Media and even the Chinese president have been critical of how some Chinese travellers have behaved on trips. On a September trip to the Maldives, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested Chinese citizens be “a bit more civilised when travelling abroad.”I wasn't very impressed with the Chinese tourists I encountered in Europe a few weeks ago, that's for sure. They were very loud, even in churches! At one church in Helsinki there was a young woman who kept shushing people as they entered the church, but as soon as they got inside they acted like a mob--you'd be surprised how loud people can be when they're trying to take group pictures. And let's not forget the cutting in line, the pushing and shoving, etc. It may be cultural for them, I don't know, but they were *not* in China and should conduct themselves more in accordance with local custom.
With more than 100 million Chinese travelling in 2014, misbehaviours have grabbed headlines worldwide. Among the most extreme: defacing an Egyptian sculpture, throwing boiling water on a flight attendant and urinating outside.
Our guide through the Hermitage was particularly hostile to Chinese tour groups, and with good reason, from what I saw.
While on our honeymoon, my husband and I went to the Arizona Memorial. With us were a large group of Japanese tourists and an older couple, the man wearing a cap with Navy on it. The tourist group started giggling and snapping photos on our boat ride to the Memorial and continued as the entered the platform out in the middle of Pearl Harbor which straddles the sunken ship. The man took off his cap, looked at the group and finally said in a loud voice "Two of my best friends died on this ship. This is a memorial, you WILL be respectful." I don't think they understood English, but the tourists DID understand the tone.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to the Arizona last summer it was pretty loud. One man, who seemed to either work or volunteer there, got angry. Instead of reminding people to be quiet he kinda blew up. THAT didn't help the noise level.
ReplyDelete