1

Did you write this mainly as a conversation starter for the classes of your friends who teach English in Italy?

That's certainly how I'll be using it. So thanks.

I daresay it's hardly necessary for me to enumerate the traits of "stereotypical" travelers from my native US of A, as their qualities are well and widely known and all too frequently on display.

2

The stereotypical Indian traveller. Many of you may already have an idea now considering the proportion of "Kindly make an itinerary for me" are by Indians here.

Other points to note:

• will literally shout to hotel managers, waiters etc if something goes wrong. Eg this Indian group I saw in Novotel Aulay sous Bois (Paris) shouted at the hotel receptionist because they misplaces something in the lobby.
• travel in large groups. Non-group travel also common but doesn't prevail much.
• love to talk LOUDLY- can hear every word they're saying even 25 m away.
• yay, Indian food! We tell relatives we're going to XXX and they say, take some parathas! Which, of course, we haven't.
• Overdress for the cold, even back home. People are wearing woolens in bangalore when the lowest avg temp is around 14C!

3

When I lived in Greece, it was a bit of a sport to sit in the local taverna and guess the nationality of tourists as they walked past. After many years of dealing with tourists of all nationalities it is surprising just how good some people become at guessing.

But my favourite story about recognizing people goes like this.

Some time ago I was sitting in a bar next to an acquaintance. I knew him through a friend of a friend kind of thing. Anyway, this guy was going on about people he knew, places he had been etc. and become annoying. So finally in frustration I said, 'Look, stop with the name dropping. I probably know more famous people in more places than you ever will, so you aren't going to impress me'.

He took offense to that and said somewhat belligerently, 'oh yeah, what do you wanna bet?' I thought for a minute and said I'll tell you what. You buy the gas and I'll take you right now to see someone famous I happen to know'. He said, 'you're on'. So I took him to see Kurt Russell who I knew was at their cottage in Ontario at that time. It's two cottages over from my family's place. After the 3 hour drive from Toronto, when we got there, Kurt greeted us at the door and said, 'Hey guy, how are you, good to see you, come on in, have a drink.' So we had a quick visit and left. Drivng back to Toronto, the guy says to me,' Ok, so you know Kurt Russell but that's just one person.' So I said ok, I'll tell you what. Drive to the airport and if you buy the tickets I'll take you to meet another famous person I know.' He said, 'you're on.'

We flew to Washington, D.C. and rented a car. I drove up to the White House and told the guard at the gate, 'Can you please tell the President that travelinstyle46 is here.' The gate opens, we drive in, the secret service walks us into the White House and Obama meets us in the Oval Office. He says, 'Hey guy, how are you, good to see you, it's been a while, I've got time for a quick drink.' Driving back to the airport the guy says again, 'Ok, so you know a few people but I bet I can name someone you don't know.' I asked, 'who's that?' He said, 'The Pope.' I said, 'you buy the tickets'. He said, 'you're on.'

We arrived in Rome and made our way to St. Peter's Square. When we got there I said to him. Look, I got you in to meet Kurt Russell and even to meet Obama but I can't get you in to meet the Pope. But you see that little balcony up there? That's where the Pope comes out to bless the crowd. So here's what I will do. You stand down here and watch for the Pope coming out. I'll be standing a little bit behind him and you will see me with him. Fair enough?' He thought for a few seconds and then said, 'Ok, that sounds all right.' So off I went.

A short time later the Pope stepped out on the balcony to bless the crowd and sure enough the guy could see what appeared to be me standing just behind him. But he wasn't sure I wasn't pulling a trick on him so he turned to this tourist beside him and said, 'who's that guy on the balcony?' The tourist said, 'I don't know who the guy in the funny little red hat and red robe is but the guy just behind him is travelinstyle46.'

4

There are two kinds of French travellers: some individuals who will go off to a distant, rather exotic location and just stay, living as much like the locals as possible/ or / will sail single-handed around the world.

Then, the rest -- who like to have things organized, go in groups, will sit in a large bus to cover huge distances then sprint around a museum or palace all the while wondering when and where lunch will be. The food is never as good as in France. In fact, nothing is quite as good as in France.

Will not particularly talk to each other during this organized trip, but if the slightest thing goes wrong -- they are immediately united in their complaints. They discover that they get along just fine as they complain about the food, about the fact that nobody speaks French, about the price of everything, although always ready to splurge on a fancy restaurant.

And after one or two of these exotic, organized trips, will spend their vacations at a large campsite near the Mediterranean, playing pétanque, having apéritifs and generally thinking that it's great to be in France.

5

Touche bjd for the French - though I thought you were not French yourself. Mind you, still laughing when re-reading your post.

I can honestly say that in all those years of travelling, I only met 1 Italian couple. They were hilariously Italian - the guy got extremely angry with words when he felt mistreated, but they more than that made up for it when we offered to share our 2 bed hotel room in Cuzco in the middle of the night when they turned out to be scammed and left alone. They were the best. Italians are really nice, but you have to get them out of Italy.

What to say about Belgians ? Well mostly, they will say everything is fine and excellent, no I do not need anything else, but will afterwards complain to their friends saying it was horrible. Do not be mistaken !

6

-A lot of Dutch people care deeply about the weather and travel to escape bad weather at home. And when you return Dutch people will first ask: "How was the weather?". A lot of Dutch people believe that every country on this planet has better weather than the Netherlands, Ireland is the only exception.

-Pricing is also a great conversation topic.

7

Hong Kong Chinese tend to travel in groups and must eat rice every day. They will photograph every meal they eat. Then they will take photos of each other standing in front if every monument, church, temple, palace and castle they visit - making "rabbit ear" gestures with their fingers. They will shop till they drop... The women will travel with wheelie bags almost as big as they are. Outward bound, they are stuffed with Pot Noodles, going back home it's full of all the Louis Vuitton handbags they've bought in Paris.

The complete opposite are the intrepid solo travelers who visit offbeat places, dress in local garb & generally integrate with the locals even though neither speak a word of each others' language.

8

@saikunger

Have you read this one about Chinese tourists: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/18/110418fa_fact_osnos?currentPage=1

9

Peejee -- Luca asked for descriptions from the country we live in so I figured I should mention the French.

10

I say we have three types in Germany - the ones that fly long ways to go to exotic countries to stay in an all inclusive ressort and are scared to death to leave it without an organised tour, need pork even in islamic countries.

Then there are the ones that go on organized tours to at least see and experience some of the country they go to.

At last the ones that just do it all by themself, it's hard if not impossible to go anywhere on this earth and not meet a German ; )).

One very important thing like with the Dutch is weather, another thing is, at least I think, everybody is happy when the get real german bread again.

11

And in ad to #10 we have the type (individuals) of who goeas each year for the same time to the same place meeting there the same people doing all together the same holidays. Proud to be welcome by the owner of the hotel saying 'welcome Mrs and Mr xxxx nice to see you again we have "your" room ready for you' - With places of course where you will find little shops or drugstores with typical from Germany imported food like Pumpernickel or Schmalz. The main reason is not to discover the region but to feel like home under the sun.

12

The funny thing is that any one of these descriptions can be applied to any nationality.

The Brits, talk incessantly about the weather.
They go to the same place every year and stay at the same hotel.
They go to all-inclusive resorts and never leave the resort.
They take suitcases with bacon and cans of beans.
They take huge suitcases.
They buy Louis Vitton fake bags.
They don't talk to any other Brit who is from a different region and has a different accent.
They think nothing is as good as 'back home'.
They complain about waiters/hotel staff, etc. not speaking English.
They put towels out on the hotel sun beds at 6am in the morning and complain bitterly that the Germans do it at 5am.

Funnily enough, you can say the same about Canadians, Americans, Australians, or any other nationality if you happen to know that nationality well. There is nothing unique about a nationality in that regard. They are all descriptors not of nationality but of tourists.

You are all just describing typical tourist behaviour.

13

Some of that is true,but some isn't.Nationalities do travel in different ways.You are describing one type of British tourist,but there are plenty of different ones.

How many Italian backpackers have you ever met? I think I've met 7 or 8..in my life.

Probably met 10,000 plus Brits over the same period.....yet there are as many Italians as Brits in the world,and millions travel abroad every year.....

14

I agree there are different types of British tourists lucapal but there are just as many different types of tourist of every nationality. There may not be as high a percentage of one type vs. another in varying nationalities. But nevertheless, every comment made could be applied to every nationality.

Brits at an all-inclusive put towels out, the Germans there put towels out, the Italians there put towels out and yes, after the first couple of days the Canadians, Americans and Australians all learn to put towels out. LOL

They are all tourist behaviours, not nationality behaviours.