Characteristics of Bad Travelers – Surely you have ever traveled in your country or abroad, and you have witnessed certain tourists who unpleasantly do not respect the country in which they are, who are not interested in learning about the culture of the country and other mistakes that even They will cause it to be generalized to all tourists within the same negative category.
When we talk about tourists, there is everything. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual traveler, a global explorer, or just want to see your dream destination for the first time, you don’t want to be part of this group of tourists. Know the characteristics of bad travelers and keep them in mind during your next trip.
Perhaps during your travels you have not realized that some of your actions may have been considered out of character for the locals. There are tourists who do things while traveling that they shouldn’t, however, others do it unconsciously and without malice. This list will help you in case you want to know what protocols a good traveler should follow. An important bonus is that you should always research the culture before your trips to be aware of what you can and cannot do once you get off the plane.
10 characteristics of bad travelers
These are the 10 characteristics of the most annoying tourists you may encounter while traveling abroad:
The traffic offender
People who do not respect traffic in other countries surely create chaos in their own countries too. This not only applies to those who drive cars, but also to those who use motorcycles, bicycles, any other type of transportation, and those who are pedestrians.
For these people, traffic lights should only be obeyed by vehicles. He believes that “pedestrians have the right of way,” but they do not respect crosswalks. I have seen people abroad cross streets right in front of the sign that says “no jaywalking”, with a large pedestrian bridge a few meters away.
It doesn’t matter if you cross in a certain way in your country, when you are abroad, you will have to get used to crossing as they do in that place. However, if you are traveling to a country where its own traffic rules are more dangerous, always try to follow the logic that will allow you to stay safe. Always learn the positive things about a country, and leave your positive lessons too.
2. The inveterate photographer
Taking photos is one of the most beautiful ways to keep your memories intact. There’s nothing like coming home and looking at all the photographs to relive every moment. There’s no reason not to! But, some people just don’t understand when it’s appropriate to take photos and when it’s not.
This can be one of the most embarrassing characteristics of a bad traveler, as they will stop traffic to get the best photo, or ask locals at a restaurant to take a photo of them with their food. Even worse, you will take photos at religious sites without first making sure if it is acceptable to capture videos or photos at that location. Never ignore signs prohibiting cameras, especially if you are at historic sites or museums. Don’t wait to be told or reprimanded, check the site first before taking out your camera.
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There are things that we can keep in our memory without needing a photograph, because they can be situations so dazzling that just by closing your eyes you can perceive it again, like that great stone Buddha that I saw in theSeokguramGrotto .
Although there is a lot of excitement and excitement when you are traveling, visiting a country involves more than just taking selfies.
The one who looks for friends (exaggeratedly)
Making friends abroad is incredible. You must do it! But please don’t be like these types of bad tourists who become so eager to have local friends that they exaggeratedly exchange information with the first person they meet without giving them any space. Do you want to make friends or scare them? Try to be more subtle with the way you approach people. Try to create lasting friendships that really contribute to your life and you to theirs. Offer space to the people you talk to, and it will be much safer that you won’t be labeled as awkward. After all, your plan is for them to ask you to meet again.
The one who does not respect the local dress codes
These tourists have very similar characteristics in the fact that they do not consider the dress code of their host country when choosing outfits every day. They will dress as they please, making no effort to blend in with the locals and respect the dress codes of the places they visit.
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It may seem like you shouldn’t worry about this issue, but in many places, the way you dress matters a lot. Shorts in the Vatican? Miniskirts in a Buddhist temple in Thailand? How you used to dress in your country is not always well regarded abroad. They are simple things that maybe the locals will forgive because you are a foreigner, but they won’t always be able to let you know that you were wrong, and you don’t want to be embarrassed.
Who ignores the label
They are the tourists who did not research the culture of other countries before venturing out to see the world. Serious mistake. The way others communicate, how they greet each other or even how they eat, can be very different from you. These people even greet a Japanese person with a kiss on the cheek, eat with their left hand in India, speak too loudly in European countries (even though they can be heard clearly), do not greet when entering and leaving stores or restaurants , they don’t take off their shoes before entering the house in countries where having shoes inside is prohibited, they start eating before everyone is seated at the table, and they don’t let people get off the train first. Have you heard so much rudeness? People like that actually exist, and clearly some lessons need to be taught.
The offender
They are all the people who, because they are not interested in learning about certain things from other countries, end up offending the locals when traveling. For example, there are countries in which the ‘thumbs up’ or the ‘peace sign’ are negative gestures. Be very careful!
The one who only talks about his country
The characteristics of this type of tourists that make them bad travelers is that they ignore everything local and only talk about their country. Their national pride is so marked that they even wear it as clothing on the streets abroad. This person constantly makes sure that everyone knows where they are from and how much they love their home country.
The country comparator
Another characteristic of bad travelers is that they usually compare their own country with the country in which they are traveling, or they compare the countries they have been to with each other, in order to generate discussion about which country is better than another. . This can mean that these types of people do not fully enjoy the country they are in, since they spend all their time comparing. Instead of enjoying a new culture, they keep thinking about what the culture of their country is like. Focus on getting to know a new country thoroughly without judging, just observe and live the moment to the fullest.
The one who does not make an effort to learn the local language
We all like it when a foreign person traveling through our country makes an effort to communicate with us in our own language. We can do the same when we travel! Learning a new language is not easy, and applying it with the locals is quite difficult, but in many places a simple ‘hello’ in a person’s native language will get you a lot of points.
However, there are certain types of bad tourists who, instead of trying, expect everyone to communicate in their native language or English. They get upset when they encounter someone who can’t understand them, but they didn’t even make an attempt to learn basic phrases of their host country’s native language.
You don’t have to be an expert. But try. Instead of making fun of you for not being fluent, they will appreciate your effort.
The ignorant traveler
It sounds harsh, but one of the worst characteristics of bad travelers is ignorance. It is not wrong to not know about the aspects of another country, but it is wrong to have had the time to investigate before your trip and not have done so. Typically, when people travel abroad, they take the time to learn about the country they are visiting and the monuments they plan to see.
However, this bad tourist knows nothing about the history of the host country, the government, or even what languages are common. He turns his ignorance into something offensive by making comments that may be out of line, which could have been avoided with a quick internet search before the trip.
Unfortunately, there will always be these types of tourists with characteristics that classify them as bad travelers. No one wants to hang out with the worst tourists: not locals, not fellow travelers, not friends. Let’s make our trips much more pleasant for everyone by being considerate and trying to focus on not making these mistakes.
Eliminate these bad travel habits…
…And help others eliminate them too, they will thank you at some point.
