Who Are the World's Worst Tourists?

[MountainDon]

Not us Americans as too many would have us believe.

According to an international survey conducted for Expedia.fr, the French are in fact considered to be overall the worst of the worst of tourists. Employees in 4,000 hotels in Germany, the U.K., Italy, France, Canada and the U.S. were asked to rank their clients on different levels ranging from willingness to speak the local language to discretion and elegance, and French travelers did not fare well.

France fell behind India and China as providing the world with the worst tourists. And the stereotypically obnoxious American tourist? Out of 21 countries, with the most liked at the top, the US got an impressive 11th place. Why is that? Among other reasons, despite language faults, Americans get the top spot for trying to speak local languages the most. Quelle surprise.

http://www.gadling.com/2008/07/10/who-are-the-worlds-most-obnoxious-tourists-hint-its-not-the/?icid=100214839x1205620820x1200270351

[glenn kangiser]

We went to France -I don't know -- eight years or so ago and we studied French as we heard that the French people will talk to you if you try to speak in their language, butcher it bad enough and they feel sorry for you.  Many of them speak English but won't let on until you try to speak French.