Too Many American Tourists
#41
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,000
I'm waiting to see a demonstration that the "all the money these people leave lying around in the local economies" benefits me in the slightest.
Yes, there are bed taxes and other ways for the state and local governments to gouge them, but does the intake pay for the infrastructure costs? I assume neither that it does nor doesn't, since I don't have the numbers. But I suspect it doesn't.
How do the $200 greens fees these folks pay benefit ME?
They make the streets, roads, theaters, stores, and restaurants more crowded, and many products and services more expensive for me.
They use up the water, of which our supply is not limitless.
The snowbirds' contribution to our air quality problem (winter means thermal inversions) is well-documented.
I'm not a merchant who can adjust prices to what the traffic will bear...so what do I get?
Yes, there are bed taxes and other ways for the state and local governments to gouge them, but does the intake pay for the infrastructure costs? I assume neither that it does nor doesn't, since I don't have the numbers. But I suspect it doesn't.
How do the $200 greens fees these folks pay benefit ME?
They make the streets, roads, theaters, stores, and restaurants more crowded, and many products and services more expensive for me.
They use up the water, of which our supply is not limitless.
The snowbirds' contribution to our air quality problem (winter means thermal inversions) is well-documented.
I'm not a merchant who can adjust prices to what the traffic will bear...so what do I get?
#43
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,562
Just today at work when I said I was going to Paris for spring break (in march) everyone (about 8 people) all made comments like "gee, must be nice to be rich". Turns out about 5 of them are going to Florida for the same week and so we compared the price of out tickets. Mine is less than $100 more than theirs are. Then we compared accomodation prices. Guess what - my vacation to Paris is costing considerably LESS than their vacations to Florida are costing. I've been saying this for years - why go to Florida if you can go to Europe for the same price. I went to Florida for my March vacation for over 10 years and now I go to Europe. Not hard to guess which I think is the better deal - and not just in terms of money.
#47
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,940
Hi Ira, You are here in Boca, where I live...we should have a mini gtg!
You are right, there are many obnoxious people here! I have struggled with it for 25 years and it only gets worse by the year! We seldom go out for dinner during "season" because restaurants are crowded, loud, and we inevitably have bad service.
You are right, there are many obnoxious people here! I have struggled with it for 25 years and it only gets worse by the year! We seldom go out for dinner during "season" because restaurants are crowded, loud, and we inevitably have bad service.
#48
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,098
American and German tourists aren't so bad.
So says the Mirror...
BRITS are the rudest, worst behaved and least adventurous holidaymakers in the world - and Germans the best.
Tourist offices placed us bottom of 24 countries, according to a survey.
In contrast those sunbed bandits from Germany ranked highest for behaviour and their attempts to speak the local language. Dermot Halpin, boss of online travel service Expedia which conducted the survey, said: "Much as it pains me to say it, the Germans deserve the best sunbeds.
"British holidaymakers are some of the most widely travelled in the world. But that doesn't mean we're good at it." Expedia questioned tourist offices in 17 popular destinations worldwide. Britons were worst for rudeness, followed by Russians and Canadians.
They were also worst for their behaviour, learning the language and enthusiasm to try local delicacies.
Next on the bottom of the list were the Israelis, Irish and Indians. At the top, the Germans were followed by Americans, Japanese, Italians and French.
Americans were the most polite and Italians the most adventurous eaters.
The Foreign Office said: "A lot of our tourists are no worse than other nationals. Look how well behaved they were at the World Cup in Japan."
So says the Mirror...
BRITS are the rudest, worst behaved and least adventurous holidaymakers in the world - and Germans the best.
Tourist offices placed us bottom of 24 countries, according to a survey.
In contrast those sunbed bandits from Germany ranked highest for behaviour and their attempts to speak the local language. Dermot Halpin, boss of online travel service Expedia which conducted the survey, said: "Much as it pains me to say it, the Germans deserve the best sunbeds.
"British holidaymakers are some of the most widely travelled in the world. But that doesn't mean we're good at it." Expedia questioned tourist offices in 17 popular destinations worldwide. Britons were worst for rudeness, followed by Russians and Canadians.
They were also worst for their behaviour, learning the language and enthusiasm to try local delicacies.
Next on the bottom of the list were the Israelis, Irish and Indians. At the top, the Germans were followed by Americans, Japanese, Italians and French.
Americans were the most polite and Italians the most adventurous eaters.
The Foreign Office said: "A lot of our tourists are no worse than other nationals. Look how well behaved they were at the World Cup in Japan."
#49
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,581
I can't say I have noticed one particular nationality that is worse than the others except for my visit to Jamaica ten years ago. The Italians were awful. I mean it. I saw ONE polite Italian the whole time. But when I was in Italy I didn't have a problem with rude Italians; they seemed fine. Maybe they blow off steam on vacations?
In defense of our German friends, I was told by a Jamaican vendor that Italians and Germans were very unpopular behavior-wise. I saw many Germans during my stay in Jamaica, and not one of them were rude and/or obnoxious that I saw. The 300-pound German woman sunbathing topless was not a pretty sight, but she wasn't hurting anyone.
In defense of our German friends, I was told by a Jamaican vendor that Italians and Germans were very unpopular behavior-wise. I saw many Germans during my stay in Jamaica, and not one of them were rude and/or obnoxious that I saw. The 300-pound German woman sunbathing topless was not a pretty sight, but she wasn't hurting anyone.
#39;(
#57
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,098
I wonder if Brits might get the bad reputation partly because of:
1. The football hoodlum crowd, which represents only one small portion of the British traveling population.
2. British residents being able to hop across the channel relatively inexpensively for quick weekend jaunts--the type of short break that might lend itself to "let it all hang out" sorts of behavior among some groups.
1. The football hoodlum crowd, which represents only one small portion of the British traveling population.
2. British residents being able to hop across the channel relatively inexpensively for quick weekend jaunts--the type of short break that might lend itself to "let it all hang out" sorts of behavior among some groups.
#58
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,654
Rufus, I can think of a few more reasons we're unpopular...
3. Package holidays. When these were introduced in the 60s and 70s, suddenly all these Brits who would never have considered a foreign holiday could afford 2 weeks on the Costa Del Sol for the price of a rainy week in Blackpool. These tourists are only interested in 'sun, sea and sand'. They're not interested in local culture, they don't want to try funny foreign food, and they turn to lobstors on the beach as they're not used to the effects of strong sunshine. They've turned many parts of Spain and Greece in Britain in the sun, with english pubs, full english breakfasts and high rise hotel complexes. And this is to say nothing of their drinking habits.
4. Stag and hen parties and 18-30 holidays. As travel is now so cheap, you now get vast gangs of young Brits doing the equivalent of the American Spring vacation on unsuspecting Dutch, Latvian, Czech and German hosts.
I find certain countries have a very different picture of British tourists - Italy for example. It's more expensive than some other European countries and there's far fewer package holidays there, so it attracts a slightly older, more affluent, more educated and more polite section of British tourists. Like me
3. Package holidays. When these were introduced in the 60s and 70s, suddenly all these Brits who would never have considered a foreign holiday could afford 2 weeks on the Costa Del Sol for the price of a rainy week in Blackpool. These tourists are only interested in 'sun, sea and sand'. They're not interested in local culture, they don't want to try funny foreign food, and they turn to lobstors on the beach as they're not used to the effects of strong sunshine. They've turned many parts of Spain and Greece in Britain in the sun, with english pubs, full english breakfasts and high rise hotel complexes. And this is to say nothing of their drinking habits.
4. Stag and hen parties and 18-30 holidays. As travel is now so cheap, you now get vast gangs of young Brits doing the equivalent of the American Spring vacation on unsuspecting Dutch, Latvian, Czech and German hosts.
I find certain countries have a very different picture of British tourists - Italy for example. It's more expensive than some other European countries and there's far fewer package holidays there, so it attracts a slightly older, more affluent, more educated and more polite section of British tourists. Like me
#59
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
I can't help thinking of two incidents relating to British and Italians.
In a souvenier shop in Oxford, there was a noisy group of Italian teenagers taking up a lot of room. The proprietress just looked at me shaking her head in indignation at what she clearly thought was rudeness. It struck me that it couldn't have been the first time Italian rambunctiousness and English reserve had come into conflict, certainly not in that shop.
And I will always remember the loud British twenty-something who relieved himself on an Egged bus in Israel, as he sat in the stairwell, just before disembarking. He seemed to be the quintessential "football hoodlum." I certainly don't think he represents the majority of British young people, however.
In a souvenier shop in Oxford, there was a noisy group of Italian teenagers taking up a lot of room. The proprietress just looked at me shaking her head in indignation at what she clearly thought was rudeness. It struck me that it couldn't have been the first time Italian rambunctiousness and English reserve had come into conflict, certainly not in that shop.
And I will always remember the loud British twenty-something who relieved himself on an Egged bus in Israel, as he sat in the stairwell, just before disembarking. He seemed to be the quintessential "football hoodlum." I certainly don't think he represents the majority of British young people, however.
#60
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 2,121
The major problem with the British is excessive drinking. They drink constantly and recklessly, and their behavior once they are drunk is horrible. When they are sober, they are usually better behaved. The fact that the British can visit the Continent (and especially France) so cheaply also encourages a certain lower class of visitor to make the trip, which doesn't enhance the British reputation (these are often the same ones who are often in an alcoholic stupor).
Italians have a tendency to talk loudly and constantly no matter where they go. They often seem to be much more interested in conversing with each other than with looking at the various sights they've come to see.
Incidentally, I've been told that Spaniards lead the way in stealing 3-D glasses from attractions at Disneyland, for reasons unknown.
Italians have a tendency to talk loudly and constantly no matter where they go. They often seem to be much more interested in conversing with each other than with looking at the various sights they've come to see.
Incidentally, I've been told that Spaniards lead the way in stealing 3-D glasses from attractions at Disneyland, for reasons unknown.
