Why American tourists deserve more love than hate.
I was at the egg station at my hotel in Oman, chatting to a lovely Englishman in line, when it happened. Again.
“So which part of the U.S. are you from?” Our earlier conversation as we awaited our omelettes had touched on banal topics like what sights we had seen yesterday, how much longer we would be in Oman, how tortuous the sun and heat had been during our stay.
I had already sussed out that he was British, travelling with his Swedish girlfriend, and would be heading back to the UK that same evening.
He had already correctly guessed that I was some sort of press, gauged after spotting me touring the grounds the day before with a huge camera around my neck and flanked by the equally lovely hotel PR rep.
But not my origins, evidently.
I smiled broadly in reply. “Actually, I’m from Canada”. My eyes surely twinkled as I said the words measuredly and waited for his reaction.
Like clockwork, his face revealed surprise, and his sharp intake of breath was reminiscent of an errant, unexpected punch to the gut. I detected a quick raise, then furrow of his eyebrows. The whole episode lasted but a half second.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” he recovered, mumbling something else I don’t quite remember.
“It’s ok,” I cooed, gracious as Queen Elizabeth at a diplomatic function.
I had been mistaken for an American… yet again. This was not surprising, though. A Canadian accent by and large is pretty indistinguishable from an American one (at least to the untrained ear); being pegged as a Yank has happened to me more times than I can count.
But you know what else happens? What I find a hilarious and a bit sad? The profuse apologies for the mistake. The deep flush of embarrassment. The expectation from the “offender” that I, kind, sweet Canadian, would actually be offended by being confused for an American.
Why? I think you can probably guess.
***
Everyone seems to love to hate on American tourists. Some would say they’re an easy bunch to rag on.
After all, “common knowledge” is that their fashion is pitiable, they are loud, and their politics are obnoxious (particularly in the days of Trump). They speak English everywhere they go. They are forever making annoying comparisons to how things are “in Amurrica”. And they are willfully obtuse. Well, supposedly.
So gawd forbidddd you wind up with an American in your tour group, sitting beside you on the plane, or eating at your restaurant. They are the worst! Am I right?
Umm, actually not really. This Canadian-who-sounds-like-an-American thinks you’re pretty wrong, because:
They’re the nicest people you’ll ever meet
Under the loud, brash exterior is a natural and ebullient friendliness. Americans will engage you in conversation, they’ll be the first to exchange Facebook info, and they won’t scurry off as though you’re trying to rob them when you approach them to take your picture (I mean, heck, they pretty much invented the selfie, so they feel your pain when it comes to wanting to get a hands-free photo of yourself).
They tip (well)
Tipping is more American than apple pie. It’s an inherent part of the culture that hasn’t quite caught on to the same degree in other developed nations (*cough* Europeans I’m looking at you *cough*). Americans will tip their servers, tour guides, bellhops, and taxi drivers when they travel; one might say it’s a knee jerk response, but I think the practice also speaks to their deeply-rooted generosity and belief that good work deserves reward.
They spend a lot of money when they travel
That tipping thing I noted above? It happens pretty often when Americans travel because, well, they buy a lot of ish. According to this data released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization back in 2014, American tourists are second only to the Chinese when it comes to how much they spend on their journeys abroad. If your home country relies heavily on tourism to stay afloat, this is a pretty big deal.
They’re increasingly curious about international travel
For all the shade Americans are thrown by well-heeled foreign travel snobs, U.S. citizens are more enthused and curious about travel than ever before. Don’t believe me? Well, the numbers don’t lie: more than 68 million Americans traveled abroad in 2014 (up 10 percent from the previous year) and in 2015 that number increased to over 73 million. Americans are procuring passports in record numbers, enabling them to see more of the globe’s treasures and expand their world view.
They try their darndest to prove the “Ugly American” stereotype wrong
You know what? For every “Ugly American” tourist you meet on the road, there are at least five lovely ones desperate to make a positive impression of Americans abroad (and 15 more hoping to escape the fallout by pretending to be Canadian). They’re exceedingly polite, respectful of the host country, open to trying to new things, and tolerant of cultural differences.
**
Don’t believe the hype: turns out American tourists aren’t nearly as bad as we make ’em out to be. In fact, they’re quite the lovable bunch– especially when they travel. So, the next time someone apologizes profusely for mistaking my Toronto accent for a Californian one, I’ll tell them that they have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.
Or, I might just go with the flow and pretend I’m American.
Do you think American tourists get an unnecessarily bad rap?
77 Comments
Yes, Americans are pretty loud..it’s easy to spot who is American, you mostly hear them before you see them; not only the tourists but the exchange students, the conference-attendees..I’ve lost count of the number of conversations they’ve ‘permitted’ me to eavesdrop. They can be really friendly though and some of them are awfully sweet. I’ve concluded that in every place you do have great folks and not so great folks, so people should spare the U.S tourists and travelers from bad rap.
I was asked by some folks in Ukraine if I was from America. I’ve never been there. I’m from Kenya.
Thanks for this!
I know that a lot of American tourist stereotypes are rooted in truth and when I lived in France, I began to see tell-tale signs of who was American or not… just little things we do or how we carry ourselves that’s very different.
That being said, while traveling, I’ve mostly encountered really great Americans who are very open-minded, who want to grow and learn, and are friendly as you said.
I think we are easy to caricature, kind of the way people expect the French to be “rude” or cold, smoking cigarettes while holding a baguette in a striped shirt with a beret and reading poetry. And while there are some instances where it rings true, we’re deeper than that (and most people are deeper than generalizations) and we’re just people, too. 🙂
Thank you for this piece!!! My friends and I try so hard to be respectful while traveling and I hate feeling like I almost have to apologize for being American. I can certainly understand why the stereotype exists though.
I have to wonder if part of the reason for the bad behavior is the serious lack of vacation time that’s typical for American countries. I’m a Texan and know a sadly large number of people that have never left the country and even the state in some cases. I’ve seen people overseas for the first time that just don’t know how to adapt to foreign cultures and go crazy like an 18 year old girl at her first college frat party.
I’m definitely guilty of pretending to be Canadian (mostly in Europe!), I’ve always found there was less of a stereotype and people were less hostile, if they thought I weren’t American. I still try to keep my nationality on the DL while traveling. I will admit, when traveling through SE Asia, I get more love … mostly due to Obama and Beyoncé, so I don’t mind being an American then haha.
I think the stereotype of the “typical” American tourist has actually changed slightly in the last decade, but I’ll agree that we still get a pretty bad rap in some countries. BUT, like you pointed out, a lot of those stereotypes are definitely hype. If I’m being honest, I’ve met more poorly-behaved Aussies by far on my travels than Americans! (But no hate, I still love you, Aussies!)
And you’re right – we Americans DO tip ridiculously well no matter where we are! It’s a habit that’s hard to break.
I used to work in a National Trust property in the UK and Americans were always our favourite tourists! They tended to be much friendlier and more enthusiastic than Europeans. When you’re job is to bring a place to life and chat about it’s history, visitors who are talkative, generous, genuinely impressed with they’re seeing and appreciative of your contribution make your day.
Thank you for this! As an American living in London (and who travels extensively around Europe), I always cringe right after telling people I’m American (or them realizing it) in anticipation of their response – most have been good, but I’ve also had bad ones. Between Trump and gun issues lately, and the perception of the ‘stereotypical’ American tourist as you mentioned, people tend to have their opinions about you/your country without oftentimes having the full picture.
I really do think (most) Americans are trying to be better about cultural awareness, and it seems like a lot more people are traveling outside the country than ever before. And as you said, we are a friendly (albeit not usually quiet) crowd!
PS. Before the U.S. election this November, I am tempted to pretend to be Canadian – any tips are appreciated! 😉
Excellent post. My husband and I love to travel in Europe. I think sometimes people are not sure if our nationality even though we are African Anerican. We try to be respectful and make it a point of studying the culture and customs before we arrive in a new country. One of the most obvious signs of being an American is walking into a store or shop and not acknowledging the clerks with a hello in their language. Americans are thought to be rude when we don’t do this, and will receive lesser service for not doing so, when in fact it’s a cultural difference. That is why it is important to study a culture before going there. My husband and I don’t speak another language but when we travel we enjoy learning new words and trying to use them as it gives others the most joy to see that we are trying.
This is an interesting post and has rich ideas. Well I’m currently living in South America and I’m automatically perceived to be from a Caribbean Latin country or Colombia–but I’m not. While yes, I do have some Dominican/Puerto Rican heritage, I was born in NYC. I do see how people’s attitude toward me shits though when my real identity is revealed due to my accent. It’s like I went from being this humble soul to a perceived, “another arrogant American.” So the perceptions of Americans are out there and you do feel it as a traveler. It’s often to just identify with being of Caribbean background. Then on the other hand, for some when you say you are from NYC, it’s like “oh well that’s not really the US anyway.” So, I also think that Americans are better tourist than we get credit for.
Oh this last one had me erupting in cheers! What an interesting post. Absolutely yes to the tipping. It feels so awkward not to! I had never been pegged outright as an American before (although I am one) until I went to Toronto this past December. Fairly enough, they could distinguish accents probably! And let me tell you – it is super frustrating that the second thing out of somebody’s mouth these days are questions about Donald Trump. But I’ll try my darnedest to be one of the American tourists you describe here. 🙂
This is a good post on the subject. In general, I think the U.S. tourist stereotype translates into how people view you rather than how they treat you. If you’re not acting obnoxious, it doesn’t apply to you. If you are acting obnoxious, you’re just living up to people’s worst expectations. This applies to Australian, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Brazilian, etc., tourist stereotypes as well.
Maybe I’ve just been super lucky, but I’ve rarely had a bad reaction from fellow tourists or from locals when they find out I’m American. (And the few negative reactions have been fairly muted.) The most common response has been for people to tell me what places they’ve visited in the U.S., or which cities they’d like to visit, or even where they have relatives. Questions about our politicians, laws, or culture don’t bother me so long as it’s a discussion rather than a confrontation; it’s a good opportunity to help people understand we’re a big country with diverse opinions, and my particular opinion may or may not be what they’re expecting.
It’s funny, but being Canadian, you probably see more of an anti-U.S. reaction than I do. Most people seem to hide their prejudices until they can be sure you’re not part of the group they’re stereotyping!
YESSS THANK YOU FOR THIS (she screams in her loud, overly friendly, overly enthusiastic American voice).
But forreal, I get it. Americans can be kind of loud. I was on a hike to Mt. Batur and sure enough the two loudest people were these two American college kids, bantering back and forth. They weren’t saying anything offensive or annoying, and tbh, they were kind of funny with their banter (though I might have appreciated it more if everyone else wasn’t dead silent and I was dying because #outofshape), but, yeah, not surprised! But over all, for every loud American, you get at least two who are quiet or aware of being quieter (one might not notice because of it ;p).
Also, honestly, I’d take two unknowingly loud Americans who might just need a kind, “Please be quieter” message than someone doing actual danger to the surroundings *cough* smoking *cough*.
Side note though: The Selca (self-camera) was a thing in Korea loonnngggg before the Americans turned it into a selfie 😉
Thank you for this wonderful post! I definitely agree. There is such a widespread dislike of traveling Americans and so many stereotypes that people are usually surprised when I say I’m American. They expect me to be loud and disrespectful, they expect me to want McDonald’s and Starbucks abroad, and they expect me to have never left the US and to not speak anything except English. When I speak five languages and am the definition of respectful/open-mindedness when I travel, people (usually Europeans) are very surprised. Frankly, it pisses me off. Yes, I know there are many Americans who fit the stereotypes that exist, but everything you said in this article about why, under the loudness, they’re some of the nicest people you’ll meet.
One thing that really irked me was when I first traveled when I was 21 to study abroad in Japan. A British guy was commenting on how Americans never leave the US and they make the excuse that it’s expensive. Guess what? We don’t have 100 Euro flights on Ryanair to every country in Europe. The US is probably big enough to fit most European countries inside of it, and unless I’m going to Canada or Mexico, my flights are close to or above $1000. That’s expensive! So yes, expenses are a valid excuse, and unless you prioritize travel (which I do, but many do not), it’s pretty hard to get out of here.
So, from an American: please don’t be that non-American who wants to polarize travel experiences.
Aww, shucks. Thanks for the love! I often get mistaken for a Canadian when I’m abroad, and when I say, no, I’m actually an American, they always seem surprised. I guess it makes me a little sad that the fact that I’m not obnoxious makes people surprised I’m an American. There are a lot of us out there, quietly traveling under the radar and not causing a scene.
I have observed the “Ugly American” every time I visited Cancun, Mexico!
1.The first thing you notice is that the American typically does not have a little bilingual phrase book to help them out, as opposed to all the European and Asian tourists who have the books and are trying to communicate in Spanish.
2. The second thing you notice is that the linguistic differences affect behavior; for example, most Americans who have not studied Spanish do not know that when you say “Como se llama?” or “Qual es su nombre?”, it refers specifically to the first name ONLY. In order to get the last name, you must then say: “Y su apellido?” Only then can you now address the person as Senor/Senora plus their last name. Most Americans do not understand that they really should NOT address the other person by their first name only and that it is considered rude everywhere to do so.
3. Most Americans do not know that they should greet service personnel, taxi drivers, shopkeepers
by TITLE and with a basic phrase, e.g. “Buenos dias”, “Hola, Senor”, etc. BEFORE requesting help.
They should learn to use “gracias” and some form of leave-taking–“adios, Senora”–again, to show that you acknowledge the other person.
4. I noticed that most of the Ugly Americans were very ARROGANT in their attitude toward service
personnel, engaging in behaviors they would NEVER attempt to pull with American taxi drivers–bossing drivers around, demanding that luggage be taken upstairs, insisting that the driver “just take me to the airport.”
5. Some Ugly Americans have a penchant for LYING about things…I once overheard another passenger speaking Portuguese with another. When I gently asked him was he speaking Portuguese,
he angrily yelled out “NO!” But he was denying what my ears clearly recognized–he did know that I had studied some Portuguese in addition to Spanish.
I am happy to say I did not observe any other African-American tourists speaking like this, but I DID
observe many Euro-American folks fitting those stereotypical Ugly American traits!
Right on my man!
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