6 Ways to be a Considerate Tourist

By Chelsea Jackson on March 1, 2017

With spring break imminent, most college students are busy completing midterm projects, packing their luggage and finalizing their itineraries. However, a tourist’s behavior and etiquette is typically the least of their concerns.

Being born and raised just outside the Orlando area, I have always been faced with tourists when I travel back home for extended breaks. Coming from one of the largest tourism epicenters of the United States, it is easy to detect a tourist from a resident. The “vacation mentality” of a tourist becomes obvious as soon they step off a plane, but this mentality is far less enduring when you aren’t actually a tourist yourself.

Whether you are traveling to a different state or a different country, there are some helpful tips to ensure you become a considerate tourist. While the vacation mentality is defined as a general carefree attitude, you don’t have to be utterly aloof of the environment and people around you this spring break season.

Spring Breakers (2012) via tumblr.com


1. Clean Up After Yourself

Any kind of traveler brings waste with them, whether it is a soda can or a plastic sandwich bag. Regardless, it is important that you refrain from littering and clean up your trash before you leave an area, especially if you are visiting an outdoor venue.

A plastic bag in the water is not only hazardous to native wildlife, it is also dangerous for people who visit the area. Not only are plastic bags unable to biodegrade, they can also mimic jellyfish when in water, which sea turtles, sharks, various fish and seabirds love to eat. A floating bag on the water’s surface can also looks suspiciously like a Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish, which is highly venomous to humans. Because most people are so accustomed to seeing plastic waste in open waterways, people are less likely to be cautious of what they might perceive as a harmless plastic bag.

2. Don’t Be A Paparazzo
It’s easy to get catch up in your photo-taking habits. However, it’s important that you be aware of your surroundings. After all, there are other people who also want to capture their own memories. Simply snap a few photos, and move out of the way so that other visitors (and locals) can document the scene around them.

3. Do Your Homework
No, not your course work. After all, we all know you’re going to procrastinate those assignments until your plane ride back to campus. However, you should research your travel area(s). If you already have a destination booked, which you likely already do, you have surely researched all the trendiest restaurants and tourist attractions. Beyond beaches and theme parks, you should brush up on the local customs of the area.

Although you won’t be expected to be an expert on the local culture, learning a bit about the local customs prior to your arrival could save you from some embarrassing glances from the locals. If you are traveling to a non-English speaking part of the world, then it would also be beneficial for you to learn a few conversational phrases and words. While you might not have the perfect pronunciation, the residents will appreciate the gesture.

4. Be Mindful Of Others
Tourists, especially those at highly trafficked venues, get a bad reputation for embracing the herd mentality, where they tend to walk side-by-side even when there are eight people in their party. While it would be tremendous if everyone in your party could parade next to each other, everyone else finds it aggravating. Likewise, if you need to stop to wait for someone in your group or to simply admire some of the gorgeous sites around you, please step to the side of the walkway so that others may walk around you.

5. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone.
Even if you just want to lounge at the side of a pool, it’s important to be a bit adventurous during your trip. While it’s essential to be cautious during your travels, it is equally important to exercise your intrepid side. Eat food that you might not get the chance to in your hometown, or zip line above an alligator preservation.

If the local delicacy is a scorpion on a stick, by all means try it. As a self-proclaimed edible, arthropods aficionado, you will not be disappointed as long as you do not overthink what you’re about to ingest. Regardless, restraining yourself from embarking on a new experience because you might not enjoy it is a silly reason to miss out on an unexpected memory.

6. Stop Complaining.
After my freshman year, I had the opportunity to take a break from my college courses and work in a rural village in Mexico. The interns and I had an outstanding time; however, this enriching opportunity was frayed by our supervisor’s attitude. Our boss, who will not be named, constantly complained about the prices of food and supposed “low-quality” of meat in the area, despite the fact that the meat was a quarter of the price of meat in the U.S. Midwest.

Unfortunately, complaints regarding the price of food items were muffled by our supervisor’s repeated accusations that the local workers were “lazy,” which they were not by any means. Regardless of your personal attitude on any given day, you should never defame the residents or the local atmosphere. After all, you are a visitor in someone else’s place of residence. While you are visiting your travel destination, forget about what you thought your fantasy spring break would be like. Simply focus on enjoying yourself, without compromising someone else’s fun.

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