Japanese Travelers Top the List in Expedia's First Annual Global Best Tourist
Survey
Americans Considered Noisy and Not the Best Dressers, but Earn Points for
Trying Local Cuisine and Making an Effort to Speak the Language
BELLEVUE, Wash., June 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Expedia(R), the world's
leading online travel company, today released the findings of a global survey
seeking to crown the world's best tourists and measure travelers based on
their best and worst travel traits and habits. More than 4,000 hoteliers from
across the globe provided opinions on the best overall travelers, as well as
10 specific categories grading popularity, behavior, manners, willingness to
learn the language and try local cuisine, generosity, tidiness, volume,
fashion sense and propensity to complain. The Japanese won top prize and are
considered by hoteliers across the globe as overall the best tourists. German
and British tourists tied for second place, followed by the Canadians and
Swiss. American tourists came in at number 11 overall.
American Tourists Score High and Low
Americans lead the way with putting effort into learning a few key sayings
in the local language and sampling local delicacies. The French, Chinese and
Japanese were the least likely to incorporate the local language, and the
Chinese, Indians and Japanese have the least interest in the culinary styles
of the places they visit. Americans are also considered the most generous,
followed by the Canadians and Russians.
In contrast to American generosity and willingness to absorb local
culture, they are considered to be noisy tourists, along with the Italians and
British. Additionally, Americans are said to complain about accommodations,
along with the Germans and French -- and are also among the least tidy hotel
guests. Lastly, Americans fall to the bottom of the list when it comes to
fashion sense, with the ever stylish Italians and French taking top sartorial
prize.
"Hoteliers are the experts when it comes to interacting with tourists, so
as the busy summer travel season approaches and vacationers prepare for their
own travel experiences, we thought it would be fun to present some of their
common perceptions regarding tourists from all around the world," said Karyn
Thale, travel expert, Expedia.com(R). "We hope the results inspire Americans
to keep up their generosity and cultural curiosity and convince them to leave
the white tennis shoes and fanny packs at home!"
Other Notable Findings
-- The most popular tourists in their own country are the Canadians
followed by Belgians and Swiss.
-- French tourists are seen as the most "fiscally conservative," followed
by the Dutch and the British.
-- The Germans, just before the Japanese and British, are considered the
tidiest tourists -- never leaving a mess.
Raising the American Profile
For Americans planning to travel abroad this summer, below are a few tips
to ensure they don't live up to any messy, noisy or complaining cliches in the
eyes of their hotelier: -- Clean Up Your Act: Before checking out of your
hotel, take a quick
pass through the room to pick up any garbage or used linens from the
floor.
-- Turn the Volume Down: Just because you may be accustomed to blasting
music at home or laughing like a hyena with your friends doesn't mean
fellow hotel guests share that enthusiasm.
-- Stay Calm: Always remember that quality standards vary from country to
country, so don't be shocked if some experiences may be different than
you pictured.
No matter where travelers are interested in going this year, Expedia can
help them get there with its biggest sale of the year. More than 220
destinations in the U.S. and abroad are on sale -- with up to 30 percent off
hotels, cruises, car rentals and activities -- and new deals added daily
(http://www.expedia.com/summersale).
About Expedia
Expedia(R) is the world's leading online travel provider, helping millions
of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia
(http://www.expedia.com) aims to provide personalized service, the latest
technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels,
rental cars, cruises and in-destination activities, attractions, and services.
With the Expedia(R) Best Price Guarantee, Expedia promises to offer to its
customers the best rates available online for all types of travel, making it
the most comprehensive customer guarantee in online travel. Expedia is
dedicated to positively impacting global tourism by providing travelers
environmentally conscious travel options. Expedia is a founding member of the
World Heritage Alliance -- a joint initiative with the United Nations
Foundation to promote sustainable tourism. Expedia is an operating company of
Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).
Expedia, Expedia.com and the Airplane logo are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property
of their respective owners.
(C) 2008 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-40
SOURCE Expedia, Inc.
Erin Krause of Expedia, Inc., +1-425-679-4317, ; or Ian
Jeffries of Edelman, +1-206-268-2291, , for Expedia,
Inc.
