Chinese tourists in foreign countries

[oceancalligraphy]

Then there's the National Palace Museum, always overrun with shouting Chinese people crowding people out, shoving in front of you while you're looking at something, loud tour guides, etc.

 

 

I have practically stopped going to 故宮 for this reason. I used to love going there. It was super quiet and peaceful - a great environment to learn about art and history. But now it's a madhouse with busloads of people entering the museum all day.

[OneEye]

The dumbest thing ever.

 

And why is that? The fact is that if they speak Mandarin, they often do get mistaken for Chinese tourists. With the current tension between HKers and mainland tourists, I can't say I blame them.

 

As for using Mandarin in HK as a foreigner, I did it and nobody seemed to bat an eye. Some people preferred English, so I'd speak English with them, but some people didn't speak English and didn't seem to mind Mandarin, though some would reply in Cantonese!

[889]

"As for using Mandarin in HK as a foreigner, I did it and nobody seemed to bat an eye."

 

But a white guy speaking Mandarin in Hong Kong always gets treated differently than a Mainlander.

 

Some years ago I ordered in Mandarin at a McDonald's without a problem. Then my Beijing friend stepped up next to place his order, and the cashier suddenly couldn't understand zha tudou tiaor. I told him his Mandarin must not be very good.

[OneEye]

But a white guy speaking Mandarin in Hong Kong always gets treated differently than a Mainlander.

 

Well, that was my point, in response to the discussion earlier in this thread.

[emmanuel]

And why is that? The fact is that if they speak Mandarin, they often do get mistaken for Chinese tourists. With the current tension between HKers and mainland tourists, I can't say I blame them.

Because normal people can see difference between "good" and "bad" tourists. Their opinion is based not only on language, but on behavior as well. I completely dont understand people who is trying to hide who they really are even for this kind of reason (which is not excuse at all for me).

People who judge the whole nation by some group bad tourists are more dumber. 

I just cannot understand this. I mean no offence, it's my opinion.

[imron]

Americans used to have a bad name.

Used to?

[realmayo]

My Taiwanese friends try to avoid speaking Mandarin when in HK

 

Like Canadians abroad prominently displaying the maple leaf on all their luggage: "We're not Americans!".

[Simon_CH]

Many classic tourism destinations have learned to cope with Chinese tourists. I know some hotel managers in Europe who book Chinese tourists in separate wings of the hotel, make sure Chinese tourists eat breakfast in a different room, and generally avoid any mixing with the other guests. This seems to work quite well, as Chinese guests aren't really interested in interacting with other tourists anyway. The same is done with Russian tourists in 4-5 star establishments by the way.

 

European, American and Japanese guests book these 'Grand Hotels' for the atmosphere and comfort, and therefore act and dress to reflect that. Chinese, Russian, Indian and Korean tourists (among others) book these places to show off, to enjoy the luxury and good service. So they expect the staff to run and grovel, which is not always well received. Hotel staff are often trained to cope with the dismissive tone and behavior of guests from these countries. 

 

I find most individual Chinese tourists as well-behaved as any other country, but group travellers are indeed horrendous...I have many Thai friends and they have started to despise (mainland) Chinese, whereas only a few years ago they had a really high opinion of (ethnic) Chinese... Thai-Chinese have started to clearly differentiate themselves and make sure they don't get associated with the mainland. 

[Silent]

 

 

I find most individual Chinese tourists as well-behaved as any other country, but group travellers are indeed horrendous..

 

I think this is in more or less extent true for all nationalities. Individuals tend to behave reasonable, though there are big differences between individuals. The moment you get (larger) groups group mentality takes over and behaviour changes. Apart from the group mentality, there's also a perception issue. With many people of one nationality it's statistically more likely that misbehaviour is done by some-one of that nationality and then people say it's again a Chinese/Russian/American/whatever....

[Kenny同志]

I am not sure about HK and Taiwanese visitors. If they are much better than mainlanders, then the difference probably can be explained by 橘生淮南則為橘, 生淮北則為枳. 

 

In fact, if we look at China's education and the political system and what Chinese people had gone through during the Mao Era. This is not surprising at all.

[abcdefg]

I think the funniest thing that happens every time I go to Hong Kong is that I wind up asking someone for directions in Mandarin, mainly out of habit, and they answer in fluent English.

[renzhe]

Like Canadians abroad prominently displaying the maple leaf on all their luggage: "We're not Americans!".

Ha, I've met Scottish people doing the same to avoid being mistaken for English tourists.

I think that bad behaviour depends on the type of tourism, and Chinese tourism is still in the "massive bus tour" stage, with poor service, crowded groups of people who leave the country for the first time. They are driven from one jewelry shop to the next, with short stops at tourist locations for 30 seconds of taking photos. They tend to be incredibly stressed by all the travelling, and this is their only chance to see the few sights they do get to see so it brings out the worst in them.

If you work with smaller groups of returning tourists, it is a completely different story. It's a bit extreme with Chinese tourists at the moment, because it is so new (in Europe at least) and so massive, but it's similar with other groups -- mass tourism is the worst, experienced independent travellers are the best. Small groups with an experienced guide also tend to be fine.

[Kenny同志]

If you work with smaller groups of returning tourists, it is a completely different story. It's a bit extreme with Chinese tourists at the moment, because it is so new (in Europe at least) and so massive, but it's similar with other groups -- mass tourism is the worst, experienced independent travellers are the best. Small groups with an experienced guide also tend to be fine. 

 

Well, massive size of the tour group shouldn't be an excuse. People behave badly in foreign countries because they behave badly in their home country, too. And bad behaviour is prevalent in China.

 

Anyway, I think when the older generation reach the end of their lives and the younger generation grow up, things might change. 

[geraldc]

With regards to tourists abroad. Maybe it's a plan to educate people around the world to what China is like. The last thing we want when China becomes a major tourist destination is that international tourists develop a Chinese version of Paris Syndrome http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6197921.stm

[geraldc]

With regards to tourists abroad. Maybe it's a plan to educate people around the world to what China is like. The last thing we want when China becomes a major tourist destination is that international tourists develop a Chinese version of Paris Syndrome http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6197921.stm

[skylee]

They are annoying. But it is a big nation with a huge population and it will take time for them to learn... but when I read the previous posts I thought to myself how do these people behave back home. Don't they queue up? How do they get on buses? And then I remembered how it was like when I visited mainland china...

Well, they need time and education. I live in HK and I am too biased to say any more.

[Kenny同志]

Don't they queue up? 

 

It may take ages for many to learn how to do this. Back when I was at university, the queue was always very 粗 in the dining hall.

[renzhe]

Well, massive size of the tour group shouldn't be an excuse.

I agree that it shouldn't.

When in Rome....

[NotChinese]

 

 

Paris Syndrome http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6197921.stm 

 

Hahahaaaaaa I FULLY agree with this.

 

I had a Korean girlfriend who was obsessed with this rosy idea of beautiful romantic wonderful Paris. I made other Korean friends who, separately, said the same thing. I always told them that their ideas were completely wrong. Koreans are too nice, I think it's a fault. It makes them naive.

 

My ex also had a fairly rosy image of people in Europe in general. I showed her a couple of British movies which I thought were quite accurate - although stereotyped and sometimes extreme for the sake of good storytelling. I know for sure that most Brits can relate very well in some way to all the films I showed her. There are unmistakable elements of British reality in them.

 

She cried after we got through Trainspotting. Apparently I'd crushed her dream forever.

 

Another Korean friend of mine got a 1 year work visa for the UK on a new scheme that's recently been started. He's an intelligent and capable guy. He was very lucky to get the visa and was so excited to come to the UK. I was excited as well, to be honest. He lasted less than 6 months before decided it wasn't that great and went home. 

 

 

Regarding Chinese tourists. The most extreme I've seen (and it wasn't even that bad) is from my year at uni in London last year. My flatmates, by chance, were Chinese. When we were all still new there (and so they were new to the country, and new to Europe in general), we went for a walk into the city centre. I decided to buy an ice cream from an ice cream van with a pretty big queue. After seeing what I had bought, one of the Chinese girls decided she wanted one too. She went straight to the front of the line, bought an ice cream, then walked away. We were all gobsmacked and found it hilarious. She never even understood what she'd done wrong. Her English wasn't good enough to properly understand if we explained it to her, to be honest (even though she was accepted as a student in the UK. But that's probably a whole other discussion altogether...).

[Lu]

She went straight to the front of the line, bought an ice cream, then walked away.

So, I kind of see how come she tried that, but why did the iceman sell it to her instead of pointing her to the back of the line? He would have known better.

 

Reminds me of something that happened in Taiwan. I wanted to get my VAT back at the airport and so did a lot of Chinese people in that little office. I waited in line, got to the head of the queue, and a Chinese tourist cut the line and came to the window where I stood. The Taiwanese lady did not help the tourist and pointed them to the back of the line. They went. I was so impressed. Taiwanese are so nice they're often easily pushed over in situations like that, and I was so used to just stepping back for Chinese queue-jumpers in China that it felt genuinly heartwarming to me that she did not stand for the tourist's behaviour.