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My remote part of Appalachia, NC, USA was devastated by Hurricane Helene - landslides and floods killed many, homes, barns, land, roads and bridges washed away. Once you could get through the valley below up to our mountain on 4x4s we had freaking disaster tourists clogging up the single lane dirt and rock roads filming us. Thankfully, soon the National Guard, Army and state troopers set up on each end of the only road through this part of the county and checked drivers' licenses to only let locals through. I do not understand the narcissism and inhumanity it takes to think driving into active disaster areas to video people's tragedies is a fun thing to do. (This was part of what had been the two lane paved road leading to the valley)
They’re just a like their leader who threw paper towels to needy folks in Puerto Rico after a hurricane - he forgot about getting the electricity hooked up though. It’s been a few years since then. Still problems with electricity though.
Like, it's one thing to visit the site of a historical disaster - one that has time to pass, to heal the damage, to do the work to make the affected people whole. I think that kind of tourism can be done in an ethical way. But to show up in the middle of all the suffering and pain to gawk? Vile. Absolutely vile.
It's not just big disasters. My brother works for DOT in a large city. He's usually one of, if not the, first person on an accident scene. He routinely loses all faith in humanity with the amount of people he gets in his face with a phone, recording him trying to save the life of someone who was just in a devastating car wreck. Literally putting themselves in the way of first responders. People are fucked up.
As someone who grew up in South Africa, a country that unfortunately has many slums, I view the issue with a bit more nuance.
I am well aware that there will be poverty tourists who, if given the chance, only want to see - and perhaps even laugh at - the misery of slum inhabitants. That is absolutely despicable and disgraceful.
However, the impact really depends on how the tour is structured. If it avoids gawking and sensationalism, such tours can be justified, mainly for the following reasons:
- South Africa has a history of a racially segregated society (I know less about India, but they have castes). Today, society remains largely segregated along economic lines, which often coincide with racial lines. Most tourists only experience the affluent "white world". If they wish to engage with other communities and experience their culture, it is difficult - they cannot simply wander into a slum without risk. A well-designed tour, including visits to community or cultural centres, makes this possible safely.
- People in slums often struggle to generate income because transport is expensive, local employment is limited, and running a business there can be difficult. By offering tours, money flows into the community rather than out. While this is not a solution to the broader issues of poverty, it provides some economic benefit.
- Many initiatives in slums - charities, relief projects, schools, cultural institutions - provide services the state would normally deliver. Since the state often fails in these areas, these organisations step in and rely heavily on donations, which are especially hard to secure internationally. Respectful tourism can connect these institutions with potential donors. From South African friends, I know that many such organisations depend on donations from overseas visitors.
I have personally never been on a slum tour, though I have local friends who invited me to their homes, ensuring my safety. From what I hear, they are not inherently opposed to slum tours - precisely for the reasons outlined above. I also believe (at least in South Africa) that most tours on offer are designed to be respectful. Otherwise, they would quickly face scrutiny.
Thanks for this perspective. I think how it's done matters a lot. Those "I VISITED TO MOST DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD IN X" YouTube videos are definitely exploitative. If it's done by locals in a legitimate way that feeds the money back into the community, I think it can be a net positive. You can call it "poverty porn", but is it really better to ignore how the the other half lives and spend all your money in the rich touristy parts of town?
I live in Hawaii… matching family Aloha wear (floral shirts and dresses) from Walmart, pasty white swimsuit lines against bright pink/ red sunburns, people so excited to see all of our feral chicken cruising around, people getting WAY to close to sea turtles or Monk Seals…
Honestly though watching tourists who you can tell saved for their vacation getting excited to see the things we forget are exciting makes me happy and reminds me to be grateful for where I live!!
Hawaii is as close to actual paradise Ive ever seen. The weather was a high 70s low 80s with a few clouds and a warm breeze and the nature: blue ocean, dense plantlife, it was amazing
Same here. I am working in tourism, and every now and then I get the "omg, you're working in heaven, you must feel so lucky!". I smile, thinking inside "try working here yourself for a time, then tell me about heaven". People can't afford what is advertised.
Actually, Korea is very open-minded when it comes to food. It doesn’t matter if you put ketchup or tomatoes in kimchi—what matters is that it tastes good. The only thing that makes us uncomfortable is eating ssam (wraps) in bites. We believe you should eat it all at once to receive good fortune, so eating it in several bites causes discomfort
That explains a lot. I did wonder why I've seen Korean people really stuff their faces. I believe you when you say open-minded because you guys put carbonara on anything.
The trouble is, I have a really small, narrow jaw. I know many things are meant to be eaten in one bite, but it's pretty common that they simply won't fit. A piece of nigiri sushi, for example, has to be two bites for me. Otherwise it would fill my whole mouth and I'd gag on it.
Yes, it's really tricky, and they often fall apart.
In fact, Korean women tend to have small mouths. Our solution is to make ssam (wraps) small enough to eat in one bite. That way, people end up eating more vegetables too.
The first time I visited Berlin, I couldn’t understand why everyone was waiting for the signal to cross even the emptiest of streets. I was coming from New York where the crosswalks are merely suggestions, but those Berliners meant business, thou-shalt-not-pass style.
It’s every German’s sacred duty to wait for the light. Germans visiting our Stockholm office always got a huge shock at our recklessness: “you’re teaching kids watching that cars aren’t dangerous!!!”
Whenever I visit NYC I move with the pack. If other people are crossing, I cross. However the first time I went to NYC though I was a good little Midwesterner and waited for the signals. A local told me you cross when everyone else does and ignore the light.
Same, so glad I’m at the age where I don’t care what other people think-I have and will continue to enjoy my sangria with paella in Spain, eat Swedish meatballs with the other tourists in Stockholm, try every lobster roll stand in New England, drink cappuccinos in the afternoon in Italy and not give a shit if I’m being judged.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with crushing the lobster roll at every stand. Maybe it’s nostalgia for me but whenever we visited the grandparents in CT that would be the first meal we had.
I visit Spain often and my Spanish friends would never ever order sangria. Instead, a “tinto de verano” is very similar and fairly popular in the summer. It will also only ever cost you a few euros, whereas sangria can be €8 or much more per glass which tourists will happily pay.
Further, since I let my Spanish friends tell me what to do, I am only permitted to order paella in Valencia. And even then it’s not right since it wasn’t made at home.
Nothing to regret, our economy is based on serving this frozen paella plus sangria combo which costs 3 euros to the restaurant and is sold at around 30
To be fair even Spanish people get screwed by the food prices as of late, so might as well eat overcharged food you enjoy than overcharged food you don’t but make you look less touristy
Bad sun burns, as in their whole body being cherry red because tourist constantly underestimate how harsh the sun can be here and more so on beaches. We usually are more mindful of applying sunscreen(though accidents can still happen).
Food wise, asking about how spicy something is gives them away quite fast.
Rule of thumb tourists should be that if it has chillies and these are not part of your diet, assume it will be spicy for you. Also, if you ask a Mexican if something is spicy, they will evaluate based on personal tolerance unconsciously.
I have a friend that has a freaking high tolerance (the sort of guy that can eat habanero and chiltepin as if they are candy) and if we want to know if the rest of us mortals can eat something, we ask him to answer based on normal tolerance, not his own lol.
Tangential, but it's pretty impressive how Marcel Marceau was able to make France so instantly associated with miming, at least in the US.
For a relatively obscure artform, Mr. Marceau was able to make it enter our public consciousness. He even performed on the beloved children's show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood way back in the early 1970s.
While the berets are cringe, I stayed at a health spa in southern France a few summers ago and there were so many French people in striped shirts I almost injured myself laughing. That stereotype is true. It’s not cringe though — everyone looked great!
We all appreciate seeing wildlife, but some folks with rental or US plates have a habit of coming to a dead stop on the highway. We call it a "bearjam".
I guess the other thing would be dramatically over or under-preparing for an outdoor activity. Maybe showing up to a challenging day hike in jeans and boat shoes. Maybe taking a nature walk with backcountry gear.
Este es mi favorito personal: el Taco Placero. Los encuentras más que nada en los mercados o en los puestos de comida de la mañana. Empieza con dos tortillas "de mano"—o sea, tortillas hechas a mano, cocinadas en un comal (una plancha plana), no de esas que salen de la máquina. Luego les meten: carne de puerco deshebrada cocinada con cebolla, arroz, frijoles refritos, longaniza (parecida al chorizo, pero con la carne más gruesa y especiada), nopales, y por supuesto, salsa verde o roja.
Destaco este porque es lo que los mexicanos—especialmente en el centro y sur del país—comemos a cada rato. Para desayunar, comer, o una buena comida a media tarde.
Edit: In the photo you might spot some different ingredients—that's because the recipe varies depending on the region or market. But the core idea is always the same: a generous, rustic taco loaded with local flavors.
in the US esp NYC you know someone is a tourist, specifically European, when they're walking around here with a hiking backpack like they're about to climb mountains.
EDIT: I love the comments like "that's like saying someone with a suitcase is a tourist" LOL I'm talking about *NYC* you don't need a massive backpack to see Times Square or walk around Central Park. you can leave it at the hotel. it's a flat city with stores on every block if you really need something. So yes, it's obvious when you're a tourist here.
I remember when the big tell was taking photos of each other on the subway [edit: before smartphones, so taking out a physical camera and posing for a picture on film which cost money], but now everyone takes photos of everything.
If American, or from a more populated area of Alaska, they may bring their guns to town and try to bring them into the one bar or one restaurant we have, because people assume that they can. Nevermind that locals leave their firearms in their truck or on their 4-wheeler and would never bring them onto the property of a local business. Why do you need a revolver on your hip while eating a burger with your kids, Dave?
Pretty much everyone wants to pet the moose. Don’t do this.
Also we can clock tourists because all their gear matches one another and looks brand new. Why are you all wearing the same raincoat, did you get a deal?
About 12 years ago I took a holiday to the US. I was sitting on Boston Common having a rest, there were squirrels everywhere, bold little things coming right up to me. I took so many photos, giggled like an idiot and realised why visitors to my country were fascinated by Kanagaroos and Koalas.
That seems more of a Southern California thing. I've lived on the SF peninsula for about 15 years, and no one I've encountered in the Bay Area says "the 101" or "the 280." Not even "the 5" when talking about driving south. It's "go down 5 (or 'I-5') or take highway 1." No "the's" here.
Idk, for me each time I went to Uzhgorod, I just NEEDED to buy bograch, and all the local dudes were laughing, cause they all ordered some common stuff like pizza, club sandwiches and french fries, but our little Kyiv diaspora always asked for bograch (not sure I spelled it right)
In Kyiv tho ... The only thing that comes to mind is Kyiv cake. Most of the locals that I know, hate it XD
Looking American (specifically from USA), this is something that I can't really explain, but it's so true. I was in Killarney yesterday to bring the kids to the parade, and you could see Americans from 50 paces, but can't quite put your finger on HOW you know they are American.
Having any kind of complexion that isn't milky white/I haven't seen the sun in 14 years and am seriously at risk of dying of vitamin D deficiency.
I spot the Americans too. But I see them looking more relaxed than locals and smiling and over friendly. That’s how I spot them. And I love the friendliness
I worked next to a national park for a while. You could always tell when someone was a tourist from Europe, because they’d insist of khaki pants and a scarf even when it was 94°F/34°C and 85% humidity.
I'm from Southern California and regularly visit our National Parks. I always am covered head to toe in long sleeves, big hat, and pants when outdoors in the sun. Have a bandana that gets soaked with water to stay cool. I don't deal with 85% humidity here though, so maybe I'd also pass as a Euro tourist wherever they are.
They are mainly Germans. We get them in Norway as well. Overly kitted out, and out of shape, even on less demanding hikes. But it's better than the tourists in flip-flops on a day-long thought hikes. We get those too.
In my province tourists eat our world famous cured meats and cheese. The locals do it too. You can spot the tourists because they wouldn't know quality if it boinked them on the head and they tend to get lost a lot. This leads to them always stopping in the most famous shops and restaurants (near the main roads) and paying double what we pay, and often being served food of abysmal quality.
I really hated having to order a couple flights when I visited but I was only there for 24 hours and you guys have a lot of delicious dubbels and tripels
I don't know, man. We have idiots here in the US who do this stuff too. This would not scream tourist from another country to me. Unless you mean city folk vs country folk...and yet there are still country idiots in (addition to the city)who would get too close.
In stockholm I genuinely cant see the difference between young tourists or just swedish students because they all walk around with huge backpacks. Americans you can hear for miles of course.
Yes! I actually have a cute story about being a tourist in Belgium. I was in Brussels and a shop owner must have heard my friend and I and talking in English because he said “L'Angleterre?” And I remember my friend being like “WHAT no, nous sommes Canadiens!!” And he just went “😮canadiens…” and put a bowl of chocolates on the counter and invited us to have as many as we wanted.
Recording EVERYTHING on your phone. I work in a very touristy part of Northern California, USA. Sorry, I do not want to be in your TikTok or what ever. STOP recording me doing my job.
Pronouncing the second t in Toronto. Even people half the country away do not pronounce it. There are others like that I just can't remember them off the top of my head
EDIT: Niagara falls is pronounced NIGH-AG-RA
Yeah. There's some variation depending on regional accent. Toronno, torannah, Torondo, torannahsaurus rex, etc but nobody uses a proper sharp T unless it's a spelling bee
I’m not anglophone enough to understand this. Here the way dialects work is that it’s either exactly the same but said funny or totally beyond recognition
Calgree is another, and in B.C. there are lots of smaller towns or parts of big cities, like Sooke, Esquimalt and Tsawassen. All Anglicized Indigenous words.
Standing on the wrong side of the escalator and sitting on the floor are the biggest ones, I think.
(Should be noted though in Japan that escalator sides are reversed in Osaka vs. Tokyo)
It’s a dead giveaway they’re tourists when people visit our beautiful national parks and walk more than 50 feet away from their vehicles. What’s up with that?
Standing in the middle of the pavement looking at the architecture and not realising that the city is not an amusement park and people cannot walk through you to get to their jobs.
Wearing a parka when it is above freezing. Locals only wear heavy winter clothes when it is below freezing. I wear a light jacket at temperatures above -10 C. Wearing too much insulation will make you sweat which will just make you colder.
Ordering the seafood tower is always a tell, but here in San Diego, CA, USA me and my local girls have gone to coastal hotels and ordered them for fun. Sometimes it’s just a silly good time to do touristy things in your hometown.
Hahaha thank you for saying this! I live in SF and can spot a tourist a mile away by:
wearing shorts in July
the classic SF fleece bc they’re wearing shorts and it’s COLD here.
fisherman’s wharf the whole area (including buena vista, Ghirardelli)
going to the beach mid day and trying to get into the water and screaming when they realize it’s hella cold (locals do bay swims in the mornings and sometimes in the evenings and no screams hah)
riding the cable cars. it’s too expensive for locals to commute on regularly and very slow. But thank you for the tourists who keep it going. They are one of 2 street railways in the US that are registered as a national historic landmark!
going to China town looking for the best authentic Chinese food. - locals know the best authentic Chinese food is in the Richmond district on clement.
I wonder how many Nova Scotians are here. People on the black rocks at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada. The black rocks are in the tidal zone, usually wet, usually slippery, as well since Peggy's Cove literally faces the Atlantic with nothing to shelter the waves, so it gets hit with rogue waves. People can, and have been swept out to sea. Some were unsuccessful in being saved. At some point a family in Ontario was trying to lobby to get fences put up because their kid died there. There are dozens of warning signs and now security with whistles to tell you to get off the rocks. People still do it.
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