Over half of all American tourists are said to suffer from “tourist syndrome,” and most admit to behaving strangely or recklessly in their countries while on vacation.
Experts say that something has changed, giving credit for the shift in their behavior to social media, the careless attitude, and a loudly voiced outcry for harsher sanctions for doing wrong.
Many tourists see their vacation as a time to relax, but for a few, the urge to “loosen up” causes them to behave in questionable ways. According to a new Radical Storage poll, 56.5% of American travelers report experiencing “tourist syndrome,” or conducting activities they would not do when at home.
The behavior most often relates to illegal activity, inappropriate photography shots, and vandalism, according to a new report.
Unscrupulous tourism incidents are on the rise. Graffiti on Roman villas and harassment of geishas from Kyoto are among the recent incidents that reveal a dismal trend-from damaging historical buildings to upsetting cultural customs.
Co-founder of Radical Storage Giacomo Piva sums it up: “These measures threaten the future freedom of traveling, and as such they tend to deepen anti-tourism sentiments in every corner of the world.”.
An astonishing 72% of Gen Z tourists said they were more likely to misbehave while on vacation. Other influencers include social media: over half of the respondents said that it encourages dangerous behavior, many of them arguing that it can “create memories” and break up routines.
According to the poll, the most common tourist infractions are picking plants from protected areas, reserving loungers with towels, and striking improper statutory postures.
However, a large number of respondents favor harsher sanctions, mirroring recent initiatives by vacation destinations to reduce misconduct through fines and travel prohibitions.
Experts advise tourists to honor local customs and landmarks as tourism picks back up, reminding us all that ethical travel can help protect places for future tourists.
