Over-tourism has been a problem for a while, but the virus pandemic has made things even worse because so many Brits have now opted for staycations rather than risking foreign holidays.
Thousands of tourists are overwhelming seaside resorts to the extent that some of the locals are scared to walk along the busiest streets or go food shopping, in case they catch the virus.
When Jenny and I go on holiday, we see ourselves as guests of the country we're in. We're respectful, considerate, unassuming. We try not to be over-demanding or impatient or arrogant. We don't want the locals to get a bad impression of our own country from the way we behave. We don't expect them to be fawning all over us, nervous we might complain or be abusive.
We leave generous tips where tips are expected. We don't hassle hotel staff in the middle of the night. We don't leave our hotel room looking like a bombsite. We don't demand huge discounts on souvenirs. We don't expect to jump queues ahead of the locals. We don't shout drunken insults at everyone. We don't moan that everything's better at home. We don't under-dress. In short, we don't behave like spoilt arseholes.
I also try to find out more about the country I'm in, rather than just trundling round the well-known tourist attractions. I want to know something about its history, its economy, its culture, whatever is distinctive about it.
Is it really that hard to behave decently?
Hmmm. We need the tourists, BUT....
ReplyDeleteI usually go to the beach a couple of times in the summer, but I won't be going this year.
I think they should ban those bloody throwaway barbecue thingies - they cause no end of damage.
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Ms Scarlet: We do need tourists, but we could do without the thoughtless ones. And it's not only throwaway barbecues, it's throwaway tents, throwaway sleeping bags, you name it.
DeleteThe only issues I’ve heard about here are the drunken college kids on spring break in Florida and the random dumbasses who decide to graffiti rocks at national parks.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Plenty of drunken kids over here as well! I'm aghast at those people who see the natural landscape as just something to mutilate and disfigure.
DeleteWe have had wonderful holidays, using an hotel as a base and mooching off to explore each day so did not come across too many of the mindless type of tourist...though the middle class British snaffling their lunch from the breakfast buffet was a common phenomenon!
ReplyDeleteI can see why people in Venice are kicking up as far as the cruise ships are concerned...all the disadvantages of tourism without too many of the benefits.
Fly: I've seen plenty of people pigging out on hotel breakfast buffets. Though I gather the virus has put an end to buffet meals.
DeleteThe size of giant cruise ships ploughing down the Giudecca Canal is appalling. But I gather they'll be docking outside Venice in future.
Being decent and having fun while on holiday are mutually exclusive ideas for most people.
ReplyDeleteRamana: I think a lot of people are exactly like that. They can only have fun while being totally self-centred. If that spoils other people's fun, too bad.
DeleteWe've only traveled in the US in recent years, but we've noticed the same type of inconsiderate visitors in the places we do travel to. They often seem to be foreigners -- funny, that -- but that may just be coincidental.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine what the heavily visited places are like in this year of COVID. We won't be witnessing any of that because we are not traveling this year.
Our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter have just this week moved to an urban area south of Los Angeles. I would imagine that we will be visiting them, but it probably won't be for at least a year. (The last time we were in California was May 1980)
Mike: We haven't been travelling this year either. The risk just seem too great - crowded airports, crowded planes, crowded public transport. Not travelling for a year or so is hardly a big sacrifice.
DeleteIt always amazes me how some people seem to think "being on vacation" means "behaving like a total jerk". I just don't get it. We've never traveled internationally (I'm not sure very many places are even letting Americans in at the moment), but we try to apply the things you said to where ever we go. We live in a tourist area, and it gets very annoying dealing with them sometimes.
ReplyDeleteDanielle: It must be a real trial living in a popular tourist area. One big problem about tourists in Britain is the sheer quantity of rubbish they leave behind them. Local residents voluntarily clear beaches and beauty spots of mountains of trash.
DeleteAndy and I aren't interested in traveling, let alone to tourist hot spots. But our county council is trying to get tourists here... they figure the extra problems are worth it if it boosts the local economy. Andy and I, of course, don't agree, but they didn't ask us.
ReplyDeleteJean: Too many local authorities are only interested in the extra cash tourists will bring in. The nuisance they cause to the locals is generally ignored.
DeleteI live in a tourist heavy area. Rude tourists; rude events. Sadly, we all are on long, long country roads. There is no way to cut over to the next block to get out of a traffic jam to get the the library, the post office, the grocery store. You'd except more respect; I live in one of the few zip code areas in Ohio with not covid deaths and statistically fewer than one diagnosis.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: That's another thing, the traffic jams when thousands of tourists are all heading for the same over-crowded destination. They must know they're going to get stuck in a long tailback of cars but they come anyway!
DeleteThere's nothing quite like having fish n chips at a pub in London while watching the locals play darts. That's my kind of tourist travel. Back when we were doing it anyway. But, I've always been a pack it in/pack it out person so leaving a trail of stuff for others to deal with has not been part of my culture.
ReplyDeleteLinda: I don't like pubs myself - noisy, crowded, too many drunk nuisances. But I know what you mean - go where the locals go (unless you're driving all the locals out of course!)
DeleteWe have not traveled much at all, but what little we have done, we like to go and just see the country, and hopefully meet someone interesting to talk to. We did spend one day at a big flea market one time, but it was just more of the same and I don't remember if I bought a single thing.
ReplyDeleteLike Jean, I wonder if tourism really pays. I would dearly love to know the truth of that. In our state capitol they have raised taxes a time or two to build a stadium for the big pro football team...well, with what the owners pay the players, I am sure they could build the stadium.
Rose: If you take account of all the people who move out of a tourist-ridden town or city and take their custom elsewhere, does the tourist income compensate? Or does it mean increasing emphasis on tourists to make up the shortfall? A thousand people leave Venice every year.
DeleteI live in Las Vegas. I don't visit The Strip or Downtown because I know it's going to be full of tourists.
ReplyDeleteMary: I've never been to Las Vegas, but I've seen what it's like on other main streets popular with tourists. You can barely move through the packed crowds.
DeleteI've done quite a bit of travelling at home and abroad and always respected the locals. I hate crowds and rude people. Nowadays my friend and I enjoy day trips and coach holidays for oldies! they tend to go to quieter places, sadly there aren't many of those left now.
ReplyDeletePolly: Day trips are all we're contemplating right now. Anything else seems fraught with risks so why take chances? After all, we had a fabulous holiday in New Zealand just a year and a half ago.
DeleteHaving been an innkeeper so to speak, I can honestly say that only about 1% are those of whom you write. Most are wonderfully appreciative and respectful, then again it's a huge hike by loooong ferry to Newfoundland so maybe we get excellent tourists. But I do remember the brash tourists of Ireland (Yanks) who were loudly dressed and loudly voiced and pissed off when we couldn't tell them where the Murphys were or a good steak house.
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www: Good to know there are still folk who are appreciative and respectful. As well as the others who expect you to be a fount of all local knowledge....
DeleteWhat you and wife do sounds like common sense behavior to me. I’m always reminded of a years ago popular book, The Ugly American. I would like to think my behaviors in another culture do not result in my being perceived as such.
ReplyDeleteJoared: There is a British stereotype of the loud-mouthed, imperious American tourist, but of course plenty of Americans are not like that at all.
DeleteWe have the same mindset about traveling. We try to respect the culture of wherever we are and not be a nuisance. Bonus points when people guess we are something other than Americans.
ReplyDeleteAgent: I gather a lot of Americans are pleased to be mistaken for Canadians!
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