Travelingis an amazing way to explore new places and immerse yourself in different cultures. But unfortunately, not everyone shares this mindset.Certaintouristsleave a trail of ignorance and entitlement wherever they go, from littering beautiful landscapes to behaving inappropriately at sacred sites.Below, we’ve gathered some of the most shocking examples of this behavior. Scroll down to see for yourself, and don’t miss our chat with travel writer Pati on how we can all be more mindful when exploring the world.This post may includeaffiliate links.
Travelingis an amazing way to explore new places and immerse yourself in different cultures. But unfortunately, not everyone shares this mindset.
Certaintouristsleave a trail of ignorance and entitlement wherever they go, from littering beautiful landscapes to behaving inappropriately at sacred sites.
Below, we’ve gathered some of the most shocking examples of this behavior. Scroll down to see for yourself, and don’t miss our chat with travel writer Pati on how we can all be more mindful when exploring the world.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
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Traveling, as wonderful and eye-opening as it is, can sometimes come at a cost to local communities. That doesn’t mean we should stop exploring the world, but it’s a sad truth that some tourists are careless, ignoring rules, customs, and even the environment.Take Iceland, for example, where concentrated tourism in certain areas is causingdamage to its natural landscape. Or consider overcrowded cities like Venice and Dubrovnik. In April of last year,residents of the Canary Islandstook to the streets with banners reading, “Tourist: respect my land!” as 13.9 million people visited the seven main islands in 2023 alone. This sentiment has been echoed in protests across other popular European destinations likeBarcelona,Athens, andMálaga.
Traveling, as wonderful and eye-opening as it is, can sometimes come at a cost to local communities. That doesn’t mean we should stop exploring the world, but it’s a sad truth that some tourists are careless, ignoring rules, customs, and even the environment.
Take Iceland, for example, where concentrated tourism in certain areas is causingdamage to its natural landscape. Or consider overcrowded cities like Venice and Dubrovnik. In April of last year,residents of the Canary Islandstook to the streets with banners reading, “Tourist: respect my land!” as 13.9 million people visited the seven main islands in 2023 alone. This sentiment has been echoed in protests across other popular European destinations likeBarcelona,Athens, andMálaga.
A Chinese man kicked a deer like a soccer ball, so I immediately started filming. They kept making excuses and the woman that was with him started acting like the victim and got angry, so I chased them out of Nara Park. What did you come to Japan to do? I really won’t forgive anyone who abuses animals.
To learn more about how we can be more responsible travelers,Bored Pandaspoke with Pati, author of the blogOne Way Ticket To Anywhere.
“But this often comes down to not being informed,” she explains. “We see some great photos of Thai or Indonesian islands or Malaysian colonial cities, see photos of the beaches, and we pack the shorts and off we go. We don’t know that we shouldn’t disrespect the king, that we should take off our shoes before entering a room, or cover our heads before entering a temple.”
Sometimes, advice on how to navigate local customs isn’t easy to find. It’s something that travel influencers or agencies rarely talk about. “This needs to change!” Pati insists. “But the issue is, as always, a bit more complex.”“In today’s fast-paced world, travel is often seen as an escape—an escape from reality, from long working hours, far away from those who might judge our choices,” she continues. “This mindset can lead tourists to behave less respectfully. They feel they’ve earned this time off and want to do as they please.”
Sometimes, advice on how to navigate local customs isn’t easy to find. It’s something that travel influencers or agencies rarely talk about. “This needs to change!” Pati insists. “But the issue is, as always, a bit more complex.”
“In today’s fast-paced world, travel is often seen as an escape—an escape from reality, from long working hours, far away from those who might judge our choices,” she continues. “This mindset can lead tourists to behave less respectfully. They feel they’ve earned this time off and want to do as they please.”
Pati believes we need to remember that, as travelers, we are guests. “There are no foreign countries. We are the foreigners taking advantage of the locals’ hospitality. It’s our responsibility to research our destination and respect local customs.”
What’s worse is that the menu is literally in English.
For many locals, the issue isn’t just about disrespectful behavior, but about the sheer volume of tourists and the lack of benefits to the community.Sebastian Zenker, an expert in overtourism and academic director at Copenhagen Business School,explains, “If you look at the Canary Islands, I’ve read that a third of the population live on the edge of poverty. Tourism offers a big income to these islands—but for whom? It’s not enough to say that we want to welcome well-behaved tourists who are quiet and spend more money, it’s about where the money goes. At the moment, a large proportion of the population does not benefit.”He suggests that if locals see a direct benefit, such as improved infrastructure or better living conditions, there could be a healthy coexistence between tourists and residents.
For many locals, the issue isn’t just about disrespectful behavior, but about the sheer volume of tourists and the lack of benefits to the community.
Sebastian Zenker, an expert in overtourism and academic director at Copenhagen Business School,explains, “If you look at the Canary Islands, I’ve read that a third of the population live on the edge of poverty. Tourism offers a big income to these islands—but for whom? It’s not enough to say that we want to welcome well-behaved tourists who are quiet and spend more money, it’s about where the money goes. At the moment, a large proportion of the population does not benefit.”
He suggests that if locals see a direct benefit, such as improved infrastructure or better living conditions, there could be a healthy coexistence between tourists and residents.
Rangers had built 7-foot-tall fences with massive pictorial signs telling people to stick to the paths. These goons just went further back up the path and hiked through vegetation areas to get a selfie. These ledges are 50+ meters in the air, a decent slip, and it is lights out (it was drizzling rain too). Really grinds my gears, as once the problem becomes too big, the Rangers will just shut down the trail. They don’t have the resources to properly enforce laws.
Such bamboo has to be cut and disposed of, and the bamboo is decreasing steadily. At this rate, we will lose the beautiful bamboo forests that people come to see from all over the world.
For Pati, being mindful has made her travels more meaningful. “Traveling is a journey of discovery. It’s enriching, educational, and exhilarating. It’s changed my life, made me a better, braver, and more aware person. I want that for everyone, which is why I’m passionate about sharing this mission.”
Decided to visit a local beach where I live, and when I looked behind me I saw this. They were hanging out for over an hour right next to one of the numerous signs asking to stay off of the dunes. It’s not that hard.
For anyone who might not know, if you get too close, the males might charge you, which would hurt. Also, they were ruining the view.
Tonight I witnessed it firsthand when at a restaurant near a beach, these people felt they could just throw rubbish and spit on the floor right next to their table in front of other customers and staff. I asked the young waitress what she thought of it, she said it happens every night and they never ask for a bin or ashtray. They never apologize or tip. They have zero manners or consideration for others. I know there are a few “types” of people that come to mind after you read this, but I bet the real one is at the top of your list. I love this country and its people. Hate to see them treated like this.
Tourists come here and do this all the time, came here for one day, made a mess and left. I live here and am at the beach all summer with my family. And not to mention all the other trash and dog poop left behind.
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There was plenty of room on the floor for their bags.
I don’t even really like the restaurant that they are reviewing that much. The food is fine and I’ll go there in the off-season once in a while, it’s just kind of a tourist trap and very busy. But it’s obviously the restaurant’s fault for the storm and power outage with no generator, according to this person.
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