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Europe has too many Tourists - Bloomberg


Ted Lange

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50 minutes ago, gecko said:

It's the same issue - my wife and I have encountered them from Utah to Ireland to Australia:

1.  They travel in large groups and have no courtesy of others.  They will step into your photo shot without remorse
2.  They will walk in packs (sometimes 3-4 abreast) and take up a whole trail.  They are completely unprepared for the trail conditions therefore walk slowly and awkwardly
3.  They never stop talking...I've seen groups of 8 or more people and they are all talking at the same time.
 

Sounds like the weathly class from Mexico.  If you visted a major shopping destinations in Texas during their holiday weeks like around Easter,  you will see this first hand.

Back in the day when the Japanese were known as the big travelers, most I ran into seemed to be Ok and polite.   Especially if you told them you were from Texas and then they really wanted to talk.   They would ask about my cousins JR and Bobby  Ewing and  Sue Ellen .   I mean they assumed all of us in Texas were related and had oil wells and a ranch.

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43 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Sounds like the weathly class from Mexico.  If you visted a major shopping destinations in Texas during their holiday weeks like around Easter,  you will see this first hand.

Back in the day when the Japanese were known as the big travelers, most I ran into seemed to be Ok and polite.   Especially if you told them you were from Texas and then they really wanted to talk.   They would ask about my cousins JR and Bobby  Ewing and  Sue Ellen .   I mean they assumed all of us in Texas were related and had oil wells and a ranch.

I thought all you Texas people were related....  heeeey ohhhhhhhh !!!! 

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Maybe some of you cultured globe trotters will start getting flight shamed.  https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/the-flight-shame-issue-comes-home-to-rick-steves/

A single round-trip flight between Seattle and, say, Rome, emits about 3.5 tons of CO2 per person — the same as nine months of driving in the average U.S. car, according to the EPA.

The carbon cost of flying is so steep that in Europe it’s led to a new movement that the Swedes call “flygskam.” It translates as “flight shame.” The premise is: fly less, or even, don’t fly at all.

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I was on a call with some UK colleagues and I mentioned a mileage run to Australia that my son and I are considering....one asked me straight up if I would do anything to offset the  resulting carbon output.   I just answered "no".  Then nothing but silence.

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6 hours ago, gecko said:

It's the same issue - my wife and I have encountered them from Utah to Ireland to Australia:

1.  They travel in large groups and have no courtesy of others.  They will step into your photo shot without remorse
2.  They will walk in packs (sometimes 3-4 abreast) and take up a whole trail.  They are completely unprepared for the trail conditions therefore walk slowly and awkwardly
3.  They never stop talking...I've seen groups of 8 or more people and they are all talking at the same time.
 

 

6 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Sounds like the weathly class from Mexico.  If you visted a major shopping destinations in Texas during their holiday weeks like around Easter,  you will see this first hand.

Back in the day when the Japanese were known as the big travelers, most I ran into seemed to be Ok and polite.   Especially if you told them you were from Texas and then they really wanted to talk.   They would ask about my cousins JR and Bobby  Ewing and  Sue Ellen .   I mean they assumed all of us in Texas were related and had oil wells and a ranch.

 

Exactly what I was thinking....fuckers from Monterrey at my beach condo. No courtesy or manners, and treat their help like slaves.

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Exactly what I was thinking....fuckers from Monterrey at my beach condo. No courtesy or manners, and treat their help like slaves.

Anyone I knew who worked retail or a service job back in day when growing up in RGV absolutely hated most of them. The women were worse than the men. They’d fricken cut in line in front of you at a store and demand to be waited on first if they saw you were spending less than they were.
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9 hours ago, gecko said:

It's the same issue - my wife and I have encountered them from Utah to Ireland to Australia:

1.  They travel in large groups and have no courtesy of others.  They will step into your photo shot without remorse
2.  They will walk in packs (sometimes 3-4 abreast) and take up a whole trail.  They are completely unprepared for the trail conditions therefore walk slowly and awkwardly
3.  They never stop talking...I've seen groups of 8 or more people and they are all talking at the same time.
 

They also have disgusting hygiene.  Will spit phlegm all over the public.  Disgusting. 

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5 hours ago, CDAK said:

Maybe some of you cultured globe trotters will start getting flight shamed.  https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/the-flight-shame-issue-comes-home-to-rick-steves/

A single round-trip flight between Seattle and, say, Rome, emits about 3.5 tons of CO2 per person — the same as nine months of driving in the average U.S. car, according to the EPA.

The carbon cost of flying is so steep that in Europe it’s led to a new movement that the Swedes call “flygskam.” It translates as “flight shame.” The premise is: fly less, or even, don’t fly at all.

Question. Do you emit more CO2 in biz? 

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This will just get worse.

The Indian middle class is booming and coming into money and the ability to travel for the first time ever. Think the recent Chinese tourists cause some different issues? Just wait - the India culture - which I admire - won’t mesh well with a family from Nebraska while at the Parthenon. 

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Was in London and Paris a couple of summers ago. I met some really cool people from China that were friendly and engaging. The ones in tour groups were the scourge of the earth though. All the annoying behaviors already mentioned. They moved like they had a list of 1000 items to check off before the end of the day or they would die. It didn’t seem like an enjoyable experience at all.

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3 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

This will just get worse.

The Indian middle class is booming and coming into money and the ability to travel for the first time ever. Think the recent Chinese tourists cause some different issues? Just wait - the India culture - which I admire - won’t mesh well with a family from Nebraska while at the Parthenon. 

I call BS. Nebraskans aren't going to the Parthenon.

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15 hours ago, gecko said:

So no one is allowed a "people free" photo of the 3 sisters or Delicate Arch...?

How many people clogging up trails/sidewalks/rightsofway are taking a "people free" photo?  Those are the type of photos I take but 99% of tourists seem to want to be the stars of a photoshoot with a little bit of nature somewhere in the backdrop.

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45 minutes ago, WBT said:

How many people clogging up trails/sidewalks/rightsofway are taking a "people free" photo?  Those are the type of photos I take but 99% of tourists seem to want to be the stars of a photoshoot with a little bit of nature somewhere in the backdrop.

Hence the number of tourists falliing into the Grand Canyon for the that awesome Instagram shot.   

Seriously I think the Smart Phone has made society dumber.  I actually kind of miss the days when most people actually watched an event with their full attention and not with a cell phone in front of ther face too.  Same goes for the tourist meccas noted on here.

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On 6/11/2019 at 2:28 PM, texasdago said:

She would be handy to have in some of lift lines in Val Gardena... I've seen some interesting behavior from German skiers.

Hah, no kidding.  Over in Europe they can get away with that shit but numerous times here, they try that and a number of Americans pretty much say out loud, "You can get away with that shit over there, but not in 'Murica, asshole.  Get in line or leave."

And they always meekly comply.  They know what they're doing (or trying to).

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ive never witnessed germans cutting in line on the ski slopes.  in fact i cant recall any really bad behavior on the ski slopes.

 

thats what i like about the sport - everyones always chill and in a good mood. 

 

well except perhaps from the snowboarders.  those people are dicks.

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On ‎6‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 2:50 PM, Loco said:

maybe, but I was in shock, what just happened?  What's a priest doing in robes doing at an Autogrill?  I guess they do drive, do they wear different clothes on their days off?  Maybe he's working?  It was all very strange.

Also, what if you lose?

 

Then you are fucked more ways than one.

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1 hour ago, phdhorn said:

Hah, no kidding.  Over in Europe they can get away with that shit but numerous times here, they try that and a number of Americans pretty much say out loud, "You can get away with that shit over there, but not in 'Murica, asshole.  Get in line or leave."

And they always meekly comply.  They know what they're doing (or trying to).

My kids still crack up when they recount our last visit to the British Museum.  There was a gaggle of French teenage girls all standing directly in front of the entrance door, yammering and texting, and completely blocking access to the museum.  We stood there for a moment, and then when I realized they weren't moving, I barked (in my fake French) "movez vous!"  They all looked up, startled....and got the fuck out of the way.   And it was something we actually observed on that trip to London -- every damned time there was a group of people gumming up the sidewalk, or blocking access to a room in a museum or whatnot, they were French.  And yeah, they know they're being assholes -- they just count on you not calling them on it.

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2 hours ago, 52-80 said:

ive never witnessed germans cutting in line on the ski slopes.  in fact i cant recall any really bad behavior on the ski slopes.

 

thats what i like about the sport - everyones always chill and in a good mood. 

 

well except perhaps from the snowboarders.  those people are dicks.

I've always witnessed Germans cutting in line on the ski slopes here.  And Italians.  And pretty much anyone who ain't under the Eagle.
Spend a March afternoon in Vail and you'll see more than a few people not in a good mood.

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21 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

I've always witnessed Germans cutting in line on the ski slopes here.  And Italians.  And pretty much anyone who ain't under the Eagle.
Spend a March afternoon in Vail and you'll see more than a few people not in a good mood.

Can such a thing be possible to be in a bad mood in March in Vail ?  Unless it's raining of course.

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i  think some on here don't understand what europeans think of american tourists.  we are not as bad as the chinese or the russians, but we aren't loved by any stretch of the imagination.  the ones who don't routinely travel can be just as big of shitheads as any other shitty tourist.  

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2 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

i  think some on here don't understand what europeans think of american tourists.  we are not as bad as the chinese or the russians, but we aren't loved by any stretch of the imagination.  the ones who don't routinely travel can be just as big of shitheads as any other shitty tourist.  

And none the less, they treat us better when we travel there than we treat them when they travel here.  

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On 6/10/2019 at 4:29 PM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Sacriledge maybe, but I don't like the Guiness over there. After being used to the carbonation over here it tasted kinda flat to me. There were lots of other local beers and ales I liked better.  

We were gonna hit it, but made the decision to see historical things instead. We spent enough time in pubs drinking to make up for that lapse  IMO.

Yes. This is the wrong opinion. The Guinness in Ireland is incredibly better. 

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21 minutes ago, Loco said:

And none the less, they treat us better when we travel there than we treat them when they travel here.  

you have millions of germans, french, italians, spanish visit here every day of every summer who only speak their native tongue and when you don't understand them, they speak louder in their native tongue and get pissed at you for not understanding german, french, spanish, whatever.  or get pissed at you because you mostly only have fried food on the menu, or complain how you cover every liquid with as much ice as possible.  you're telling me betty sue at the five and dine wouldn't get pissy at the 20th german party speaking only german to her, or at least trying to speak some modicum of english?  we'll see how long your patience holds out.  

the ones who travel here, they at least have the respect to learn some english before visiting.

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1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Can such a thing be possible to be in a bad mood in March in Vail ?  Unless it's raining of course.

Take the last run into Lionshead about 3:45 p.m. and trust me, you will see more angry people than imaginable  (not that I would ever be caught dead at Vail during anything that comes close to resembling "high" ski season, that is not a place to go for the skiing).

As far as us treating them and vice-versa, I agree with you.  It's maybe a wash, but as someone who grew up in Washington, D.C. and did some work with tour groups in college, yeah, there are just as many shitbags who are self-entitled fucktards than anything we send over there - and yes we send some real idiots over there, too.

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To be fair, while in Ireland, I've encountered the bus loads of US retirees and they can really, shall I say, "change the dynamic".  In Hobart in March a cruise ship put into the harbor.  Wife and I couldn't get out of town to Port Arthur fast enough.

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20 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

Take the last run into Lionshead about 3:45 p.m. and trust me, you will see more angry people than imaginable  (not that I would ever be caught dead at Vail during anything that comes close to resembling "high" ski season, that is not a place to go for the skiing).

As far as us treating them and vice-versa, I agree with you.  It's maybe a wash, but as someone who grew up in Washington, D.C. and did some work with tour groups in college, yeah, there are just as many shitbags who are self-entitled fucktards than anything we send over there - and yes we send some real idiots over there, too.

Well don't go to Lionshead and you avoid the dicks (for the most part). That shit show is happening at every ski resort in the world at about 3:30 to 4:30 every day of ski season (mid to high season mostly).

There's just no reason to ever get pissed when your on the slopes (or any vacation)  unless it's because of some other assholes complete assholeness that you have to endure, and you just can't help getting pissed.

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24 minutes ago, phdhorn said:

Take the last run into Lionshead about 3:45 p.m. and trust me, you will see more angry people than imaginable  (not that I would ever be caught dead at Vail during anything that comes close to resembling "high" ski season, that is not a place to go for the skiing).

As far as us treating them and vice-versa, I agree with you.  It's maybe a wash, but as someone who grew up in Washington, D.C. and did some work with tour groups in college, yeah, there are just as many shitbags who are self-entitled fucktards than anything we send over there - and yes we send some real idiots over there, too.

Maybe it's all the Californians on vacation.  I did the abasin Breck beaver rotation (and rarely Vail) and it's always been pleasant.  I like that you can easily strike up convos on the lifts, at apres ski, and there's very little posturing unlike other social events

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11 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Well don't go to Lionshead Vail and you avoid the dicks (for the most part). That shit show is happening at every ski resort in the world at about 3:30 to 4:30 every day of ski season (mid to high season mostly).

There's just no reason to ever get pissed when your on the slopes (or any vacation)  unless it's because of some other assholes complete assholeness that you have to endure, and you just can't help getting pissed.

Fixed.

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34 minutes ago, gecko said:

To be fair, while in Ireland, I've encountered the bus loads of US retirees and they can really, shall I say, "change the dynamic".  In Hobart in March a cruise ship put into the harbor.  Wife and I couldn't get out of town to Port Arthur fast enough.

Retired people are the worst. Thankfully we should not have too many of those soon. 

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A few years ago we were in Salzburg at the church that was in The Sound of Music (the things we do for wives). Down the street is a little cafe so we stopped in to grab coffee and warm up - it was winter and damn cold. 

In front of us in line was an American woman in her late 50s or 60s wearing the most obnoxious bright pink puffy coat you’ve ever seen. She tried to pay by credit card, which they didn’t accept. That set her off. 

She then pulled out USD $20 and tried to pay. When the clerk just stared at her and said they accept Euros, she went off saying how everyone should accept the dollar and his Austria is stupid. Just went on and on. The creek just told her to leave without paying.

I apologized to the clerk for her behavior, and the clerk said thanks and that  Canadians are always gracious.

 We often are thought to be Canadians when traveling. It has benefits because American bus tour grey hairs are the absolute fucking worst. 

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38 minutes ago, The Ace of Aces said:

We often are thought to be Canadians when traveling. It has benefits because American bus tour grey hairs are the absolute fucking worst. 

Why do they think you're a Canadian?  Do you say "eh" a lot, repeatedly ask for poutine or walk around with a Canadian flag?

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On 6/14/2019 at 7:33 PM, CDAK said:

 

Why do they think you're a Canadian?  Do you say "eh" a lot, repeatedly ask for poutine or walk around with a Canadian flag?

Despite growing up in Longview my accent I guess has a lil Canadian in it. Since moving to Pennsylvania 14 years ago it’s gotten stronger.

 

That and we are friendly, aren’t pushy and not loud. IE not a typical American. 

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On 6/14/2019 at 5:54 PM, The Ace of Aces said:

A few years ago we were in Salzburg at the church that was in The Sound of Music (the things we do for wives). Down the street is a little cafe so we stopped in to grab coffee and warm up - it was winter and damn cold. 

In front of us in line was an American woman in her late 50s or 60s wearing the most obnoxious bright pink puffy coat you’ve ever seen. She tried to pay by credit card, which they didn’t accept. That set her off. 

She then pulled out USD $20 and tried to pay. When the clerk just stared at her and said they accept Euros, she went off saying how everyone should accept the dollar and his Austria is stupid. Just went on and on. The creek just told her to leave without paying.

I apologized to the clerk for her behavior, and the clerk said thanks and that  Canadians are always gracious.

 We often are thought to be Canadians when traveling. It has benefits because American bus tour grey hairs are the absolute fucking worst. 

Americans are pretty bad tourists. They aren't rude about line cutting or picture taking, but they bitch a lot. They expect everything to be like home.

Complain about slow service
Complain about no air conditioning or being slightly warm in the summer
Expect everyone to speak English or don't try to communicate in the native language
Loud and annoying (Chinese and the British are just as bad)
Don't respect the culture
Dress horrible

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On 6/14/2019 at 6:54 PM, The Ace of Aces said:

A few years ago we were in Salzburg at the church that was in The Sound of Music (the things we do for wives). Down the street is a little cafe so we stopped in to grab coffee and warm up - it was winter and damn cold. 

In front of us in line was an American woman in her late 50s or 60s wearing the most obnoxious bright pink puffy coat you’ve ever seen. She tried to pay by credit card, which they didn’t accept. That set her off. 

She then pulled out USD $20 and tried to pay. When the clerk just stared at her and said they accept Euros, she went off saying how everyone should accept the dollar and his Austria is stupid. Just went on and on. The creek just told her to leave without paying.

I apologized to the clerk for her behavior, and the clerk said thanks and that  Canadians are always gracious.

 We often are thought to be Canadians when traveling. It has benefits because American bus tour grey hairs are the absolute fucking worst. 

I must have missed the magical creek that speaks...

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On 6/15/2019 at 1:33 AM, CDAK said:

 

Why do they think you're a Canadian?  Do you say "eh" a lot, repeatedly ask for poutine or walk around with a Canadian flag?

dont you know, portuguese and poles  and slovenians are super attuned to differences in accents between US vs CAN

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