French Tourists Ranked as World's Worst

[Stifmeister]

French Tourists Ranked as World's Worst

Reuters
Posted: 12:30 pm
July 9, 2009


PARIS -- French tourists are the worst in the world, coming across as bad at foreign languages, tight-fisted and arrogant, according to a survey of 4,500 hotel owners across the world.

They finish in last place in the survey carried out for internet travel agency Expedia by polling company TNS Infratest, which said French holidaymakers don't speak local languages and are seen as impolite.

"It's mainly the fact that they speak little or no English when they're abroad, and they don't speak much of the local language," Expedia Marketing Director Timothee de Roux told radio station France Info.

"The French don't go abroad very much. We're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of its landscape and culture," he said, adding that 90 per cent of French people did their traveling at home. [quoteit]"It's mainly the fact that they speak little or no English when they're abroad, and they don't speak much of the local language," -Timothee de Roux[/quoteit]

"So when they're on holiday they can be a bit stressed, they're not used to things, and this can lead them to be demanding in a way which could be seen as a certain arrogance."

French tourists are also accused of generally spending less than other nationalities when abroad.

De Roux said the French, not accustomed to leaving large tips at home where a service charge is automatically levied on restaurant bills, can seem "tight-fisted" compared with other nationalities.

The Japanese ranked top of the Best Tourist survey, with the British and the Germans judged the best of the Europeans.

But French tourists received some consolation for their poor performance, finishing third after the Italians and British for dress sense while on holiday.















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Can't say I'm surprised by this.

[Nighty]

pfffff it's not true ^^

[Havana]

not Polskies???? :woot2: YEEEHAAWW

[Dr. Dre]

Yeah I've seen that on a french site as well, this is funny but I'm not surprised

dress sense hahahahhaha man hahahahahha

[GODLIKE]

yeah ive talked with some french dudes in my town and they cant speak english or german good

[Dr. Dre]

hell they can't even speak french good

[Skyward]

what a shame...

[Petter]

French tourists are the worst in the world according to a survey of 4,500 hotel owners

It's mainly the fact that they speak little or no English and generally spending less

Remember that this is not from our point of view. It's from people making money out of tourists. French people at the bottom doesn't mean they are the worst people me and you will deal with.

Off course they would rank someone spending less money right at the bottom. And when they have to deal with customers less skilled in english that's understandable too.

It would be much more interesting to read how different nationalities are perceived in general by other tourists and natives not in the tourist business, as they will have an objective mind unlike people depending on them for a living. That would be more interesting to read about.

The Japanese ranked top of the Best

There is another aspect too. Not that I have ever seen any japaneese tourists making any kind of trouble, but IMO they are at the bottom for me, even if I have no bad experiences of the japaneese people.

It seems that the japanees have an awefull lot of money to spend, and they do spend it. I've seen them taking boat rides that cost 400 but gladly pay 1000. Restaurant meal that cost 3000 and they pay 5000. Thats almost 100% tip. Next thing you know the prices gone up 30%.

Sure as hell money making natives love the japaneese. Even if they wouldn't speak one word in english they would still love them.

[Nighty]

yeah ive talked with some french dudes in my town and they cant speak english or german good

man if we cant speak german , speak french dude

[syron]

But ffs, it's really pitiful that french people aren't taught english at school. In germany, first english lessons are in primary school already.

[Nighty]

But ffs, it's really pitiful that french people aren't taught english at school. In germany, first english lessons are in primary school already.

not us , our first lesson of english is in college :s

[Dr. Dre]

Remember that this is not from our point of view. It's from people making money out of tourists. French people at the bottom doesn't mean they are the worst people me and you will deal with.

Off course they would rank someone spending less money right at the bottom. And when they have to deal with customers less skilled in english that's understandable too.

It would be much more interesting to read how different nationalities are perceived in general by other tourists and natives not in the tourist business, as they will have an objective mind unlike people depending on them for a living. That would be more interesting to read about.

There is another aspect too. Not that I have ever seen any japaneese tourists making any kind of trouble, but IMO they are at the bottom for me, even if I have no bad experiences of the japaneese people.

It seems that the japanees have an awefull lot of money to spend, and they do spend it. I've seen them taking boat rides that cost 400 but gladly pay 1000. Restaurant meal that cost 3000 and they pay 5000. Thats almost 100% tip. Next thing you know the prices gone up 30%.

Sure as hell money making natives love the japaneese. Even if they wouldn't speak one word in english they would still love them.

That's a nice point indeed. The japanese are also very numerous, I don't know in other countries but in Paris I'd say at least 3/5 tourists come from Asia

But ffs, it's really pitiful that french people aren't taught english at school. In germany, first english lessons are in primary school already.

rofl are you kidding? We start learning english in the 5th grade. We're supposed to know basic stuff like the alphabet, the numbers and get-out-of-jail sentences. In middle school we start seeing present simple and continuous.

At the end of the 12th grade, we have to pass the 'Bac' short for 'Baccalauréat' to graduate, what you guys call 'Abitur' in germany I believe

And I can tell you that I'm one year from what I believe you guys call 'Diplom' ( 4 years after 'Abitur' ) and people in my class don't understand a word I'm saying when I speak english. They make sentences like "Tomorrow people had obsolete machines, but nowadays we keep the phone with we everytime" I'm not lying I swear to god

But it's not just english, it's more complicated than that. I don't wanna bore you with a social analysis of french people but I can tell you that in less than two decades we'll probably be one of the least educated european countries.

But checking out your educational system, I've noticed it's pretty complex, you have four kinds of secondary schools. (Gymnasium, Realschule, HauptSchule, Gesamtschule)

It's simpler here, like in the US, middle school/high school called College/Lycée and it's all

[Stifmeister]

Remember that this is not from our point of view. It's from people making money out of tourists. French people at the bottom doesn't mean they are the worst people me and you will deal with.

Off course they would rank someone spending less money right at the bottom. And when they have to deal with customers less skilled in english that's understandable too.

It would be much more interesting to read how different nationalities are perceived in general by other tourists and natives not in the tourist business, as they will have an objective mind unlike people depending on them for a living. That would be more interesting to read about.

You're right...


But still, many (especially old) French people don't even want to speak English.. They think French is so superior language. I hate that attitude.

[Petter]

About being superior.. There's always a lot of american tourists in Thailand. I have to say that they are always very forward, not shy and always take care of things in situations where other people just freeze or act "handicapped". They will also talk with anyone without hesitation or being nervouse. That's the good part.

But.. it really shines through many times that "hey I'm american I come from the greatest country in the world so you had better treat me accordingly".

It's like if there's a lot of people waiting for a shop to open, some guys think that since they are from America they are VIP and should be the first ones allowed in. Hell they should be allowed in even before it has opened.

Everyone aren't the same. But I have noticed it, just like i have noticed americans that are not like that. But I never noticed anyone else not from America with the attitude that being from their country makes them bigger or better.

Guys from other countries can be like that too, but then it's not coz they are from a specific country, it's just their shitty attitude.

[AmcoTraD]

i thought the russians are

well most of the french nation are patriots, no interest in learning other languages
dre and anis are the only ones speaking english very well here, compared to the other frenchs = best example