and big headded people on earth, with the absolute worst taste in clothes, and despite their kids being the least wellbehaved kids in the world, they are always wellcome, if they only left those checkerd golfstyle pants at home they would beat the japanese for nr.1, and the thing is, we do owe them a lot us Europeans.

3 Swiss:

They arrive on time, they eat on time, they leave the loundry on time, they assemble for tours on time, they help setting the hotel clocks, they always polish the room safe and deny revealing its contents even if they are robbed, and finally they leave on time.

Kindest of regards to the above nationalities

Worst dressed?

Must be the people that always always always wear their shorts and the football shirts.

Yes the football shirts. National or team shirts.

Guess who.

Sailor

ooo worst dressed, gotta be some type of mega-euro tie for that one, pink shirts, girls with guy haircuts, and not showering ? plus dont forget to mention all those "football" shirts. Also Japanese plain white golf shirts are kind of boring and uninventive. Now dont get me wrong about the euros but it must be said there are a certain "upper echelon" who dress fashionably, it always seems like the itialians although the percentage of mediocre attire definitely outnumbers the opposite, but WE CANT forget the majority of people who are representing their countries in a fashion sense, especially when you are thinking of Thailand; middle aged males...

Being American, I have to say, you generally can pick out the American Tourist (at least here in the States). Think khaki shorts, golf shirt, sandals usually and a pair of black socks pulled up to just below the knees. I see them every summer when they migrate north from the bigger cities. Children are usually in tow wearing the latest fashions. They almost always have a certain look on their face as if they are hoping no one they know will see them with their parents.

If this survey had been taken after the World Cup in Football, hosted by USA, in 1994 (I think it was then), it would have been the visitors from South Korea.

When South Korea played, there were about 25-30 000 cheering for them. Visitors and expats.

When the matches were over, they all picked up each and every little thing they might have dropped. Cleaned up after them, and put it in the bins outside the stadium.

It was so clean after them in their sections that it started to be embarressing for the cleaning personnel inside the stadium.

Now, thats some decent visitors.

PS.

By Football I mean Soccer (for you in US and Canada). You know, the sport where the ball is mainly moved around by using the feet. Not carried in the hands.

Sorry, I couldnt resist that one.

rgds

Sailor

Not sure where the Chinese come on the list but they are REALLY gross even in their homeland....and I've been in Shanghai and Guangzhou for 7 years I know what I'm talking about.

They throw rubbish everywhere because it gives somebody a job to pick it up.I was on the Great Wall and a tourist group of Chinese threw all their polysterine lunch containers and chopsticks off the wall.Lots of people were shocked and I tried to ask 'How can you rubbish your own country like that?' No reply just laughter.Lots of Americans and Canadians took pics,terrible behaviour.

In Shanghai they are very fond of spitting never mind they are talking.They wil stop in mid sentence,hock a greenie and spit between your feet and continue.No wonder SARS originated there.Or they will spit out chicken and other bones on the tablecloth at the table.

Drinking habits are the worst in the world.They will 'Gangbei' with horrid baijou (never tried it) until falling over drunk and vomiting and the last man who stands saves his face.Nobody ques for anything it's 'game time' on the subway the more old women and children you push out of the way to get a seat the better.No respect for anyone yet respect is demanded everywhere.

Beijing close to Russia is even worse where the pot bellies walk around without shirts in the heat,pick their nose,keep an inch long fingernail for that purpose or to pick their ear with yuk.

Generally the Chinese are great people but really lousy tourists even on holiday in their own country come Chinese New Year everybody goes troppo.

Being American, I have to say, you generally can pick out the American Tourist (at least here in the States). Think khaki shorts, golf shirt, sandals usually and a pair of black socks pulled up to just below the knees. I see them every summer when they migrate north from the bigger cities. Children are usually in tow wearing the latest fashions. They almost always have a certain look on their face as if they are hoping no one they know will see them with their parents.

good grief......do you really see them wearing black knee socks?

Being American, I have to say, you generally can pick out the American Tourist (at least here in the States). Think khaki shorts, golf shirt, sandals usually and a pair of black socks pulled up to just below the knees. I see them every summer when they migrate north from the bigger cities. Children are usually in tow wearing the latest fashions. They almost always have a certain look on their face as if they are hoping no one they know will see them with their parents.

good grief......do you really see them wearing black knee socks?

Yes, unfortunately I do. Seems to be a cliche, but it's true.