Locals hate tourists.
It’s not the most encouraging thing to hear when you’re about to jet off to a foreign country, but it’s usually true. Locals try to go about their daily lives eating their breakfasts and drinking their coffee while swarms of loud, obnoxious tourists disrupt their peaceful hometown rituals. It’s difficult to walk to work, take a coffee break, or go for a nice, peaceful stroll along the Seine when tourists are mucking about. They block the sidewalks, walk at a snail’s pace, and usually shout and point at entirely mundane landmarks that you ignore on a daily basis. To top it all off, they have the gall to ask you for directions or initiate other forms of interaction, forcing you to endure their condescending tone because you don’t understand their language. It’s enough to make you want to go on a vacation.
Yet the local is no better than the tourist. In another city, in another country, they would become the obnoxious visitor and the residents would resent the disruption to their peaceful hometown. Put into this perspective, it’s easy to see that it’s not the individual but the act of touring that people find so despicable. So how do you prevent yourself from being perceived as an obnoxious tourist?
Have no fear! We can help.
How to become a lovable tourist
1. Learn their language
It’s okay, no one speaks in hieroglyphics.
If you’re going on a month-long Best of Europe tour with 20 people, you’re not all going to be able to learn every language on your trip overnight. But if you bring along a stash of Rick Steves guides and take turns with your high school foreign language experience, the locals are bound to appreciate the effort. Unless you’re in France, of course, then c’est la vie. Not everyone can like you!
2. Buy local
Turkish delight, anyone?
One of the biggest concerns with international travel is that many tourists stay in resorts owned by American companies, staffed by American nationals, and importing American food. This keeps the booming tourist industry from directly contributing to the local economy, while the Hiltons and the Waltons keep getting richer. To avoid contributing to this problem, make a point of buying local while abroad, trading the Hyatt and Mickey D’s for the Hotel Roma and the corner pizzeria. That’s why at Explorica, we offer authentic Insider Tours so you can veer off the beaten path and immerse yourself in local culture.
3. Count your own currency
Nothing says tourist like a fistful of pocket change
If you’ve ever worked a retail job in a tourist destination, you’ve probably experienced the following scenario:
A foreign tourist walks into the store, picks out a souvenir/shirt/cup of coffee, and then hands you a palmful of nickels, quarters, dimes and pennies. Your customer points to the item for purchase, and the pile of coins, obviously indicating that they want you to count out the change. This rankles your pride and keeps the rest of your customers in line waiting, but you slowly and awkwardly count out the two dollars and 96 cents. To add insult to injury, your customer waves goodbye, walks out the door, and doesn’t even leave a tip.
Don’t be that guy. Fortunately for you, Arabic numerals are universal and international currency is marked with the amount right on the coin. If you passed the second grade, you can figure it out. Count out your change before you get to the register, and your cashier will thank you.
4. Meet a local
Volunteering at a school = instant local friends
There is nothing more valuable than a friend in a foreign city. They can introduce you to other locals, show you the daily life of their country, and point out the most authentic spots to grab some grub. An introduction from a neighbor can make a tourist twice as popular, and before long your one friend can turn into 20.
Yet not everyone has the luxury of friends in China, Tanzania, Belize and Rome. Fortunately, we offer local tour guides who speak your language for all of our groups, so that you can get a taste of living like the locals on any tour.
5. Make an effort
Chopsticks: probably the best way to eat food.
It sounds too easy, but making a visible effort to adapt to another culture increases your chances of not looking like an entitled tourist. Pay attention to the small details and try to adapt to the culture you are visiting. Pick up Portuguese, try a bite of octopus, and learn to eat with chopsticks. And keep traveling so that you can continue to learn more about global cultures.
Want to test your lovability?
Take an educational tour with Explorica.