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Americans are the world’s worst tourists: Not even close. Expedia’s annual survey of 4,500 hotel managers worldwide placed Americans ninth-best among 27 nationalities. Japanese tourists were rated best overall, with Canadians, Australians (another supposedly much-despised group), Germans (ditto) and Dutch among the 10 best. And the worst tourists, dead last behind everyone else? The French.
Americans, by the way, were rated both loudest and the biggest tippers.
A few years back when I was using the TA site very heavily with research for our trip to London and Paris, I could not believe how much the old stereotype "ugly American" tourist label still applied. But here's the shocker: that label was reinforced and perpetuated in the greatest numbers and percentage by Americans themselves. It was pathetic.
Suffice to say, during our almost three week stay in those two fine cities, not once did we witness even the slightest example of the "ugly American" behaviors or attitudes.
Shame on anyone who continually who still buys into that tired old 50's moniker, but especially shame on our fellow Americans who actually perpetuate it, likely in the hopes that if they bad mouth their fellow compatriates, it will make them look cool in the eyes of their European (or wherever else) counterparts.
I just talk about "ugly americans" while still in the US....
Whenever I have met Americans abroad they have always struck me (with the exception of a couple of juvenile cretins in a bar in Barcelona) as the most considerate, well mannered visitors I have met. The same applies to Americans whenever I have been to the States. Could not wish for more courteous, generous people. This even applied to the supposedly gruff New York City Policemen when, through my own innate buffoonery, I thought I had lost my wallet.
Sterling people.
I believe the stereotype is down to the jealousy experienced by many Europeans now that we no longer run the world. Pure spiteful snobbery.