A new survey for Expedia has found that tourists from France are the worst in the world. This may seem obvious to New Zealanders, given the recent performance of a visiting French rugby player.
But this survey of 4500 hotel owners across the world found that the French are “bad at foreign languages, tight-fisted and arrogant”. Those of us who have encountered foreign tourists may not have put the French at the top of that list, and we may be surprised to find “the British and the Germans judged the best of the Europeans.”
Similarly, most of wouldn’t have said that the French finished “third after the Italians and British for dress sense while on holiday.” I mean, have people actually seen the way tourists from some countries dress?
But what I found most interesting was the defence of French pride mounted by the survey’s sponsors. "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." Um, many countries can say that—it’s no defence for bad behaviour overseas.
Oh well, this gives me another chance to use the translation widget on my Mac. Apparently unlike French tourists, I’m willing to at least try and use a language I do not speak. Like them, apparently, I don’t care that much if it’s correct.
Now, excuse me while I go explore a place magnificent in terms of its landscape and culture—New Zealand.
No comments:
Post a Comment