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stereotype vs reality

babs135

By babs135,
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cruisemom42 Great Review Rare

cruisemom42

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Seems like typical travel magazine fluff. Of course places have stereotypes -- it's up to the individual to do a little research and find out more than just the often silly one-sentence summary of "prevailing wisdom".

 

These seem geared to British travelers. With Americans, I find concerns about safety (crime and terrorism) abroad are often comically overblown....

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sloopsailor

sloopsailor

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That was one dumb article. Each alleged "stereotype" seemed to be made up rather than what people actually think. Really, do some people actually think that Tokyo is all skyscrapers or Paris is stuffy? If people are really that clueless, they are beyond hope and probably should never leave their home town. ;p

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babs135 Great Review Rare

babs135

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In some ways it's all about perception. I have to confess that the first time I visited Johannesburg (50 years ago!) I knew it was a modern city but part of me still half expected to see a backward even dirty place. I know that's ridiculous but that's how it was. :o (honestly don't know why I thought that).

 

Perhaps this article is slanted towards people who have never travelled beyond their front door in the hope that it will open their eyes.

 

BTW who on earth would describe Paris as stuffy? Clearly someone who has never been near the city.

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GJClay

GJClay

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Seems like typical travel magazine fluff. Of course places have stereotypes -- it's up to the individual to do a little research and find out more than just the often silly one-sentence summary of "prevailing wisdom".

 

These seem geared to British travelers. With Americans, I find concerns about safety (crime and terrorism) abroad are often comically overblown....

In what way do all Americans comically "overblow' crime and terrorism when traveling abroad? I'm just curious for details.

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cruzeluver

cruzeluver

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I

n what way do all Americans comically "overblow' crime and terrorism when traveling abroad? I'm just curious for details.

 

 

Based on my 12 or so years on Cruise Critic and other travel sites, Americans express safety concerns when travelling far more than any other nationality. The most commonly visited ports in the Caribbean have had their port areas turned into a haven of US-based chain restaurants and stores, some with fences to keep locals out. A lot of Americans express concerns about aggressive vendors, foreign food, military presence or anything outside of their "norm". See it all the time, but rarely from non-Americans. Am an American myself and agree it is hardly all Americans as I and a lot of my friends do not have these fears or concerns.

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SRF

SRF

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Jo'burg is most visited, as it is the major hub in southern Africa, and gateway to many of the tourist safari destinations.

 

As to crime, when you are told by locals not to stay at the mall after 5 or 6 PM as you will probably be mugged (IN THE MALL), I would say there is an issue.

 

And while Singapore has great food and clubs, it has little other tourist type things.

 

Hmm, point out Brazil is not all about meat, then list fish and cheese based dishes. Really?

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Beachdude

Beachdude

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I

 

 

Based on my 12 or so years on Cruise Critic and other travel sites, Americans express safety concerns when travelling far more than any other nationality. The most commonly visited ports in the Caribbean have had their port areas turned into a haven of US-based chain restaurants and stores, some with fences to keep locals out. A lot of Americans express concerns about aggressive vendors, foreign food, military presence or anything outside of their "norm". See it all the time, but rarely from non-Americans. Am an American myself and agree it is hardly all Americans as I and a lot of my friends do not have these fears or concerns.

 

So, based on a basically American travel board, you have determined that Americans are more concerned with safety than other nationalities. Hmm, interesting.

 

My wife and I are going to Paris this Spring. A close friend just got back and said that while they enjoyed Paris, be prepared for the very tight security and the snobbish Parisians. My daughter and son inlaw just got back from Europe this week. Least enjoyable was Paris because of the tight security and the unfriendly French people who make just getting a meal stressful. Not that they wouldn't go back, they will because the city itself is wonderful. But, on the whole of a two week tour from London to Rome, Paris was the least enjoyable.

 

Is anyone surprise by their experience? Stereotype?

 

Stereotype or not, I imagine travelers all over the world measure the risk and the rewards. We cancelled our trip to turkey last year after a terrorist bomb blew up in the airport we would soon be traveling thru. We considered the risk and the rewards and changed our travel plans. I'm sure travelers who are more savvy of the area would have known how to travel more safely. But based on our knowledge and experience of that part of the world, the risk outweighed the rewards. Is that so wrong for us Americans?

 

Burt

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sloopsailor

sloopsailor

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Could not disagree more. The two days I had there were not nearly enough--Singapore deserves at least a week to take it all in.

 

I second that. We spent three days there last year and are looking forward to another cruise that will end there, with another several days of sightseeing. This time we will be staying at the Marina Bay Sands for a day or two. We regretted not staying at this amazing hotel the last time there. The Gardens by the Bay deserve a day all by itself.

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sloopsailor

sloopsailor

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We cancelled our trip to turkey last year after a terrorist bomb blew up in the airport we would soon be traveling thru. We considered the risk and the rewards and changed our travel plans.

 

The same thing has happened in the US, and in many other counties. Will you be cancelling your holiday plans here in the states because of similar incidents? The chances of being involved in a terrorist attack are much, much less than being involved in a car accident. Do you also never leave your house because of car accidents?

 

You are offended by the comment that Americans stereotype, yet you did exactly that by cancelling your trip to Turkey, a beautiful country filled with very friendly people.

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wishIweretravelling "Live from...." Rare

wishIweretravelling

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My wife and I are going to Paris this Spring. A close friend just got back and said that while they enjoyed Paris, be prepared for the very tight security and the snobbish Parisians. My daughter and son inlaw just got back from Europe this week. Least enjoyable was Paris because of the tight security and the unfriendly French people who make just getting a meal stressful. Not that they wouldn't go back, they will because the city itself is wonderful. But, on the whole of a two week tour from London to Rome, Paris was the least enjoyable.

 

 

I am surprised. I was in Paris a couple of months ago, and found that, while security was stepped up, it was no more than you'd find in Washington, DC. Except for the baby-faced soldiers walking around with automatic weapons (in DC they are subtler). But then I saw that last month in Rome too. As for snobbishness, I did not encounter a bit of it. The French can be a bit on the reserved side, so sometimes that is taken for snobbishness.

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wishIweretravelling "Live from...." Rare

wishIweretravelling

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Friends of our's from Atlanta are in Singapore now and having a marvelous time! They have been there for just about a week now and have been go, go, go since arriving. It looks fascinating and I would love to go some day.

 

Is it possible we have a friend in common? I too know a couple from Atlanta who have been in Singapore for about that amount of time. By any chance, does their last name start with K?

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MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

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I think I would say yes, a lot of places do have a reputation but this is mainly from people who have only ever seen one side. Education helps irradicate these misconceptions.

As The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. Saint Augustine

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sailing canary

sailing canary

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Least enjoyable was Paris because of the tight security and the unfriendly French people who make just getting a meal stressful. Not that they wouldn't go back, they will because the city itself is wonderful. But, on the whole of a two week tour from London to Rome, Paris was the least enjoyable.

 

/quote]

Please explain what you mean by ' unfriendly French people'!

In over 40 years of holidays all over France, we have never found this to be the case, rather the exact opposite

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vms

vms

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When people talk about Parisians or the French being snobby, I wonder how recently they have been there, and what their attitude has been. My first trip to Paris was is 1986, and if I did not speak French, or at try, I would receive a lot of attitude. By the time the 2000s rolled around, when I would speak French, I would get responses back in English. In my experience, Parisians have become exponentially more friendly to tourists over the years.

 

In international travel, I've always found that learning a few words of the native language and being genuinely curious about the world and the way things are done in different places go a long way to a positive reception. When travelers insist on having everything the way it is where they are from, and are dismissive of the culture of the place they are visiting, that is an almost guaranteed recipe for friction.

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