When traveling to a new location you may wonder if people can spot that you’re a tourist as opposed to a local. Or perhaps a local has identified that you’re a tourist without you even telling them.
If what the differences are between locals and tourists are leave you scratching your head, then you may not realize how to spot a tourist in a crowd of locals.
Walking Around Aimlessly
Since locals are used to their surroundings and have no problem getting around, they navigate at a confident pace. They don’t wander around looking confused about where they’re going. Regardless of where they’re going they can never seem to have it figured out. Whether they’re there to attend a wedding or just check out the local sites, they’re usually the ones walking around in circles or staring up at street signs trying to figure out where they are.
Locals, on the other hand, walk quickly and with intention. They seem to navigate a crowd with ease and weave in and out of people standing in their way. They are unphased by winding streets and are able to get from point A to point B in the blink of an eye.
Taking Lots of Photos
Tourists are known for walking around with cameras in their hands taking photos all over the place regardless of people trying to get around them.
Some tourists are so busy taking photos that they even put themselves or other people in danger since they’re only looking through their viewfinder for the majority of the day.
Chances are wherever there is a selfie stick, there is a tourist.
Struggling To Speak The Local Language
It goes without saying that most people who are struggling to speak the local language of where you are are most likely tourists.
While it can be frustrating and sometimes downright funny when tourists attempt to speak a foreign language and end up butchering it, at least they’re making an effort.
One of the rudest things that you can do which displays total ethnocentric behavior, is speak English to people in a non-English speaking country and get angry if they don’t understand. Therefore, even if tourists are struggling to speak correctly, at least they’re giving it an effort.
Tourist Clothing
Tourists love to buy merchandise which proudly displays the name of the place which they are visiting. Chances are if you see someone walking around with a classic bold and a brightly colored t-shirt with the name of the city you’re in that they are a tourist.
You may also see them wearing hats, carrying bags, and all sorts of other merchandise which you see all of the vendors pitching to tourists. They just can’t resist a good purchase which they can show to prove they visited somewhere!
