Chinese tourists in the eyes of European tour guides

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Chinese tourists in the eyes of European tour guides

(CRI Online) 08:41, August 21, 2013

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The growing number of recent media reports of inappropriate behaviors displayed by outbound Chinese tourists has sparked widespread discussion of the manners of Chinese tourists abroad.

First, let's take a look at some European tour guides' impression of Chinese tourists and their behavior when visiting in Europe.

Photographs of Chinese tourists dipping their feet into the fountain water in front of the Louvre Museum have recently triggered debate among netizens.

Some people consider this as vulgar behavior, while others argue that some media are too critical of Chinese people and have overstated the impolite nature of their behavior.

Jean Louis is a member of staff at the Paris Tourist Office.

"It is quite common to see tourists putting their feet into the fountain at the Louvre, just because of the summer heat. Many French people like to play in the water of the fountains. Such behavior is usually tolerated unless tourists damage fountain equipment. I think most Chinese tourists in France have good manners and respect local customs."

Italy also boasts a profound history and culture, and is home to many famous museums. Each year it never fails to attract a large number of tourists to the country.

It has been noted that the behavior of most Chinese tourists has greatly improved there. They seldom spit or speak in loud voices in public.

It has also been observed that the uncivilized behaviors displayed by some Chinese tourists are due to lack of understanding of western culture and the artistic charm of the exhibits.

Magne, director of Musei Capitolini in Italy, the oldest museum in the world, puts forward his suggestions.

"I suggest that visitors do some homework before coming to the museum. For example, there are many brochures on our museum, and almost all museums have multilingual websites. By doing this, visitors can gain a better knowledge of the exhibits and museum rules before coming here."

Meng Xinjie is the product manager at Caesar International Travel Service in China.

"I have two suggestions for visitors to museums and galleries. One is to speak in low voices so as to avoid disturbing others. The other is that tourists behave in a constrained manner. In places such as the Louvre Museum, many ancient artifacts, sculptures and paintings are open to public, but visitors are not supposed to touch them. I hope that all Chinese tourists can pay attention to that."

Meng adds that in recent years the manners of Chinese tourists have greatly improved. However, compared to tourists from other countries, there is still room for improvement.