Something that DR tourism has known for a "decade"....

[dms3611]

French Deemed Worst Tourists
Posted May 23rd 2007 11:36AM by Neil Woodburn
Filed under: Europe, China, India, Russian Federation, France, United States

It's a debate that will never be definitively decided, but for the time being, the French are officially the worst tourists in Europe according to a recent survey of 15,000 European hoteliers.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the same survey has determined that the very best tourists are the Japanese. Americans, despite the bad rap they usually receive, were deemed the second best--although this was a hollow victory as the Americans were also voted the worst dressed tourists according to the same survey (speaking for myself, guilty as charged!).

The five worst tourists according to the survey come from the following countries:

1. France
2. India
3. China
4. Russia
5. Britain

And the best tourists in the world are... Wed May 23, 8:21 AM ETLONDON (Reuters) - The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on views from hoteliers across Europe said Wednesday.

Japanese tourists stood out for being polite and tidy, securing 35 percent more votes than the Americans who came second.

Swiss tourists were commended for being quiet and considerate, unlike the Britons who were judged to be the fifth worst tourists because of rude behavior, noise and a miserly attitude to tipping.

But despite their faults, hoteliers do look favorably upon British spending habits voting them the third biggest holiday spenders after Americans and Russians.

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers, the survey carried out on behalf of travel Web site Expedia showed that the worst tourist nation was France, followed by India, China and Russia.

Britain was second in the worst-dressed tourist table which was headed by the Americans, and fifth in the least-generous table which was headed by the Germans.

[Funnyyale26]

Originally Posted by dms3611

[b]unlike the Britons who were judged to be the fifth worst tourists because of rude behavior, noise and a miserly attitude to tipping.

LMAO....I had heard that the Britons were very cheap but so are Indians and even blacks. I feel that Americans take tipping to an extreme, though.

[Kyle]

i am guilty as charged for the overtipping but i'm also a sucker for a pretty smile from a nice waitress some americans tip as though we are in the US not thinking of the economy for the DR. i know this may be difficult but some owners should give americans a suttle hint on tipping. i also think there are exceptions to every rule as far as "cheap" tourists.

[Hillbilly]

Excuse me, dms3611, but us older folk have known this for more than four decades!! And the Dominican people know this.
When former president Balaguer was told of how marvelous things were in Switzerland, his comment was: "Well, bring me the Swiss."
Interesting survey.

HB

[Andy B]

They forgot to add the Spanish for being cheap and the Italians for being too boisterious! Of course here on the island, the Dominicans can always be counted upon for squeezing in 10 people for a room designed for 4,...and only paying for 2! LOL!!!!!

[Squat]

The Spaniards are the cheapest tourists, and usually noisy too... I think they really are the worst "westerners" tourists !

[El_Uruguayo]

I think the Americans got such a high rating because the hoteliers had them confused with the friendly Canadian tourists :P jk. I won't go into who I think are the worst, but as for tipping, you can never really overtip, unless doing so might put you in a comprimising situation i.e. people following you to your hotel because they think you are rich. I will always leave anywhere from 10% to 25% on top of the "ley%", and it usually assures me quality service, in fact excellent service - if the snotty service back home expects and gets that much, why shouldn't quality service in the DR be just as deserving??? Plus, I find that if you tip where people aren't accustomed to it, your service will be 10x better and quicker than for everyone else - reminds me of Uruguay, 20 people already waiting for a drink, and I get to bypass the line because I left $1 on my last drink. It's something to think about.

[Chirimoya]

I remember speaking to a Spaniard who made this comment about British tourists - "on the one hand we have the stereotype of the English gentleman, and then we get these specimens" - meaning the "lager louts" who flock to the Costas.

[Kyle]

ask a dominican who is cheap and he will say most europeans. ask a working girl and she'll say most older men. ask a non working woman and she'll say younger men.

ask an ex-pat DR businessman who is cheap and he'll say ???

[El_Uruguayo]

I have to say that on a whole, Europeans are definately cheap. While in the DR I met some Norwegian girls who looked at me as though I were crazy for leaving 15% on a bill. I met German who would walk over an hour each way to his job in Santo Domingo, when I asked his rationale, he said "in 2 months I will save 45 Euros" haha, he then said it was for the excercise, but you could tell the 45 Euros were a factor. That same German, and another german I knew were shopping for wine for a dinner at the Ambassador's house, I suggested a U$S 15 - $20 bottle, they said "No! that's too much!", so they split on $7 bottle, and had it gift-wrapped!!! haha.

I guess it's part of the culture to be frugal, and maybe tip or "service" is included in the bill in Europe, I just think it's cheap.

And as for the English, I think Hooligans are one of the main exports, no?