The American Tourist

A french friend asked me some time ago why americans never leave the U.S and how come they never have the desire to visit Europe, for example?

He lived in Paris for a while and said that he met up with young lads, 20-25 yrs old, from all over the world who came to see Paris, and he was amazed that there wasn't a single young tourist from the U.S.

I told him it's a different mentality. While in other countries, youngsters dream of the day they'll finish their studies, grab their savings, pack their bags and travel the world for a few weeks/months...the young american doesn't share this dream. How often do you hear a young american saying s/he can't wait to visit China/Japan/India/France/England/Spain etc etc? it's simply not part of American culture to travel the world.

Now don't say it's about money. Even if you cut down the prices by half, most would still prefer to stay in the U.S because like I said, it's not part of the "plan". The young american will go on to college, maybe uni, job, then marriage and family. And if there's time and desire to travel, it will most likely be in the states.

People spend so much money on things they don't really need. If they REALLY wanted to travel the world so badly they would've done it. It's just not on top of the list for americans.

That's basically what I told him. I spoke mostly of youngsters, but of course that's not to say most americans go on to travel the world in their 30's or 40's. Not many do, I think.

I once started a thread "how many u.s states have you been to" - many have not even been to half. Does that explain why out of the u.s is out of the question? I don't know. I doubt most french tourists have seen all of France before going to NY and London.

Then Danito started a thread "how many european countries have you been to" -- and many have answered with "zero".

So who is "The American Tourist" ? where can you find him?

Fame, I'm not sure what you're talking about. My niece spent a semester in Siena and traveled throughout Italy and went to as many nearby countries as she could while she was there.

My nephew and his best friend spend six weeks touring Europe after graduation.

My maid of honor spent three weeks touring Europe just before my wedding.

We just had dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday and his son told me that he was planning to go to China to teach English after graduation.

When we've gone to Italy, we often meet other Americans. I'm not sure why you think Americans don't travel to Europe.

BTW, I have to disagree with you about the money factor. We haven't been back to visit the family in Italy in several years because the airfare is about $1500 roundtrip per person.

Babe, there are probably thousands of American tourists all over the world. This thread is not about proving their existence.

I've about 20 friends from Chicago and Boston - only 6 have left the U.S.

This thread is not set to compare how many you know or I know.

What I want to find out is why there are few americans compared to other non-american tourists.

But if I'm wrong then please prove it by total percentage, not by who you know or heard of.

Is it true that more than 50% have never left the states?

What's the percentage in other countries?

I'm just curious about this, that's all. Because it's not the first time I hear that americans rarely go abroad. I'm terrible at finding things online, but if someone can come up with official numbers, then that would be great.

Fame,

Been alot of places in the states bro.. But out of country only on TV. Yepper , LOL , Boring . And there are so many super places to visit, fine food to be eaten and good booze to be drank. But I love other people. If they aren't it is not gonna happen to me.

But Fame my friend , would like to add one item. On two hands, we can count aquaitances, we have meet along the journey of LIFE . But my friend, on one hand, one hand !!!!! Sound like Jimmy Twotimes lol. ( On one fucken Hand your blood, friends, aquainatces , FOR REALLY FUCKEN BEIN THAR ! Sorry but ya just might have 2-3 digits left for picken you nose or (LOL not gonna go thar )

Just Sayen .Fame , ya are good man !

A likely answer might be: geography. The US is such a big country, with so many varied climates, and so many ethnic groups and neighborhoods, that many people simply don't feel the need to travel to Europe. Plus you can get very "foreign" experiences in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
That's probably the reason that so few Americans are multilingual.

Europe's almost the exact opposite. Nations are smaller, closer together, share multiple borders. The next country is a short drive, train or ferry away. EU encourages cooperation. That's why so many Europeans are multilingual.

First off, it's much easier for Europeans to visit neighboring countries than it is for Americans. That's probably 90% of the battle right there. All the countries of Europe can fit into the United States east of the Mississippi River, plus Texas. Traveling to different countries in Europe is like traveling state-to-state for us -- without lengthy and costly airfare.

The UK is slightly smaller than Oregon, Spain is slightly more than twice the size of Oregon, the Netherlands are slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey, etc. Hell, the U.S. is even larger than Australia. Having not to "even been to half" of the U.S. states would be like not having "even been to all" countries of Europe plus most of the Middle East.

Whether it's "not part of the plan" for Americans to travel overseas I'm not sure about -- that's conjecture on your part. I don't know if it's "the mentality" of Americans or not. I'd love to go back to Italy and Costa Rica myself. As well as return to our neighbors to the north and south (Canada and Mexico). And Asia! I also think it is the expense, time commitment, and language barriers as well that may prevent some people from travelling as much overseas as they'd like.

Guess Turnbull and I were thinking the same thing

Frosty - thanx!

Well let's not make it a U.S-Europe comparison only. But if we're at it, we need to check whether europeans travel much outside of Europe. It would be interesting to know how many U.S tourists have been to Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile compared to Europeans. Maybe that will answer if it's only a matter of geography.

The fact that one lives in a huge country should not affect the desire to visit and explore different countries. If you grow up dreaming about Paris, it doesn't matter if you haven't been to Arizona or Texas, or if you've got 49 states to visit.

If touring the world is some sort of a nice thought rather than actual plan, then that's what I mean by mentality. I speak to people from different countries who say that they all knew that at this and that point in life, they will travel the world like everyone else in their country. That's part of the "plan" I mentioned - it's deeply rooted in their lives, this "trip" they are SUPPOSED to do.

Each nation has its culture and habits; if everyone around you is doing something or love something, most chances you'll do it as well. If you ask non-americans and non-indians about baseball, for example, most will tell you it's the most boring game they've ever watched. Even if you sit and explain why it's so great they will most likely fall asleep. Because it's a cultural sport above anything else. It's part of the american identity.

This identity is composed of many elements; touring the world is not one of them.

You can do it, and maybe everyone in your circle does it as well, like SB mentioned...but if most americans don't have a passport, then it's hard to say tourism is part of american culture.

I live in suburban Washington, DC. The American tourist is here all summer. I've travelled a good bit to our national parks, always lots of tourists out there, including a lot of Europeans.

I think it's harder for Americans to find time for travel purposes. On average, we don't get nearly as much time off as Europeans. Plus, it's really not unusual for Americans to move 1000 miles or more to find careers. If you get three weeks off every year, spend one visiting the folks back home, it really doesn't leave much time to develop a roving habit.

I've been to Sicily almost every year for the past 15 years. I know that island like the back of my hand. I could drive across it blindfolded. Yet, I've never once been to California!! I've never been to Washington DC!! That kinda sucks.

You meet a ton of Americans in Australia, In Western Australia, Perth there are a lot of Texans though they are here because of our booming mining industry.

So I googled a bit for americans with no passport...and most websites mention that only about 30% own a passport. That's not official of course. Neither is the following bit from wikipedia, which argues for a rise in number since 2006 :

"For many years, passports were not required for US citizens to re-enter from countries near the United States (including Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and most Caribbean and Central American nations.) In light of this, and given the country's immense size and the great distances which the average citizen lives from an international border, passport possession in the United States had remained relatively low. Indeed, most Americans normally did not obtain passports or carry them regularly unless traveling abroad, and as of 2006, only 60 million (20% of Americans) had passports.[7] As of 2011, approximately 37% of Americans have Passports or Passport cards"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_documents_in_the_United_States

Wow, how nice that you get to go every year. I keep saying I'm going to go but for me it does take some saving. Btw, my father was born in the city of Trapani. Have you been there? I still have relatives there and Alcamo but only met one a few years back when he came to visit America. Do you know Italian?

TIS

Well, as usual, too much of a good thing is just that. Too much! And yes the ticket prices are up there. You were right, they average about $1500, but if you know when you're going to be there exactly, you can get them cheaper in the off season. From April-August, they are very high. If you buy around this time, they're a bit cheaper, but not much (maybe $1200). My husband still has his summer house from when he grew up there, so that helps.

We usually go once a year, but this past summer the kids and I stayed home. I just wasn't having it. So my husband went by himself. Like I said...too much of a good thing. For me, I'm happy with a couple weeks in Wildwood, truth be told.

Yes!! In 2010 I was in Trapani. It's close to Agrigento, which is where we stay. The salt there is unbelieveable. It's great you still have family there. It's really beautiful.

And to answer your last question, I struggle to speak proper Italian. I really only know Sicilian fluently. That's a shame, but it is what it is. I only grew up hearing the dialect and now that's all my husband and his family speak, so I never learned proper.

Carmela,

Actually those prices are not too bad.

Both my parents are Sicilian so that's what I was raised hearing as well. My parents never pushed us to learn it although they encouraged it.My grandmothers only spoke Italian and maybe very very broken English. Beside my parents, my older brother is the only one that speaks it well. I have no doubt that many words are probably slang. Sometimes when they are speaking Italian (at least when I'm around my family/relatives in Michigan) I can pick up what a conversation is about but not understand word for word. Yet, those days are rare now with the older Italians in my family gone and the younger ones that never learned it.

TIS

Fame, I can only speak for me and the people I know. Almost all of them have traveled outside the USA. I thought you were asking for anecdotal answers.

I forgot, I was out of the country two times both years ago. Once, Mexico and once Canada (via Detroit border). That's the extent of my out of country experience.

TIS

I was out of the country only once (Canada) but I had an out of body experience once.

When we went to Naples/Sorrento a few years ago the place was full of American tourists, which was okay by me!

We are actually going to Poland of all places later this year....f**k knows why!!!!!

The geographical differences between America and Europe is a legitimate reason, I think, but I think Fame's giving Americans a hard time.

I know a lot of English people who've been to Europe, of course, but the extent of their travels have been package holidays, where they travel to the continent to lie on a beach all day with other English holiday-makers.

It's hardly "Culture with a capital C"; but "travel" as a concept has its own changing fashions. Certain places are "more cultural" than others, etc. There are different kinds of "Tourist" and "tourism".

In short, the apparent insularity of ordinary Americans isn't unique to your country, Fame.

If I ever come into unfathomable amounts of money, I'll travel the UK top to bottom before "seeing the world".

When i was in Australia i didn't meet any Americans in the whole of the 8 months i was there and i met alot of people from different countries. I met a lot of Canadians there but funnily enough they had a Canadian flag on there backpack so people didn't think they was American..

If giving a hard time means crying for a change, then I prefer that over accepting/defending the status quo.

I traveled and loved it, and that's why it bothers me. Because I want everyone to experience what I have. The first-hand experience of a different place, people, food, way of life, culture, nature, etc etc. One single visit leaves a lifetime impression. I do agree that prices are high, but when people waste thousands on iPhones and iPads and all kinds of unnecessary stuff, then priorities suck.

Saving money is necessary, but most americans as well as non-american tourists I've met around the world were not rich at all.

I'm sure Capo, that you will never forget your trip to NY. Would you honestly give it up for the sake of seeing all of UK first?

I agree that the experiences of travel abroad can, indeed, be priceless. However, families with children don't have much of a choice about when they travel. That means doing so during the height of the season, when airfare and hotels are at their most expensive, and all the sites are ridiculously overcrowded.

For my family to return to Italy, we would be talking about $6,000 in airfare alone. Considering how much less it cost to travel within the US, I just consider us lucky that we got to Italy twice with the kids.

The package holidays that us Brits love (to sunny climes such as Spain and the like) have never rocked my boat!!

To many Germans littering the places up as well....and lately it has got worse. European destinations are now awash with newly wealthy Russians. Gods what a vulgar mob