Having just returned back from being a tourist for 3 weeks, I'm wondering what people think about having tourists in their cities. Especially places where tourists don't speak the language - we tried but our french and italian were fairly hopeless - is this annoying? What about things like taking public transport when there are hordes of tourists on the trains and buses? Are there places you avoid at peak tourist times? Do you mind all the souvenir vendors and so on in certain places? Do you live somewhere where you hardly get tourists at all and wish you did? Maybe you welcome tourists!

I have to say at times we were so pleased to see the many tourists wandering about where we were, it was quite comforting to know there were others struggling with the language and directions and so on. I don't know if it would be the same for locals!

I don't mind, in fact I enjoy having them and as long as they are not rude or leave a mess (hello scandinavians) they are more than welcome and I hope they enjoy their stay [img]smile.gif[/img]

Don't mind... not that I ever run into any...

(Well... at least you're not surrounded by nothing but'em, Jorath [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

Here, the only tourists we get is at West Ed., pretty much, so it's kinda odd to be walking around a mall and see people taking pictures, and filming with their camcorders. :D

Tourist are always good for the local economy, mind you were I live, we rarely see any tourists.

Welcome back Aelia! How was your trip? Tell, tell [img]smile.gif[/img]

I love meeting/seeing tourists/travellors/non-locals. At the cafe where I work part-time I try to strike up as many conversations with tourists as possible when serving them abd making them their coffee. Most of them have great stories to tell (both of their travels, and of their homelands) and awesome suggestions of places to visit. If we can't speak each other's language very well then that's fine, it's still good to see new faces and hear new accents [img]smile.gif[/img]

I also love being a tourist. I try to be as polite and considerate as possible with others when travelling. I expect people to have as much patience with me as I do with them. If they don't, well, they're just rude, and I don't have to worry about their judgment [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 07-24-2004, 10:57 PM: Message edited by: The Hierophant ]

It's great fun having tourists in your city - their enthusiasm and pleasure at being in a new place rubs off on me, and I see my city through their eyes. There's heaps of tourists here in Sydney and they certainly add to the place. As for New York, half the bloody city is tourists. [img]smile.gif[/img]

My relativly small village gets loads of German tourists each year. Most of which don't speak the local language. I don't think many people care, though, as almost everyone here speaks at least a little German. Still, they do score points by trying to speak Dutch ;)

Welcome back Aelia - I hope you had a fantastic time. Let's hear the full story ;) .

I find it entertaining when someone is a tourist and has trouble with the language, but no I have no problems with them :D