15 culture clashes I've had as an American traveling in Asia

  • I spent a year traveling across 20 countries as Business Insider's international correspondent .
  • I spent the first three months of the trip in Asia, visiting China, Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. I previously visited Japan while helping launch Business Insider Japan in 2017.
  • While each country had its own distinct culture and customs, I experienced many culture clashes while visiting Asia.
  • Some of the mistakes I made included not carrying business cards when meeting business acquaintances and trying to hug friends hello or goodbye.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Insider Today

I spent the first three months of a yearlong trip as Business Insider's international correspondent exploring various parts of Asia.

While you are likely to have some cultural mix-ups as an American visiting European countries, it's nothing compared to Asia, where the proper etiquette or behavior often seems to be the complete opposite of what it is in America.

That said, there are over 40 countries in Asia, and while there are commonalities, each has a very distinct culture.

For example, direct eye contact in America conveys confidence. In China and some other countries, it conveys confrontation. In America, tipping is customary for good service. In Japan, it is seen as an insult to the work ethic of the person you are tipping.

As I traveled the world over the past year, I spent three months in Asia, specifically in China, Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. During that time, I experienced countless culture clashes, miscommunications, and misunderstandings.

Here are just a few.

1. In Japan, China, and Korea, you need to carry business cards because you exchange cards whenever you meet a new acquaintance.

tourism culture clash

Whenever Japanese people meet for the first time, particularly in a business setting, they present business cards in a custom known as meishi koukan (名刺交換).

The meishi koukan is considered a formal introduction to the person. No business can begin until cards are exchanged, because the exchange itself indicates the beginning of a relationship.

Read more: I forgot one thing on my trip to Japan — and now I have to apologize to every person I meet

When I traveled to Tokyo to help Business Insider launch its international edition in 2017, I failed to bring business cards and had to awkwardly explain the situation to every person I met.

As the custom exists to some degree in China and Korea, I did not make the same mistake when I visited last year.

2. Using Uber, Grab, or other ride-hailing services is a very big faux pas in Bali.

tourism culture clash

In Bali , ride-hailing apps like Uber and its Southeast Asian counterparts Grab and Go-Jek were once tourists' first choice to get around the island.

Read more: 'Why should we make foreigners rich?': Taxi drivers are taking on Uber and Grab in Bali, and some are turning to violence

But taxi drivers have said these services violate Bali's unwritten traditional laws and profit off their communities while not giving back. Taxi fares in Bali are double those of ride-hailing services, but over 30% of their income goes to the community to build roads and pay for services the government won't provide.

Many tourists use ride-hailing apps anyways, but Balinese in certain areas will ask you to refrain.

When I arrived on the island, I scoffed at the idea of not using Uber or Grab because of a "taxi mafia." By the time I left, I was sympathetic to how technology has completely disrupted Bali's way of life.

3. Few people in major cities in China still use cash in their day-to-day life — and some places don't even accept it.

tourism culture clash

Paying with your phone isn't a novelty in China these days. Paying with cash is.

Tencent and Alibaba's competing mobile-payment apps, WeChat Pay and Alipay, are used by just about everyone in China, from fancy restaurants and high-end designer boutiques to street vendors, taxi drivers, and even panhandlers.

A 2017 study by Penguin Intelligence found that 92% of people in China's top cities said they used WeChat Pay or AliPay as their primary payment method .

Read more: One photo shows that China is already in a cashless future

As foreigners can't use Alipay or WeChat Pay — you need a Chinese bank account to sign up — I had numerous issues paying for things in China's big cities.

One coffee shop in Beijing didn't even have a register, only a QR-code scanner. When I tried to hand the barista cash, he looked at me confused: All they accepted was mobile payment. I had to leave and go to a different cafe.

4. Very few people in China speak English.

tourism culture clash

Visiting China as a Western tourist isn't easy.

The Telegraph reported in 2017 that about 10 million people out of 1.3 billion in China speak English, or less than 1%. Good luck finding them outside major cosmopolitan cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

The lack of English extends to signage, tourist attractions, hotels, taxi drivers, and every other part of the culture a tourist is likely to encounter. Add in that Mandarin Chinese doesn't translate well to English via Google Translate, as well as the general lack of American tech services like Google and Facebook (or English-language versions of popular Chinese tech services), and it can be exhausting.

I traveled with my partner, who is Chinese-American and speaks fluent Mandarin. We still encountered plenty of confusion, such as taxi drivers taking us to the wrong destination, or misunderstanding the rules at tourist sites. Be prepared.

5. If you want to get something done in business, you have to become friends first.

tourism culture clash

In China and Korea, business culture is guided by social relationships, a concept known in China as guanxi .

While there are many ways to explain guanxi, the easiest (and most simplified) is that it's the web of relationships you build up among family, friends, and business acquaintances through reciprocal favors.

Tourists aren't likely to run into guanxi too much, but those traveling for business need to understand the concept. In China especially, ongoing personal relationships must be developed to complete business deals. That can mean lots of dinners, nights out drinking, and favors.

At times, I found myself stumped in China to get a source to respond to an email or a question. When a friend with guanxi with the person asked for me, doors opened. Unresponsive public-relations reps were suddenly willing to help me with every aspect of my reporting trip.

6. Because of the need to maintain social standing or reputation, it is rude to ask new friends or business partners for things directly, to criticize someone in front of their peers, or to contradict or upstage someone.

tourism culture clash

The concept of " face " is essential to understanding China, Korea, and many other Asian countries.

Like guanxi, face is hard to translate, but it basically means your reputation in relation to your community, as determined by dignity, prestige, and social status.

While Westerners don't need to worry too much about their face when visiting China or Korea, understanding the concept can help in business.

Americans and other Westerners tend to ask questions and negotiate directly. East Asians operate more slowly in business, will drag out negotiations, and try to achieve consensus with their peers.

When Westerners push for yes-or-no answers or criticize, contradict, or otherwise upstage an East Asian business acquaintance, they are likely causing that person a loss of face, which will consequently harm the relationship.

I had more than a few awkward moments in boardrooms with Chinese executives or dealing with PR representatives where I forcefully pushed for a yes-or-no answer that made us both look bad.

7. In China and many other East Asian cultures, it is considered rude to maintain direct eye contact in a conversation.

tourism culture clash

As an American, I have become used to keeping eye contact with the person with whom I'm having a conversation; to look away would indicate shiftiness or untrustworthiness. In most East Asian cultures, it means something completely different.

I first noticed this in China when I was interviewing people in the tech industry. The more I kept eye contact, the less they wanted to talk. It was clear that my intensity and directness was making them uncomfortable. I had to dial myself back to fit in better with the culture.

In Asian cultures, direct eye contact can be considered rude , an insult, or a challenge. It can be seen not as confident — as it is in the US — but as confrontational.

As the Harvard Business Review has written , direct confrontation is seen as "immature" and tactless in East Asian cultures.

8. People in China, with its population of over 1 billion, have a different understanding of personal space than Americans do.

tourism culture clash

There are a lot of people in China — roughly 1.3 billion . For a Westerner in China, it can be very overwhelming to go to places like train stations, the subway during rush hour, or major historical sites.

The mass of people means that the Chinese concept of personal space is very different from the American perspective. Entire families may live in tiny apartments, and you are almost always standing shoulder to shoulder in a crowd. With so many people vying to get into a subway car or into an elevator at all times, there is no option but to pack in like sardines.

Unless I wanted to wait around forever to get anywhere, I had to get with the program. It was shocking at first, and I suffered more than a few bouts of claustrophobia.

9. In China, it is very strange to hug friends or new acquaintances hello or goodbye, though that's starting to change among younger generations.

tourism culture clash

Like many Westerners, I'm a hugger. Shortly after meeting someone in a personal setting, I offer hugs as a way to say hello or goodbye. Chinese people — and most East Asians, for that matter— not so much.

In traditional Chinese culture, hugging is not acceptable, particularly between people of the opposite sex. As Yang Chunmei, a professor at Qufu Normal University, has written , "public displays of affection are a source of embarrassment." Even among spouses, hugging, kissing, or holding hands in public is odd.

While I knew this before visiting China, it is difficult to eschew an ingrained cultural practice. There were many moments during my six weeks in China where I awkwardly went in for a hug with a new acquaintance and had to pull back and extend my hand for a handshake instead.

10. In China and Korea, it's common to ask personal questions about topics like salary, marital status, age, religion, and education shortly after meeting.

tourism culture clash

While East Asian cultures shy away from physical contact, it is normal to ask new acquaintances questions that Westerners may consider to be prying. It's not unusual upon meeting someone at a party or a bar to be asked about salary, job title, personal relationships, education, and marital status.

In Korea, at least, such questions help people determine a new acquaintance's social status. Social hierarchy is very important in East Asian cultures, particularly in business. The higher your status, the more respect you command, and therefore the more likely it is that someone may help you out with a favor.

No matter how many times it happened, I found it initially jarring to be asked very personal questions (for an American) in the first few moments of meeting someone.

11. In many Asian cultures, it's considered extremely rude to place your chopsticks standing up in a bowl, as this is a symbol of death and funerals.

tourism culture clash

There's a reason every East Asian restaurant you visit has a rest block for your chopsticks: It is very bad etiquette to stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl. In multiple East Asian cultures, this has connotations of death and funerals.

At Japanese funerals, according to FluentU, a bowl of rice with two chopsticks upright is left for the deceased . In Chinese culture, the two chopsticks sticking up are said to resemble incense sticks burned at temples for dead ancestors.

While I knew better than to do this while visiting Asia, I watched other travelers and expats make the mistake in front of other East Asians. It was very uncomfortable.

12. It's considered rude to tip in Japan, Singapore, and some other Asian countries.

tourism culture clash

Tipping is ingrained in American culture — but that's not the case everywhere around the world.

For many in Asia, tipping is seen as rude because workers should do a stellar job as a point of pride, not because you've offered them extra cash. This is true in Japan and Singapore , though it is changing in some Asian countries as foreign tourism becomes a more important pillar of the economy.

When I visited Tokyo in 2017, I tried to give my taxi driver from the airport a tip. At first he kept handing the money back, thinking I had miscalculated the fare or misread the bills. When realized I was trying to tip him, and he rather curtly shooed me out of the car. I learned later that by trying to hand him extra money, I was insulting his work ethic.

13. For people working in the tech industry in China, it's typical to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

tourism culture clash

Before arriving in China last April, I had heard rumors of the so-called 996 culture, which means that tech workers — and increasingly, young people in other industries too — work 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week.

One way of looking at it is that 996 is China's version of Silicon Valley's hustle culture, put in overdrive.

As I was visiting China to report on the tech industry, I found myself sucked into this lifestyle very quickly. Interview subjects were often looking to meet at their offices well into the evenings or on Saturdays. If I wanted to get the stories I was after, I had to adjust to their schedule.

By the time I left China after six weeks, I was exhausted from the work schedule. I can't imagine doing it for years. Some tech workers in China are starting to push back , with mixed results.

14. It's common for Chinese workers to take a two-hour lunch break starting at noon that includes a nap in the office.

tourism culture clash

A few times early in my visit to China, I tried scheduling interviews in the middle of the day. It was a bad idea, and I didn't get any takers.

Lunch breaks in China for office workers start at noon sharp and typically go until 2 p.m. That's not to say people are eating that entire time. Rather, most will take a 30-minute nap in the office to recharge before the rest of the day.

It's a strange thing to see in action. When I visited the Alibaba headquarters in Hangzhou around midday, I found all the lights off in the office and nearly every person with either an eye mask and a blanket or a special pillow for sleeping on their desk. Some employees even roll out camp beds and sleep under their desks.

15. When you're sharing a meal in East Asian countries, the proper move is to fill the glasses of everyone else at the table before filling your own.

tourism culture clash

While the specific customs can differ dramatically by country — and you should research those specifics before you visit a place — in general it is considered proper to pour drinks or tea for each person in your party before yourself.

In some places, like Korea, it is considered improper to ever fill your own glass : You fill others' glasses and wait for someone to fill yours.

While I quickly learned about the custom, I admit I forgot from time to time, particularly when I was out drinking with a table of new friends. I have found that Asians tend to give foreigners some leeway for mucking up customs, but better to not mess it up at all.

tourism culture clash

  • Main content

Why is culture clash a negative for tourism?

travel-faq

Why is Culture Clash a Negative for Tourism?

Culture clash can significantly impact the tourism industry, creating numerous negative consequences for both host countries and visitors. When tourists encounter unfamiliar cultures and traditions that diverge from their own, it can lead to misunderstandings, discomfort, and even conflicts. Here are some reasons why culture clash is considered detrimental to tourism:

Culture Shock: Tourists often experience culture shock when encountering new cultures, customs, and languages. This can result in feelings of disorientation, frustration, and anxiety, which may lessen the overall enjoyment of the travel experience. Those who find it difficult to adapt to cultural differences may have a negative impression of the destination.

Language Barriers: Communication difficulties due to language differences can hinder interactions between tourists and locals. Misunderstandings may arise, leading to frustration and inhibiting meaningful exchanges. Tourists may struggle to navigate their surroundings or access information about local attractions, which can diminish their overall experience.

Conflict and Stereotyping: Cultural misunderstandings can escalate into conflicts and perpetuate negative stereotypes. These conflicts can arise from differing social norms, values, and behaviors. Such instances can harm the reputation of a destination and deter future visitors, affecting the local economy.

Loss of Authenticity: Culture clash can lead to the dilution or erasure of a destination’s authentic cultural identity. When tourism dominates a local economy, there is pressure to cater to the expectations of international visitors, often resulting in the commodification and commercialization of traditions. This can lead to a loss of heritage and authenticity, leaving tourists with an inauthentic and superficial experience.

Disrespect for Local Customs: Ignorance or disregard for local customs can result in unintentional disrespect. Tourists who fail to adhere to cultural norms, such as appropriate attire or behavior, can offend the local community. This disrespectful behavior not only damages the reputation of the tourists themselves but also negatively affects the perception of their home country.

Inequality and Exploitation: Culture clash can exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities within a destination. Tourism development often leads to the concentration of wealth and resources in the hands of a few, while many locals remain marginalized. This disparity can breed resentment and hinder sustainable development within the community.

FAQs about Culture Clash and Tourism

1. how does culture clash impact the tourism experience.

Culture clash can create discomfort, misunderstandings, and conflicts during a tourist’s visit, resulting in a less enjoyable experience.

2. Can language barriers be overcome in tourism?

Efforts like language translation services and fostering cultural exchange programs can help overcome language barriers and promote understanding.

3. How can conflict arising from cultural differences affect tourism?

Conflicts due to cultural differences can harm a destination’s reputation and deter potential visitors, subsequently impacting the local economy.

4. How can tourism impact the authenticity of a destination?

Overly catering to tourists’ expectations can lead to the commercialization and dilution of a destination’s authentic cultural identity.

5. How can tourists respect local customs and traditions?

Tourists should take the time to educate themselves about local customs and behave accordingly, avoiding offensive or disrespectful actions.

6. How does cultural inequality manifest in the tourism industry?

Tourism development can exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities, concentrating wealth and resources while marginalizing local communities.

7. Is it possible to minimize culture clash in tourism?

Through cultural sensitivity training, education, and promoting intercultural dialogue, tourism stakeholders can strive to minimize culture clash and promote positive interactions.

8. Can culture clash impact the sustainability of a destination?

Culture clash can hinder sustainable development when it leads to inequality, exploitation, and the degradation of a destination’s cultural and natural resources.

9. How can tourists contribute positively to the local community?

Tourists can support local businesses, respect local customs and traditions, and engage in responsible tourism practices to have a positive impact on the local community.

10. Are there any benefits to culture clash in tourism?

While culture clash primarily has negative impacts on tourism, it can also foster greater cultural understanding and appreciation if managed appropriately.

11. What role does cultural sensitivity play in addressing culture clash?

Cultural sensitivity is crucial in addressing culture clash as it promotes respect, understanding, and positive interactions between tourists and locals.

12. How can destinations balance tourism development with the preservation of their cultural heritage?

Destinations can implement sustainable tourism practices, involve local communities in decision-making processes, and promote responsible tourism to safeguard their cultural heritage while benefiting from tourism.

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tourism culture clash

Tourists behaving badly: how culture shapes conduct when we’re on holiday

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Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

tourism culture clash

PhD researcher, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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There appears to be increasing tension between tourists and residents around the world, with the former often blamed for behaving inappropriately and disturbing locals. Protests against tourist behaviour have erupted in Barcelona , Venice and Hong Kong .

In Hong Kong, tourists are blamed for being noisy, inconsiderate, urinating in public, buying up necessities such as baby milk powder, and generally not following local customs. Chinese tourists, in particular, face harsh criticism in Hong Kong as well as in Thailand .

In Spain, British tourists are often blamed for poor behaviour.

But tourists’ ethics are rarely studied, and many questions about their behaviour remain unanswered. These include whether tourists have different moral values than local residents; if visitors from different parts of the world have different moral values; and whether people are more likely to participate in morally dubious activities while on holidays than where they live.

tourism culture clash

What we did

In a recently published study , we suggest that, at least in Hong Kong, there may indeed be differences between ethical judgements of tourists from different regions and local residents.

We undertook a survey of mainland Chinese tourists, Western tourists and Hong Kong residents, and asked to identify how morally acceptable five different scenarios were.

Our scenarios were: purchasing counterfeit products, disorderly behaviour in public due to drunkenness, jumping queues, lying about a child’s age (to get discounts) and using the services of a prostitute.

We then applied a Multidimensional Ethics Scale to find out more precisely how acceptable these scenarios were to respondents. This widely-used scale uses several normative ethics theories to understand ethical judgements.

We then asked the respondents whether they were likely to engage in these activities at home and on holidays.

Fish out of water

The case of tourist behaviour is especially interesting for debates about ethical decision-making. At home, we may be bound to behave in a certain manner due to societal pressures. We may feel judged by relatives, friends or colleagues. And we may think that somebody who knows us will easily find out about our misbehaviour. Our actions may have long-lasting consequences.

But these pressures are removed when we travel overseas to places where no one knows us and where we don’t stay for long. Tourism, then, may be thought of as an egoistic and indulgent activity.

At least, that’s the theory.

tourism culture clash

Overall, engaging the services of a prostitute and jumping queues were the least acceptable to all respondents, while purchasing counterfeit products was the most acceptable.

We found it surprising that two such different activities as jumping queues and engaging the services of a prostitute were rated similarly. One possible explanation is that most people have faced queue jumpers and remember the immediate and definitive negative consequence for them (a few minutes’ extra wait).

People feel jumping queues isn’t fair, not morally right and breaches established social norms.

Immanuel Kant’s deontology provides a suitable explanation for the case of prostitution. Prostitution reduces a human being to an instrument for achieving sexual climax with another person. It violates the principle of treating every person as an end in themselves rather than the means for achieving one’s objectives.

Interestingly, selling counterfeit products is illegal in many countries, including Hong Kong, but purchasing them was considered the most acceptable. There are positive consequences of purchasing counterfeit products for the purchasers (lower cost) and also for the producers and sellers (profit).

It also appears acceptable in Hong Kong as the practice is widespread. Those who purchase counterfeit goods are unlikely to feel guilty about the lost profits of luxury brands.

tourism culture clash

Cultural influences

Our findings also support the idea that morality varies from culture to culture. There are differences between the two groups of visitors we surveyed and the Hong Kong residents.

In comparison to Western tourists, mainland Chinese tourists think it’s more acceptable to purchase counterfeit products in Hong Kong, jump queues and lie about a child’s age to get discounts. Western tourists, on the other hand, find it relatively more acceptable to engage the services of a prostitute.

Both groups think public misbehaviour due to drunkenness is more acceptable than the Hong Kongers do. Overall, Hong Kong residents appear stricter in their morals than either group of tourists.

Western tourists were more likely to participate in all the scenarios on holidays than at home, except for drunken misbehaviour; they do that at home as well. Hong Kong residents are also more likely to engage in all activities on holidays than at home.

tourism culture clash

On the contrary, mainland Chinese visitors are more likely to engage in most of the scenarios at home than on holidays, engaging the services of a prostitute being the exception. It appears that Chinese tourists are aware of the bad publicity they have been getting recently , especially in Hong Kong.

The Chinese government has been distributing educational information and started to blacklist “uncivilised” tourists since 2015. Its aim is to minimise inappropriate behaviour overseas.

Chinese tourists are now more likely to behave more ethically to avoid being blacklisted and ensure their personal safety.

Moral of the story

What action we think is ethical appears to largely depend on the culture we are brought up in and live in. In other words, we do what we think is acceptable to people we know and in the place where we are.

Individual principles, inherent morality and perception of fairness may appear as stricter guides for what is morally acceptable. But appealing to the consequences and the risk of punishment seems more likely to deter people from engaging in morally dubious activities.

The idea that people are more likely to behave badly on holidays than at home, as some societal pressures are removed, appears plausible. But the case of Chinese tourists demonstrates that’s not always true.

Both punishing and educating tourists may be the best strategies for reducing unethical behaviour.

  • Prostitution
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  • counterfeit goods
  • Global perspectives

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Paris Syndrome: Troubles in tourism

The culture clash phenomenon that almost exclusively affects japanese travelers..

The Eiffel Tower stands framed by green trees and blue sky.

Disenchanted to meet you

Imagine walking through Paris for the first time, admiring the City of Lights, thinking of croissants, crème brûlée, and Gene Kelly tap-tapping on the streets, only to find that sidewalks of Montmartre are covered in dog shit.

It could almost make a visitor faint with disappointment. Some tourists nearly do. The phenomenon is known as Paris Syndrome, and it is almost exclusively experienced by Japanese travelers who find themselves in a state of extreme culture shock when encountering the grittier realities of the French capital.

Called Pari shōkōgun in Japanese, the illness is estimated to strike a couple dozen unsuspecting tourists a year. So why does this particular clash of cultures turn the City of Lights into the City of Frights?

Turns out idealizing any city is a dangerous path. Alors, join us on this tour to find out why.

By the digits

44 million: Number of tourists that visited Paris in 2022 according to the region’s tourism committee, making it the most visited city in the world for the second year in a row. Dubai came in second with 12 million visits.

$64.2 billion (€58 billion): Revenue France brought in from tourism in 2022

1.3 million: Number of Japanese tourists visiting France in 2023, according to data analytics firm GlobalData

20 : Number of cases of Paris Syndrome occurring annually among Japanese tourists, according to Miyupi Kusama, a staffer at the Japanese embassy in Paris, as cited in a 2006 Guardian article

1: Ranking of Paris as the unfriendliest city in the world, according to a survey conducted by Rough Guides, a British travel guide publisher

Culture clash

Signs of the syndrome

Paris Syndrome is not formally recognized in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), but has been recognized by medical professionals as a real disorder. Symptoms include dizziness, anxiety, vomiting, hallucinations, delusional states, and even tachycardia, or increased heart rate.

The term was first coined by Hiroaki Ota, a Japanese psychiatrist who worked at Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris, in the 1980s. He and several co-authors published an article (link in French) on the subject in psychology journal Nervure in 2004.

It describes Paris Syndrome as a state of complete culture shock. Tourists from Japan, they theorized, are especially susceptible to having a disappointing experience in Paris because of how the city has been idealized in Japanese pop culture and media.

The language barrier, as well as differences in cultural norms and expectations are also identified as precipitating factors behind the disorder. “The stereotypical image of Paris, a city of consumption of luxury goods, widely conveyed by media sources, does not resist everyday life,” Ota et al. explain in the paper.

“Meaning comes from the use of shared symbols and depression is a loss of meaning. This depression is the essence of culture shock. Culture shock is the anxiety and emotional disturbance experienced by people when two sets of realities and conceptualisations meet.”

—Rachel Irwin writing in her study, “ Culture shock: negotiating feelings in the field ” in Anthropology Matters Journal

Furansu, je t’aime

Japan’s love affair with France

Japan has long had a fascination with France. In the public imagination it is often regarded as a pinnacle of art, culture, fine dining, beauty, and good taste. Just look to Japan’s capital, where you can find Tokyo Tower, an imitation of the Eiffel Tower, and Odaiba’s Statue of Liberty, an ode to the French-built monument.

Tokyo even has a devoted French quarter , Kagurazaka, which is clustered with Parisian-influenced shops, cafes, and bakeries. If you pop into one of the area’s bookstores, you might be able to pick up some Proust or Voltaire translated into Japanese, or maybe a copy of The French have only 10 clothes , a popular book series in Japan (link in Japanese) on élégance et chic à la française .

“The Japanese see Paris as the City of Light, the most beautiful city in the world, the capital of refinement and romance. A mix of Chanel N°5 commercials, Amélie Poulain and black and white photos of Robert Doisneau,” said Eriko Nakamura , a Japanese journalist living in Paris, and author of the book (link in French) Naaande!? Les tribulations d’une Japonaise à Paris ( Whhhy!? The tribulations of a Japanese woman in Paris ).

Folie à deux

Other travel syndromes

Paris isn’t the only city to induce negative psychological effects. Similar, albeit rare, disorders have also been observed in two other famous cities.

Jerusalem has been found to cause some to fall into a psychotic state , especially those who are religiously inclined. An individual suffering from so-called Jerusalem Syndrome believes, upon visiting the ancient and holy city, that they are a Biblical figure (it even happened to Homer Simpson ).

Stendhal syndrome is a mental condition that was first documented in the city of Florence, Italy. It refers to feelings of faintness, heart palpitations, or even hallucinations one might experience upon seeing great works of art and architecture. The phenomenon was named after Marie-Henri Beyle, known by his nom de plume Stendhal, who recorded his psychosomatic reaction to the Tuscan capital’s artistic treasures in 1817.

He wrote in his book Rome, Naples, and Florence (1818): “I was in a sort of ecstasy, from the idea of being in Florence, close to the great men whose tombs I had seen. Absorbed in the contemplation of sublime beauty... I had palpitations of the heart, what in Berlin they call ‘nerves.’ Life was drained from me. I walked with the fear of falling.”

A man adds books to a display for sale on the banks of the Seine in Paris.

Which is NOT a real quote about Paris written by a novelist?

A. “To err is human. To loaf is Parisian.”

B. “I like Paris, but I’m not really sure Paris likes me.”

C. “There should be a name for the syndrome that occurs when you’re in Paris and you already miss it.”

D. “Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman.”

Wind your way through the charms of this email and you’ll stumble across the answer at the bottom.

The French croquette was introduced to Japan in the late 1800s , and adapted to local palates. The resulting dish, called korokke, is in its most basic form a mashed potato patty covered in panko breadcrumbs and then deep fried. Korokke is a popular yōshoku dish, a style of cooking that arose in Japan during the Meiji Restoration (1868 – 1889) that was influenced by Western cuisine.

Watch this!

Japanese media, with a French twist

The Rose of Versailles , a classic and influential shōjo manga (a genre of comics targeting a younger female audience), was first published from 1972 to 1973 is another example of French influence on Japanese culture. The story takes place in Versailles prior to and during the French Revolution, and features Marie Antoinette as a main character. Have a listen to the anime’s opening theme song, “Bara wa utsukushiku chiru” (Roses Scatter in Beauty).

Take me down this 🐰 hole!

French avant-garde movements that emerged in the mid-20th century were very much interested in the impact of geography on psychology, creating a field of study known as “psychogeography.” The term was first defined by Guy Debord, a French marxist and philosopher, in his 1955 essay “Introduction to a Critique of Urban Geography.”

“Psychogeography could set for itself the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals,” Debord wrote. He then mused: “Is it illogical or devoid of interest to observe that the district in Paris between Place de la Contrescarpe and Rue de l’Arbalète conduces rather to atheism, to oblivion and to the disorientation of habitual reflexes?” (We’re not sure what exactly that means, and might need to take a trip to find out.)

Debord also developed the concept of dérive (“drifting”) or the idea of wandering through urban spaces and immersing oneself in the surroundings without the usual motivations for movement (e.g. work, travel, shopping)—a concept somewhat similar to that of Charles Baudelaire’s sauntering and dandyish flâneur .

To those who have visited Paris, how was your experience?

  • Loved it! It is truly one of the greatest cities in the world
  • It was OK—some charms, but definitely overhyped
  • I definitely felt some fainting spells coming on
  • I have yet to risk Paris Syndrome by making a trip

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🩴 In last week’s poll about flip-flops , a whopping 66% of you wear your rubber footwear without socks, as nature intended. It was a relief to hear that only 2% of you wear them with specially made socks.

Also, many of you wrote in to tell us the words for “flip-flops” where you live, which was a great day in our inbox:

  • Joshi says it’s “chappals” in India
  • Tak says no self-respecting Hawaiian local would say “flip-flops” in favor of “slippa”
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  • Catherine points out it is only “thongs” in Australia

Today’s email was written by Julia Malleck (orders two baguettes at a time, not one, because she can’t remember masculine/feminine articles), and edited by Annaliese Griffin (used her high school French to buy a truly ridiculous amount of cheese in Paris, impressing a Parisian fromager).

The correct answer to the quiz is B. “I like Paris, but I’m not really sure Paris likes me,” which is a line spoken by the character Emily in the oft-reviled, love-to-hate-watch show Emily in Paris . Option A. is a quote from Victor Hugo, C. is Rosecrans Baldwin, and D. is John Berger.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Tourism and Culture

Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility

  • Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
  • Accessible Tourism

Tourism and Culture

  • Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

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The convergence between tourism and culture, and the increasing interest of visitors in cultural experiences, bring unique opportunities but also complex challenges for the tourism sector.

“Tourism policies and activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, which they should protect and pass on to future generations; particular care should be devoted to preserving monuments, worship sites, archaeological and historic sites as well as upgrading museums which must be widely open and accessible to tourism visits”

UN Tourism Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics

Article 7, paragraph 2

This webpage provides UN Tourism resources aimed at strengthening the dialogue between tourism and culture and an informed decision-making in the sphere of cultural tourism. It also promotes the exchange of good practices showcasing inclusive management systems and innovative cultural tourism experiences .  

About Cultural Tourism

According to the definition adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly, at its 22nd session (2017), Cultural Tourism implies “A type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions”. UN Tourism provides support to its members in strengthening cultural tourism policy frameworks, strategies and product development . It also provides guidelines for the tourism sector in adopting policies and governance models that benefit all stakeholders, while promoting and preserving cultural elements.

Recommendations for Cultural Tourism Key Players on Accessibility 

UN Tourism , Fundación ONCE and UNE issued in September 2023, a set of guidelines targeting key players of the cultural tourism ecosystem, who wish to make their offerings more accessible.

The key partners in the drafting and expert review process were the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) . The ICOMOS experts’ input was key in covering crucial action areas where accessibility needs to be put in the spotlight, in order to make cultural experiences more inclusive for all people.

This guidance tool is also framed within the promotion of the ISO Standard ISO 21902 , in whose development UN Tourism had one of the leading roles.

Download here the English and Spanish version of the Recommendations.

Compendium of Good Practices in Indigenous Tourism

Compendium of Good Practices in Indigenous Tourismo

The report is primarily meant to showcase good practices championed by indigenous leaders and associations from the Region. However, it also includes a conceptual introduction to different aspects of planning, management and promotion of a responsible and sustainable indigenous tourism development.

The compendium also sets forward a series of recommendations targeting public administrations, as well as a list of tips promoting a responsible conduct of tourists who decide to visit indigenous communities.

For downloads, please visit the UN Tourism E-library page: Download in English - Download in Spanish .

Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism

Weaving the recovery

This initiative, which gathers UN Tourism , t he World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) , Centro de las Artes Indígenas (CAI) and the NGO IMPACTO , was selected as one of the ten most promising projects amoung 850+ initiatives to address the most pressing global challenges. The project will test different methodologies in pilot communities, starting with Mexico , to enable indigenous women access markets and demonstrate their leadership in the post-COVID recovery.

This empowerment model , based on promoting a responsible tourism development, cultural transmission and fair-trade principles, will represent a novel community approach with a high global replication potential.

Visit the Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism project webpage.

Inclusive Recovery of Cultural Tourism

INCLUSIVE RECOVERY OF CULTURAL TOURISM

The release of the guidelines comes within the context of the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021 , a UN initiative designed to recognize how culture and creativity, including cultural tourism, can contribute to advancing the SDGs.  

UN Tourism Inclusive Recovery Guide, Issue 4: Indigenous Communities

Indigenous Communities

Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism

The Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism provide guidance to tourism stakeholders to develop their operations in a responsible and sustainable manner within those indigenous communities that wish to:

  • Open up to tourism development, or
  • Improve the management of the existing tourism experiences within their communities.

They were prepared by the UN Tourism Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department in close consultation with indigenous tourism associations, indigenous entrepreneurs and advocates. The Recommendations were endorsed by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics and finally adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly in 2019, as a landmark document of the Organization in this sphere.

Who are these Recommendations targeting?

  • Tour operators and travel agencies
  • Tour guides
  • Indigenous communities
  • Other stakeholders such as governments, policy makers and destinations

The Recommendations address some of the key questions regarding indigenous tourism:

indigenous entrepreneurs and advocates

Download PDF:

  • Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism
  • Recomendaciones sobre el desarrollo sostenible del turismo indígena, ESP

UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture

The UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture bring together Ministers of Tourism and Ministers of Culture with the objective to identify key opportunities and challenges for a stronger cooperation between these highly interlinked fields. Gathering tourism and culture stakeholders from all world regions the conferences which have been hosted by Cambodia, Oman, Türkiye and Japan have addressed a wide range of topics, including governance models, the promotion, protection and safeguarding of culture, innovation, the role of creative industries and urban regeneration as a vehicle for sustainable development in destinations worldwide.

Fourth UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations. Kyoto, Japan. 12-13 December 2019 Kyoto Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations ( English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese )

Third UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture : For the Benefit of All. Istanbul, Türkiye. 3 -5 December 2018 Istanbul Declaration on Tourism and Culture: For the Benefit of All ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

Second UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development. Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. 11-12 December 2017 Muscat Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

First UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Building a new partnership. Siem Reap, Cambodia. 4-6 February 2015 Siem Reap Declaration on Tourism and Culture – Building a New Partnership Model ( English )

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage  

The first UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage provides comprehensive baseline research on the interlinkages between tourism and the expressions and skills that make up humanity’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH). 

UNWTO Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage

Through a compendium of case studies drawn from across five continents, the report offers in-depth information on, and analysis of, government-led actions, public-private partnerships and community initiatives.

These practical examples feature tourism development projects related to six pivotal areas of ICH: handicrafts and the visual arts; gastronomy; social practices, rituals and festive events; music and the performing arts; oral traditions and expressions; and, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

Highlighting innovative forms of policy-making, the UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage recommends specific actions for stakeholders to foster the sustainable and responsible development of tourism by incorporating and safeguarding intangible cultural assets.

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage

  • UN Tourism Study
  • Summary of the Study

Studies and research on tourism and culture commissioned by UN Tourism

  • Tourism and Culture Synergies, 2018
  • UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2012
  • Big Data in Cultural Tourism – Building Sustainability and Enhancing Competitiveness (e-unwto.org)

Outcomes from the UN Tourism Affiliate Members World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism, Madrid, Spain, 1–2 December 2022

UN Tourism and the Region of Madrid – through the Regional Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sports – held the World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism in Madrid on 1 and 2 December 2022. The initiative reflects the alliance and common commitment of the two partners to further explore the bond between tourism and culture. This publication is the result of the collaboration and discussion between the experts at the meeting, and subsequent contributions.

Relevant Links

  • 3RD UN Tourism/UNESCO WORLD CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND CULTURE ‘FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL’

Photo credit of the Summary's cover page:  www.banglanatak.com

Why last-chance tourism is the latest controversial travel trend

Race to visit places threatened by climate change 'before it's too late'

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Photo composite of tourists visiting nature sites

Travellers are racing to see parts of the world that could soon vanish forever due to the effects of climate change, in a trend known as "last-chance tourism".

Travel and tourism is responsible for between 8% and 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2021 report from the World Travel and Tourism Council . As the planet warms, many of Earth's natural wonders – such as coral reefs, glaciers and archipelagos – "are at risk of damage and disappearance", said The New York Times 's Desiree Ibekwe. 

A growing number of travellers are seeking to visit such sites "before it's too late". But experts warn that the trend threatens to accelerate the cycle of destruction.

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What are the issues?

Popular at-risk destinations include the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in the French Alps, where thousands of people go each year to ski. Like many other glaciers, it is "melting rapidly", said Ibekwe. A new ski lift opened recently to allow visitors to "stay closer to the retreating ice", a move that has proved controversial. 

"At some point, you have to leave the glacier alone," one long-time traveller to the famous ski spot told NYT correspondent Paige McClanahan. "There's big machinery being installed. Where will it stop?"

That question is increasingly pertinent, said McClanahan. Throughout history, "humans have raced to be the first to scale a peak, cross a frontier, or document a new species or landscape", but "now, in some cases, we're racing to be the last."

Even well-meaning media coverage intended to inspire action can contribute to the problem. Last-chance tourism is happening mostly in areas that "make it into the headlines", Eke Eijgelaar, an environmental researcher at the NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, told The Independent in 2018.

"With more and more tourists looking for new and exotic things, they are a bit more attracted by media accounts of coral losses at the Great Barrier Reef and sinking images of Venice, and then choose that as their destination," he said.

And as tourist numbers rise, not all sectors of the global tourism industry are acting responsibly. "I've seen unregulated mass tourism in much of Asia and Micronesia, where snorkellers and divers are let loose with no instructions," said ecologist Peter Mumby.

Will it stop?

Defenders of tourism cite the benefits for communities that need an economic boost. The global travel industry supported 333 million jobs in 2019, said The Times , and an estimated one-sixth of the world's population relied on that income.

There is also evidence that visiting an ecological site may lead people to become more aware of their own impact on the environment. In a 2022 study of summer visitors to Mer de Glace, 80% said they would "try to learn more about the environment and how to protect it". Another 82% said they would stop visiting glaciers if doing so would protect them, while 77% said they would reduce their water and energy consumption.

The researchers behind the study concluded that nature-based tourism can "help clarify visitors' intentions to adopt environmentally friendly behaviours" – but more research is needed to see whether tourists follow through with their intentions. 

Long-term thinking is needed to protect ecologically fragile tourism sites, said Rachel Dodds, a professor of hospitality and tourism management from Toronto, speaking to The Independent.

"Without proper management and thinking about the limits to acceptable change, places are being ruined beyond repair," Dodds said. "Tourism is planned for the short-term, and policies or plans are not developed with the medium or long-term impacts."

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When a TRAVELER writer/photog- rapher team visited Papua New Guinea on a guided tour last year, they found that their fellow tourists ranged from those careful to respect local etiquette to those with a relentlessly North American perspective. From the Papuans’ point of view, foreigners paid much-needed cash for crafts and for dance performances, at the cost of occasionally boorish behavior.

Elsewhere in the world, similar cross-cultural contacts with indigenous peoples also produce mixed results. Our tourist dollars can do lots of often unrecognized good—not only by helping financially, but by placing public value on local crafts, arts, dance, music, and heritage. That’s important; it supports cultural diversity that might otherwise disappear as developing countries rush to emulate the industrialized world. But outsiders bring in a host of problems too: conspicuous wealth that raises local hopes to unrealistic levels; clothing and behavior that locals may find shocking; unhealthy eating habits; intrusive behavior; and in the worst cases, trash and pollution, condescension and racism, even sexual exploitation.

This month the Tourism Forum asks: What are the best ways to ensure that indigenous tourism does the most good and the least harm? What good and bad examples have you seen?

Post Your Opinion

LEARN MORE:

The Green Travel Network http://www.greentravel.com This commercial site offers eclectic, user-friendly information for green and adventure travelers.

Planeta http://www2.planeta.com/mader This award-winning site covers ecotourism in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.

Sustainable Tourism Research Interest Group http://www.yorku.ca/research/dkproj/string/rohr Although dated, York University’s useful site lists scores of links to organizations involved in sustainable tourism.

Tourism Concern http://www.gn.apc.org/tourismconcern This U.K.-based advocacy group offers a directory of grassroots tour operators and ecolodges.

UN Commission on Sustainable Development http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/tourism.htm An outgrowth of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, this site addresses sustainable-tourism challenges.

World Travel and Tourism Council http://www.wttc.org This industry group�s EcoNETT site lists books, magazines, and helpful hints for ecotourists.

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Tourism and Culture Clash in Indian Country

Profile image of Alan A Lew

Prep-ublication version of : Lew, A.A. and Kennedy, C.L. 2002. Tourism and Culture Clash in American Indian Country. In S. Krakover and Y. Gradus, eds., Tourism in Frontier Areas, pp.259-283. Lexington: Lexington Books.

Related Papers

Chapter 5 in: Lew, A.A. and Van Otten, George, editors. 1998. "Tourism and Gaming on American Indian Lands". Elmsford, NY: Cognizant Communications Corporation. Pages: 59-81.

tourism culture clash

Pre-publication version of: Kennedy, Christina B. and Lew, A.A. 2000. Living on the Edge: Defending American Indian Reservation lands and Culture. In Landscapes of Defense, John R. Gold and George Revill, eds., pp. 146-167. London: Prentice Hall.

Chapter 2 in: Lew, A.A. and Van Otten, George, editors. 1998. "Tourism and Gaming on American Indian Lands". Elmsford, NY: Cognizant Communications Corporation. Pages: 15-31.

Tourism Management

Keywords: Tourism, Pueblo Indians, Acculturation, Village Design, Tourist Behavior, Environmental Management First paragraph: Acculturation is defined as the process of culture change that occurs when a society with superior technological sophistication comes into contact with one of inferior technological sophistication. The latter is most likely to become an acculturated society, experiencing dramatic shifts in social structure and world view. The North American experience has largely been one in which American Indians have experienced pressure to change under the expanding influence of European settlers (Bodine 1972). Societies can react in a variety of ways under pressure of this kind (Lew 1989). In general, these reactions can be classified into two types: innovation diffusion, and cultural adaptation.

Diana Kutzner , Patrick Maher

Confluences: Essays Mapping the Manitoba-Szeged Partnership. Edited by Réka M. Cristian, Andrea Kökény and György E. Szőnyi. Szeged: JATEPress

Ildiko Sz. Kristof

Keywords: Native American Studies, North American Southwest, History of travel and tourism in the US, Native American reservations, Native American education, American Indian Ethnic Renewal, Cultural secrecy, Indigenous regulation of tourism, Etiquettes of behaviour for tourists, Indigenous peoples rights, NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act), Pueblo Indians, Hopi people, Zuni people, Acoma people, Navajo people, Aby Warburg (1866-1929)

Markus Lindner

Indian Detours. Tourism in Native North America. ed. by Pieter Hovens & Mette van der Hooft

Dick Winchell

Open Access Policy: This journal provides open access to all of its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Such access is associated with increased readership and increased citation of an author's work.

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Culture Clash: 30 Ways to Avoid Offending the Next Person You Meet

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– By Lauga Oskarsdottir, MTS Logistics

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Working in a global industry means communicating daily with individuals across borders, oceans and continents. It also includes traveling far distances to establish and further develop business relationships. We live in a culturally diverse world, where one of the keys to international business success is knowledge of the impact of cultural differences.

Bridging the culture gap can be challenging, but if you make a small effort to obtain a greater understanding of others’ background and social norms it will be highly appreciated and it will make your business relationships more positive and successful.

Let’s visit the world’s continents, and see what you might want to avoid doing when dealing with or visiting a respective country.

  • In Western cultures, people are taught to look people in the eyes at all times; averting the eyes often signifies a lack of sincerity or confidence. In Japan on the other hand, constant eye contact is considered rude or even aggressive.

business card exchange

  • In Indonesia it is considered extremely rude to point with the forefinger. It is especially rude if the pointing is towards a person. When pointing the Indonesian uses his thumb.
  • In Thailand it is considered rude to cross your legs in company and to point your toes at another person. The feet, as the lowest part of the body, are given the lowest esteem and pointing a toe is demeaning to the person at whom the foot is pointed.
  • In the Philippines if someone is buying you a meal, the invitee orders first. The invited should order items equal to or below the cost of the invitee’s meal.
  • In China It is considered polite to decline a gift when it is first offered and the giver is expected to offer it multiple times. Also gifts are generally not opened in the giver’s presence.
  • In China and other Asian countries, it is considered impolite for a person to pour their own drink. Generally an individual will offer to pour a companion’s drink and the companion, in return will pour the individual’s drink.
  • In Bangladesh, the “Thumbs Up” gesture is considered an offensive insult.
  • Tipping is considered rude and is never done in Japan.

europe

  • In Russia prolonged direct eye contact may be considered aggressive or as invitation to more intimate relationships (especially with the opposite sex), so it should be avoided in business relationships.
  • In France, assuming that people speak English without inquiry may be found unpleasant; being able to greet in French and ask whether the Frenchman speaks English is highly appreciated.
  • Silence is golden throughout most of Scandinavia. Do not feel the need to fill any silence with conversation. Silence is often used as thinking time and the prelude to what will be said next.
  • In many European countries, punctuality is essential and any possible late arrival should be communicated in advance.

holding hands arab

  • In most Arab countries, it is considered polite and a sign of friendship for males to hold hands when walking. So don’t be alarmed or offended if this were to happen, as it does not have the romantic connotations that it does in the West.
  • The Middle Eastern culture places more value on someone’s word as opposed to a written agreement. A person’s word is connected to their honour.
  • Meetings should not be made too far in advance as changes in personal circumstances may impact your appointment. Once an appointment has been made, confirm it verbally with the person you will meet a few days before. Punctuality is expected of foreigners.
  • In Arab countries displaying the soles of one’s feet or touching somebody with one’s shoes is considered rude.
  • In Iraq the “Thumbs Up” gesture is considered an offensive insult.
  • In the US it is considered impolite not to cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. When someone else sneezes, it is customary to say “Bless you”. If someone says “Bless you” to you, it is customary to reply with “Thank you.”
  • In the US, one should address those significantly older than them as Mr., Sir, Mrs., Ma’am, Ms. or Miss. For example, it may be considered rude to address someone by their first name unless they have invited you to do so. In a professional setting this especially applies, however many people will ask you to refer to them by their last name.
  • South Americans like to talk in close proximity to each other. North Americans, and others, may see this as an invasion of personal space.
  • In many parts of Africa there is a cultural tendency toward a more relaxed attitude to time and punctuality.
  • In the cultures of sub-Saharan Africa, direct and frank communication is not the norm in most parts of the region as most Africans are uncomfortable with blunt statements.
  • In Ghana, asking a person to a social event implies that the person offering the invite will be paying for everything. Inviting a person out and then expecting them to pay for their own drinks or food is considered extremely rude.
  • In South Africa it is the custom to look someone in the eye whenever touching glasses for a toast. Varying superstitious results can follow should you not do so.

oceania

  • Australians are known to use informal language, and therefore may refer to some foreigners as “mate” instead of using more respectful titles. An example of this is the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, thanking the head of the United Nations for his support in the East Timor Crisis in year 2000, with the phrase: “ I owe you a beer”.

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The Morning

Climate change and ‘last-chance tourism’.

Travelers are racing to see parts of the world that may soon vanish.

A view of a gondola as it leaves a station and descends into a snowy valley surrounded by rugged mountains.

By Desiree Ibekwe

A lot of climate discussion revolves around time. Lines rise across charts predicting the next century. Scientists set deadlines for the coming decades. Each month seems to bring news of a new heat record. The sense that time is running out can be heady.

As the Earth warms, natural wonders — coral reefs, glaciers, archipelagos — are at risk of damage and disappearance. This has motivated some travelers to engage in “last-chance tourism,” visiting places threatened by climate change before it’s too late.

“For thousands of years, humans have raced to be the first to scale a peak, cross a frontier, or document a new species or landscape,” Paige McClanahan writes in a piece for The Times . “Now, in some cases, we’re racing to be the last.”

A vanishing glacier

One such destination is the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in the French Alps, where thousands of people go each year to ski. (Early tourists included Mary Shelley and Mark Twain.)

The glacier, like many others, is melting rapidly. A new, higher lift opened recently to stay closer to the retreating ice. And a study published in the journal Science last year found that around half of the world’s glaciers will have melted by the end of this century , even if nations stick to the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

“For someone who doesn’t know how it used to be, it’s a beautiful scene,” a visitor to the glacier told Paige. “But when you know the difference, it really is sad.”

Pros and cons

There is some evidence that visiting an ecosystem threatened by climate change could lead people to become more aware of their impact on the environment.

In a 2020 survey conducted by researchers at the Mer de Glace, 80 percent of visitors said that they would try to learn more about how to protect the environment, and 77 percent said they would reduce their water and energy consumption.

Some tourist spots have leaned into education. In Peru, officials renamed a trek to the Pastoruri glacier “ La Ruta del Cambio Climático ,” or “The Route of Climate Change.” And at the Mer de Glace, an exhibit about climate change — called the Glaciorium — is set to open later this year.

There are some, however, who question of the value of last-chance tourism. Visiting fragile environments can do more harm than good.

Some people travel to Antarctica because they fear it is being destroyed. But, as Sara Clemence highlighted in a piece in The Atlantic last year , travel there requires a lot of fuel, while visitors can introduce disease and damage wildlife. And research by Karla Boluk, an academic from the University of Waterloo, found that a majority of last-chance tourists to two sites in Canada were unwilling to pay extra to offset the carbon footprint of their trip.

“There’s an ethical paradox of last-chance tourism,” Boluk told The Times, “and it involves the moral question of whether travelers acknowledge and respond to the harm they promote.”

Read Paige’s full story here .

THE LATEST NEWS

2024 election.

Donald Trump leads President Biden by 5 percentage points among registered voters nationwide, according to a new Times/Siena poll.

Only a quarter of voters think the country is moving in the right direction, the poll found, and a majority think the economy is in poor condition.

Biden’s age also poses a threat: Most voters who supported him in 2020 now believe he is too old to lead the country effectively, the poll found.

Trump won Republican caucuses in Michigan, Missouri and Idaho.

Texas’ governor and attorney general hope to bring down incumbent Republicans in Tuesday’s primary and shift the state further right.

More on Politics

Trump has said little about the war in Gaza , a reflection of the anti-interventionist shift he has brought to Republican politics — and his personal feelings about Benjamin Netanyahu.

Local politicians in recovery for drug addiction are embracing honesty about their pasts .

Israel-Hamas War

U.S. Air Force cargo planes dropped 38,000 ready-to-eat meals into Gaza .

An Israeli airstrike near a hospital in Rafah killed at least 11 people , according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel is reluctant to fill the leadership vacuum in northern Gaza. Experts say that gangs or Hamas members could fill the gap. Read Patrick Kingsley’s analysis .

International

South Korea is increasingly dependent on foreign workers, who routinely face predatory employers and inhumane conditions .

Pakistan’s Parliament chose a former prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif , to fill the role again. His government faces questions of legitimacy after accusations of military interference in elections.

After years of declining vaccination rates, Britain is experiencing a measles outbreak .

The authorities in Russia long sought to portray Aleksei Navalny as inconsequential, while vilifying him in a way that suggested the opposite. Little has changed since his death .

The University of Florida has terminated all positions associated with diversity, equity and inclusion to comply with new state regulations.

The University of Idaho, preparing for a drop in the college-age population, plans to take over the University of Phoenix , a for-profit online school known for misleading claims and low graduation rates.

Cattle ranchers across the Great Plains face an uncertain future after wildfires.

Thousands are without power after a winter storm brought snow to California and Nevada .

Rains in California have temporarily resurrected a lake in Death Valley , The Washington Post reports.

Other Big Stories

Trash in New York City blocks sidewalks, feeds rats and spills into the street. Fixing the problem requires trade-offs .

A firefighter in Kentucky rescued a driver from a truck that was dangling off the side of a bridge. See a video .

LeBron James became the first player in N.B.A. history to score 40,000 career points .

THE SUNDAY DEBATE

Should Michigan’s protest vote worry Biden?

Yes. That 100,000 Michigan voters vented their discontent with Biden, many over his handling of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, is a problem for him. “The Biden campaign has to deal with how the president’s policy could impact his re-election effort,” USA Today’s Sara Pequeño writes .

No. There are more moderates who agree with Biden’s policies than there are progressives who disagree with him. “It would be a mistake to think that shifting his policy to the left would be a net gain for him,” John Halpin writes for CNN .

MORE OPINIONS

Josephine Sittenfeld has been journaling for decades . Apple’s new Journal app is a weak substitute for the real thing, she writes.

Much of Israel’s war is what a justifiable campaign against a terrorist enemy inevitably looks like, Ross Douthat argues.

Here are columns by Maureen Dowd on the speech she hopes Biden gives this week and Nicholas Kristof on the U.N.’s double standard for Israel .

MORNING READS

Hidden history: Alderney, a windswept island in the English Channel, feels like a remote haven. During World War II, it was a site of Nazi atrocities .

Thank you very much: As a boy in Pakistan, Airaj Jilani idolized Elvis. Decades later in the U.S., he still has his passion — and his impeccable impersonation .

Vows: Their corporate speak turned into a language of love .

Lives Lived: Nancy Wallace helped transform the Bronx River from a watery graveyard for automobiles and appliances into an urban greenbelt for New York City. She died at 93 .

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE

Why go to a great steakhouse? For the food, sure, but also for the dinner theater.

Criterion has succeeded in Hollywood by creating the anti-algorithm: Film lovers trust its heavily curated catalog to show them beautiful, strange, complex movies .

The Ethicist: My dad cut my brother out of his will. Should I secretly split my inheritance?

TALK | FROM THE MAGAZINE

By David Marchese

The A.I. industry continues to boom, and to poke at our anxieties. In late 2022, I spoke with the pioneering researcher Yejin Choi, who works on developing common sense and ethical reasoning in A.I.

Can you explain what “common sense” means in the context of teaching it to A.I.?

It’s the unspoken, implicit knowledge that you and I have. It’s so obvious that we often don’t talk about it. You and I know birds can fly, and we know penguins generally cannot. So A.I. researchers thought, we can code this up: Birds usually fly, except for penguins. But in fact, newborn baby birds cannot fly, birds covered in oil cannot fly. The point being, exceptions are not exceptional, and you and I can think of them even though nobody told us. It’s not so easy for A.I.

What’s most exciting to you right now about your work in A.I.?

I’m excited about value pluralism. Another way to put it is that there’s no universal truth. A lot of people feel uncomfortable about this. As scientists, we’re trained to be very precise and strive for one truth. Now I’m thinking, well, there’s no universal truth — can birds fly or not? Moral rules: There must be some moral truth. Don’t kill people, for example. But what if it’s a mercy killing? Then what?

How could you possibly teach A.I. to make moral decisions when almost every rule or truth has exceptions?

A.I. should learn exactly that: There are cases that are more clean-cut, and then there are cases that are more discretionary. Instead of making binary, clean-cut decisions, it should sometimes make decisions based on This looks really bad. Or you have your position, but it understands that, well, half the country thinks otherwise.

Read more of the interview here .

New fiction: “Wandering Stars,” the follow-up to Tommy Orange’s “There There,” follows the descendants of a massacre on Native Americans over a century and a half. Our review calls it a towering achievement .

Our editors’ picks: In “The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels,” readers sift through texts, emails and more to discover the story behind a series of occult deaths.

Times best sellers: “The Chaos Agent,” the 13th book in Mark Greaney’s Gray Man series, is new this week on the hardcover fiction best-seller list .

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Check in on your emotional well-being .

Clean your dog’s bed .

Feel safer with a smart security device .

THE WEEK AHEAD

What to watch for.

North Dakota holds Republican caucuses tomorrow.

Then it’s Super Tuesday . Sixteen states have primary elections or caucuses, including California, where Representatives Katie Porter and Adam Schiff are competing for a Senate seat.

Biden will make the State of the Union address on Thursday.

International Women’s Day is Friday.

Congress’s deadline to avert a government shutdown is Friday.

Trump is scheduled to host Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

What to Cook This Week

In this week’s Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter , Emily Weinstein suggests making Eric Kim’s five-ingredient peanut butter noodles , which she calls “a Parmesan-tossed classic in the making.” Her other suggestions include an orange-glazed baked salmon, a one-pan crispy chicken and chickpeas and a cheesy and spicy black bean bake.

NOW TIME TO PLAY

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was grownup .

Can you put eight pieces of history — including the printing press, chemotherapy and Frida Kahlo — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku and Connections .

Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times.

Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox . Reach our team at [email protected] .

Desiree Ibekwe is a writer for The Morning newsletter, based in London. More about Desiree Ibekwe

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That Wacky Foreigner Said WHAT? The Comedy of Culture Clash

When cultures collide, hilarity often ensues. So too, often, do one-dimensional stereotypes. Speaking of often, it is with a similar frequency that I use this Comedy Tourism series to explore intercultural communication through humor — to try and understand laughter from the angle of others. But it’s also a popular choice in comedy to turn that which makes us different into the joke itself.

This culture clash trope is a pretty old entry in the joke book, but not necessarily antiquated. Most people know what it feels like to be the oddball, the fish out of water or at the very least left out. I know my fellow comedy nerds are nodding knowingly. But for all its relate-ability, the culture clash punch line is a delicate one to walk. Portraying colliding cultures comically offers a perfect opportunity for social commentary or biting satire. Then again, emphasizing the odd man out versus the “normal” group can play for cheap laughs — cheap laughs that might perpetuate racism, sexism and all those other “isms” that Ferris Bueller deemed “not good.”

We live in a world of consistently shifting global powers and perceptions. The connectivity of the Internet and social media has increased our exposure to a variety of new viewpoints and cultures. It doesn’t change the joke of cultures colliding, it just causes the terms of the humor to change and shift more rapidly. At one point in the not so distant past, Russians were the bad guys and there seemed to be carte blanche in lambasting those pinko commies. Nowadays, harping on the oddness of former Soviets might be less offensive than just plain anachronistic. There are much more egregious examples of racial and ethnic stereotypes that may have elicited uproarious laughter 50 years ago, but would today muster groans and disapproving glances of the politically correct variety.

So, it isn’t so much that relying on this comedic device is outdated, it’s just that the use of the culture clash trope puts a comedic work at an immediate risk of becoming quickly outdated.

And yet, no matter how un-PC or old-fashioned a comedy may seem in today’s context — there still exists that relatable sentiment of feeling different somehow and it’s easy to sympathize with both sides in this situation. Communication is difficult, even when you speak the same language. Throw in an inherent mutual misunderstanding, and you have yourself a fresh bowl of piping hot comedy. For better or for worse.

Do You Understand the Words That Are Coming Out of My Mouth?

It’s one of the most famous lines from a classic example of culture clash comedy, Rush Hour. Chris Tucker shouts these words into Jackie Chan’s face very early on in their relationship. It’s a little too on the nose, but of course Brett Ratner is not known for his subtlety. Nonetheless, it sums up a sentiment and scenario quite common in comedic cultural collisions. Not only is there a cultural barrier, there’s a language barrier. Sometimes it’s meant to expose the un-worldliness of the dominant culture’s representative, and sometimes it’s a joke purely at the expense of the bumbling foreigner. There could be an entire sub-genre for Jackie Chan — who has repeated the formula for all three Rush Hours, and also in Shanghai Noon and its natural successor Shanghai Knights.

It does not always have to be a lowbrow joke. After all, who among us hasn’t found themselves, at home or abroad, boxed into a corner of frustration by the walls of language? But in addition to this frustration being a joke unto itself, it can also be played for nuance, broad comedy or clever wordplay. In Lost in Translation , Bill Murray’s character sits on his hotel bed bewildered and helpless as a woman of the night begs him to “lip her stockings.” The situation is already absurd; it’s not a joke on the strangeness of the Japanese language, it’s the addition of the characters’ inability to understand each other that makes the whole thing madcap.

The Stupid American

We’re so wonderfully self-deprecating when we want to be, aren’t we? While the mind immediately goes to Coming to America or Crocodile Dundee when we think of culture clash comedies, it’s also very common to see a big, stupid American dropped into a strange new culture (egads, France!) and must fight his/her way to common ground. Sometimes this manifests itself as a broad big dumb American who must learn a lesson, or more nuanced self-deprecation, other times it feels much more like a neurotic Woody Allen-type navigating the sharky cultural waters. And sometimes it is just Woody Allen.

I only say stupid American, because generally it is — but really I should say stupid cultural imperialist from a privileged Western nation. An Idiot Abroad may just be a cruel prank Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais are playing on Karl Pilkington, but it distinguishes itself by making Pilkington’s xenophobia the butt of the joke and the countries he visits the accomplices. It’s a clever reversal of the typical travel shows that ooh and ahh at the exotic otherness of a different culture. In An Idiot Abroad , Karl is very much the other.

Before it was bafflingly green lit as a sitcom, Outsourced was actually a decently well-received film starring Josh Hamilton of With Honors and other forgettable 90’s movies fame. Hamilton plays a corporate suit sent to India to train his replacement; he is both the big, dumb (slightly-racist) idiot and the self-deprecating American. This duality is illustrated around the 30 second mark of the trailer where he tells a group of call center trainees “basically you people need to learn about America.”

After uttering the ubiquitous condescending generalization of “you people,” he proceeds to do some light regional humor for the group — thereby also acknowledging the shortcomings of his homeland.

A moment like this early in a film also indicates an extremely common third act device in these culture collision comedies:

Oh wait, I’m just like “you people” after all.

This is the overarching message, moral realization, and voiceover epilogue in 95% of these types of films.

The Relationship Divide

If communication is difficult, relationships are next to impossible. Leave it to comedy (and melodrama, but what’s the difference, am I right Melinda and Melinda?) to throw in cultural difference for good measure. Men and women might not be from Venus and Mars respectively, but if you want your romantic comedy to have a good culture clash, one of them better be from France.

July Delpy’s 2 Days in Paris borrows heavily from the aforementioned school of Woody Allen — neurotic New Yorker swimming in a sea of self-loathing surrounded by a beautiful European city s/he finds both arousing and terrifying. But the stupid American from above must navigate the sexual waters of Paris in order to meet his French girlfriends’ family without getting turned into a croissant at midnight.

The Relationship Divide + Family

Not only is unsuspecting mate dating someone from a different culture, now s/he is forced into the whole family due to marriage or some other major life event. Wacky, cultural idiosyncrasies ensue before overall acceptance and togetherness in the end. See: My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Unless you already have, which let’s face it, you probably have. That movie made over $368,000,000 worldwide. The show based on it didn’t last a season. I’d say we all got out relatively unscathed.

Intentional Confrontational Collision

Sacha Baron Cohen might have invented this category. The film Borat is just one big cultural clash, a giant stunt exposing the hypocrisies of Americans by manufacturing these collisions with one ballsy interview after another. Bruno is much of the same, though far less funny. His upcoming film The Dictator takes a more traditional narrative approach — a pastiche of Middle Eastern dictators gel into one made-up one arriving at the threshold of America for whatever clashes and misunderstandings that will result in the most laughs. This film looks like a vehicle for Cohen to take dual potshots at Americans and buffoonery in the Middle East…And poor Megan Fox.

These are just a few examples of themes in the comedy of culture clash, specifically in the arena of international cultures. There can also be culture clashes played out for comedy within one’s national borders. You could easily put Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles into that broader pool. There’s also the whole alien/human divide played for comedic effect in a show like Mork and Mindy or the film Paul or the Coneheads sketch. Or how about cultural collisions courtesy of historical transplants and time travel? Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court or the equally literary film Encino Man certainly would qualify as gainful employers of the culture clash trope.

What I find particularly interesting about looking at it through the international lens — aside from that being how I tend to look at things anyway — is it tells us not only how we as Americans and Westerners perceive cultures different to ours, but it also tells us about ourselves. What we find frustrating in other cultures, is telling about our own.

In his documentary Exporting Raymond , show creator Phil Rosenthal portrays his battles with obstinate Russian TV executives and production staff while he struggles to preserve his creative, American vision. He wants we the viewers to sympathize with how hard it is for him to work with obstacles like these people and this country. But the movie paints a much clearer picture of the egoism of Americans, than the stubbornness of the Russians.

Though, we all agree Russians are stubborn right?

Laura Turner Garrison sometimes writes commercials, she sometimes writes comedy, but she always rights wrongs.

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Unveiling the Hidden Social Impacts of Tourism: Culture Clash, Globalization, and Conservation Efforts

Video highlights.

Sustainable Tourism: The Impact of Responsible Travel on Communities and Environments

Summarizing the video through a Q&A session

Video Cover Image: Unveiling the Hidden Social Impacts of Tourism: Culture Clash, Globalization, and Conservation Efforts

IMAGES

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  2. Culture Clashes With Tourists In Laos

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  6. Culture Clash: Tourism in Tibet

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COMMENTS

  1. 15 Culture Clashes I've Had As an American Traveling in Asia

    8. People in China, with its population of over 1 billion, have a different understanding of personal space than Americans do. Chinese national flags are seen as tourists crowd along the Nanjing ...

  2. Why is culture clash a negative for tourism?

    Here are some reasons why culture clash is considered detrimental to tourism: Culture Shock: Tourists often experience culture shock when encountering new cultures, customs, and languages. This can result in feelings of disorientation, frustration, and anxiety, which may lessen the overall enjoyment of the travel experience.

  3. (PDF) Cultural conflict, tourism

    Abstract. A cultural conflict is a dislike, hostility, or struggle between communities who have different philosophies and ways of living, resulting in contradictory aspirations and behaviors. The ...

  4. Tourists behaving badly: how culture shapes conduct when we're on holiday

    The idea that people are more likely to behave badly on holidays than at home, as some societal pressures are removed, appears plausible. But the case of Chinese tourists demonstrates that's not ...

  5. The Impact of Culture on Tourism

    The Impact of Culture on Tourism examines the growing relationship between tourism and culture, and the way in which they have together become major drivers of destination attractiveness and competitiveness. Based on recent case studies that illustrate the different facets of the relationship between tourism, culture and regional attractiveness, and the policy interventions which can be taken ...

  6. Cultural Clash: Interpreting Established Use and New Tourism Activities

    Tourism underpins the preservation of protected natural areas in many countries in the Western world (including Norway, Sweden, Finland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). ... Cultural Clash: Interpreting Established Use and New Tourism Activities in Protected Natural Areas. Kerry Wray Lincoln University, ...

  7. Cultural clash: Interpreting established use and new tourism activities

    Nature-based tourism studies, particularly in New Zealand and Norway, have identified a "culture clash" between domestic and international tourism [35]. These authors point out that for domestic ...

  8. What is Paris Syndrome?

    Paris Syndrome: Troubles in tourism The culture clash phenomenon that almost exclusively affects Japanese travelers. This story was published on our Quartz Weekly Obsession newsletter, an email ...

  9. The Impact of Culture on Tourism

    The Impact of Culture on Tourism examines the growing relationship between tourism and culture, and the way in which they have together become major drivers of destination attractiveness and competitiveness. Based on recent case studies that illustrate the different facets of the relationship between tourism, culture and regional attractiveness, and the policy interventions which can be taken ...

  10. Tourism and Culture

    This webpage provides UN Tourism resources aimed at strengthening the dialogue between tourism and culture and an informed decision-making in the sphere of cultural tourism. It also promotes the exchange of good practices showcasing inclusive management systems and innovative cultural tourism experiences.. About Cultural Tourism. According to the definition adopted by the UN Tourism General ...

  11. Globalisation and cultural change in Pacific Island countries: the role

    Culture plays a major role in and for tourism. Culture serves as a major attraction and thus has the ability to preserve or revive cultural practices (McKercher, 2002). ... geopolitical change, technology and popular culture. Examples of the clash of civilisations paradigm include geopolitical changes resulting in different tourism markets and ...

  12. Impact of Social & Cultural Issues on the Tourism Industry

    Culture clash works both ways. Tourists may offend by what they do, but also the locals can offend the tourists by what they do. For example, in China, it is normal for parents to let their ...

  13. Tourism culture: Nexus, characteristics, context and sustainability

    Tourism culture may best be seen as a nexus between host culture and guest culture (see Fig. 3).On the one hand host culture is that which is indigenous to a locale: its particular arts and crafts, language, traditional roles, festivals, and ways of doing things (Simpson, 1993, Smith, 2009, Tapper, 2001, Tsartas, 1992).In the case of small islands, these often host unusually rich and ...

  14. NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL Culture clashes

    NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL Culture clashes. Culture clashes is because tourism involves the movement of peoples to different geographical locations, and establishment of social relations between people who would no matter they have meet or not. Cultural clashes can take place as a result of differences in cultures, ethnic and religious ...

  15. Why last-chance tourism is the latest controversial travel trend

    Travellers are racing to see parts of the world that could soon vanish forever due to the effects of climate change, in a trend known as "last-chance tourism". Travel and tourism is responsible ...

  16. Culture Clash for Tourist Cash? @ nationalgeographic.com

    Our tourist dollars can do lots of often unrecognized good—not only by helping financially, but by placing public value on local crafts, arts, dance, music, and heritage. That's important; it ...

  17. Tourism and Culture Clash in Indian Country

    Tourism and Culture Clash in Indian Country by Alan A. Lew Dept. of Geography & Public Planning Northern Arizona University, Box 15016 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5016, USA tel: 1 (520) 523-6567 fax: 1 (520) 523-1080 e-mail: [email protected] and Christina B. Kennedy Dept. of Geography & Public Planning Northern Arizona University, Box 15016 ...

  18. Cultural conflict

    Cultural conflict. Cultural conflict is a type of conflict that occurs when different cultural values and beliefs clash. Broad and narrow definitions exist for the concept, both of which have been used to explain violence (including war) and crime, on either a micro or macro scale.

  19. Culture Clash: 30 Ways to Avoid Offending the Next Person ...

    Islamic etiquette recommends that one waits for the other to withdraw their hand first before doing the same. Always use the right hand. Do not be surprised if your hand is held while you are led ...

  20. Climate Change and 'Last-Chance Tourism'

    The glacier, like many others, is melting rapidly. A new, higher lift opened recently to stay closer to the retreating ice. And a study published in the journal Science last year found that around ...

  21. PDF Culture Clash: Tourism in Tibet

    Culture Clash: Tourism in Tibet | Tibet Watch 2014 -3- Cyclists blocking the road on National Highway 318 The above photo from Chinese Twitter-equivalent micro-blog site Weibo shows just how many Chinese tourists were flocking to Tibet in search of adventure over the summer of 2013. According to the accompanying blog post:

  22. World Cup Brings Two Million Visitors and an Epic Culture Clash to

    Nov. 15, 2022 11:08 am ET. Text. DOHA—With days to go, Qatar is bracing for a soccer World Cup unlike any global event before it, as a crowd of rowdy soccer fans two-thirds the size of its ...

  23. That Wacky Foreigner Said WHAT? The Comedy of Culture Clash

    But for all its relate-ability, the culture clash punch line is a delicate one to walk. Portraying colliding cultures comically offers a perfect opportunity for social commentary or biting satire.

  24. Unveiling the Hidden Social Impacts of Tourism: Culture Clash

    The tourism industry has both positive and negative social impacts on host communities. Positive impacts include preserving local culture, strengthening communi ... This article is a summary of a YouTube video"Unveiling the Hidden Social Impacts of Tourism: Culture Clash, Globalization, and Conservation Efforts" Video creator:Dr Hayley Stainton.

  25. Quiz & Worksheet

    An approach to tourism that would prevent culture clash Positive influence of tourism on a local community Skills Practiced.