And the best tourists in the world are...

This article immediately caught my attention because it reminded me of a discussion I had a few years ago when I was covering the opening of a new biotech company in Memphis.

The execs were in town from England and I had a long conversation with one gentleman in particular that wandered far off topic. (He was very funny and entertaining to talk to — not at all what you would expect from a biotech exec.) We were arguing over which made worst tourist Americans or English. I said Americans — thinking of those Americans who go to foreign countries and then insist on eating at McDonalds and complaining loudly about how things are better back home.

He said no, "There's nothing worse than the English working class on holiday." It was funny, as was his description of them bemoaning the lack of a good fish and chips wherever they go.

It turns out, he was right. I was wrong.


Wed May 23, 2007 9:49AM EDT
LONDON (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.