I Hate Tourist
But who's fault is it? Are tourist truly a stain on travel destinations? A necessary evil? Is there something we can do better?
I accept that….tourists are a necessary evil of our world. They're the cash cows, the relentless subblock-covered hordes descending on destinations worldwide. Tourism definitely fills the pockets of many and fosters in… a tiny bit of cultural exchange…but it also brings in woes that often taint the very essence of places they visit.
There a million web results with guides to XYZ ( I’m not immune to creating them). The problem is most of them essentially dictate the 'must-sees' and 'must-dos,' turning the thrill of exploration often into a check-the-block list
Many famed tourist sites are stepped on by hordes of travelers. Tourists gather like herds before landmarks, armed with DSLR cameras and iPhones. It only got worse when the advent of influencers started showing up to take the same picture that’s been taken by thousands of other influencers. Have you ever been to Chichen Itza?
Hustlers and swindlers thrive in the tourist's midst. They peddle overpriced junk, preying on unsuspecting prey. Many tourists fall victim to these nefarious schemes, swindled out of their hard-earned cash. But I don’t always blame the tourist…I blame the locals that have been incentivized to sell… to find the cheapest fakest products which only detract from their own cultural significance.
The language barrier also causes problems. Few tourists try to speak the local language, leaving them with the false notion that the locals are inhospitable. I constantly harp on learning a bit of the language. A couple of words here and there make a massive difference… but you would be surprised how many people I meet that travel with the notion that — they probably speak English there or someone will help me out.
It's amusing the stereotypes different nationalities carry. Israelis, the cunning hagglers; Asians, mass groups of selfie-takers; Americans and Brits, compete for the title of the loudest.Germans, the unwashed, rude, extremely badly dressed ( even worse than Americans.
But that brings up the thought… Am I part of the problem, contributing to a possible negative transformation of the places I visit and talk about?
Maybe… but hopefully, my writing style and information doesn’tt cause people to simply, visit places to check the the block. Hopefully, if you’re reading this blog, you take the time to explore on your own, learn a bit of the language and travel with an open mind to adventure
Or will you be content to remain a tourist, that refuses to seek out more untouched locations and cultures? Do you want to tell stories of your week on the resort where you never left and just ate the all-inclusive meals? Or do you want more?
What do you get out of travel?