What do you think of when you hear the word “tourist”? In general, we get the idea that they are people who, because they come from a different place, tend to clash … and not in a positive way. Careless, annoyingly curious and even sometimes misplaced, these are just some of the characteristics by which we usually recognize them.
The saddest thing is that, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, when traveling you usually fall into that same position. And what is worse, you end up doing things that make the locals very angry.
What to do about it? Avoid getting heavy on the locals by identifying what bothers people from other countries the most when we visit them.
Things that annoy local tourists
1. Denmark: getting in the way of others
Denmark is a beautiful country and, believe it or not, quite open to foreigners. Many travelers around the world often talk about the friendliness of the Danes to visitors. However, there is something that makes them very angry with tourists : that they are not able to notice when they are blocking the way.
According to Business Insider interviews with members of the Danish community, it is a fairly common problem for tourists to get in the way of bicycles and pedestrians. “They do not look at the road layout of the city, and they cross the path of cyclists with their huge luggage to take photos,” says Andreas Rosendahl Hansen, a resident of the town of Copenhagen.
He also adds that tourists rent bicycles, but are unable to follow the traffic signs. Whether in Denmark or anywhere in the world, doing that is very frowned upon.
2. Italy: not following the rules
The rules were made to be followed, all of that has a reason. However, when traveling to Italy, many tourists feel they have the right to ignore them, and this is one of the things that Italians tolerate the least.
“Foreigners are fully convinced that Italy is a lovely land without laws (…). Well, let me tell you one thing: that’s not true. You cannot bathe in the Trevi Fountain. You can’t urinate on the streets in the middle of the night. You can’t climb the statues that adorn our historic centers, ”says Gianmaco Petre, another of those interviewed for Business Insider.
He also claims to hate the little respect that Americans tend to have for their gastronomy and their language, since they tend to assume that everyone speaks English and, in addition, they pretend to add pineapples to their delicious pizza, mamma mia!
3. Germany: taking selfies in inappropriate places
There is a reason why taking photographs at funerals is frowned upon. Although it may be difficult for tourists to assimilate, the same applies to monuments honoring the victims of the Holocaust. Not only is it seen as a mockery of one of the darkest episodes in German history, but also, the bad – or even good, the quality is irrelevant – imitations of Hitler are a clear lack of respect for the people who lost their lives. because of that regime.
4. Thailand: take photos with tigers
Have you ever wondered why tigers are caged in zoos? The answer is simpler than you think: they are dangerous. That doesn’t mean that taking photos with “drugged” tigers is justified. Using an animal as majestic as a trophy on social media is one of the most deplorable behaviors tourists tend to fall into.
They must understand that nature is not a toy, and that the treatment they give to the animals that they use as tourist attractions are horrifying and brutal. The less we feed that business, the more likely it is to end.
5. Norway: getting too close to glaciers
The “beware, no approach” signs are posted for a reason, and not just to attract the attention of reckless tourists. There are those who want to prove their courage, and end up proving their stupidity by making the terrible mistake of ignoring them. Such is the case with glaciers, which have claimed many lives of tourists visiting Norway.
“Most people know that rugged peaks and wild rivers are dangerous, but when a natural phenomenon is fenced off in Norway, it means that it is more dangerous than you can estimate,” Ave Loken told Business Insider . “So, for the love of everything you want, stay away from a glacier fence!”
6. Australia: driving on the wrong side of the road
It’s funny how the perspective from which you look at things changes the whole picture. In Australia, people drive on the left side, while in most countries they drive on the right side. While tourists may think that Australians drive the wrong way, they are not. In fact, Australians have more than once expressed their dissatisfaction with the resistance of tourists to adopt their traffic rules.
7. Indonesia: rent motorcycles
According to Wirawan Winarto, another of those interviewed for Business Insider, the roads of Indonesia are something like the Wild West: they are full of potholes, crowded with people and there are no rules to obey. Locals may be used to this dynamic, but tourists are not. This is why when they rent motorcycles, they tend to be a dangerous obstacle for most other drivers.
8. India: take pictures in the neighborhoods
Why are tourists so fascinated by the poverty of the Indian neighborhoods? Far from what some pseudo-altruistic tourists — dedicated to portraying true Hindu poverty — may think, entering a neighborhood with a professional camera around your neck is totally disruptive.
These areas are not zoos where you can take photos of children without permission: they are the homes of people who have their businesses and, of course, do not want to be portrayed at uncomfortable moments in their lives. Disrespect like that makes anyone look bad.
9. United States: annoy the Amish
Discretion and prudence is what tourists often lack. Alice Vickerman, one of the American sources for Business Insider, stated that it is rude when tourists approach Amish communities and stare at them like aliens.
“The Amish don’t want to be photographed. So if you come to see an Amish area, don’t take pictures unless you have permission, ”he advises.
10. Brazil: tour the favelas
“It’s like that thrill of walking into an urban war zone, taking pictures of the people there, and then coming back just in time to try an expensive caipirinha and watch the sun go down behind the Sugarloaf Mountain,” Anna Paula Ferrari told Business Insider. .
Entering the favelas, as the neighborhoods are called in Brazil, is not only dangerous, but also uncomfortable for many locals. Nobody enjoys feeling that their home is a circus show, much less when they feel their poverty is rubbed in their faces.
References
- Hoeller, S. People from 14 countries reveal the most annoying things foreigners do when they visit. For Business Insider [Reviewed August 2017].
