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Travel is a major income source.
In 2022, travel and tourism's direct contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) was approximately 7.7 trillion U.S. dollars globally. This was 7.6% of the total global GDP.
With so many people traveling, there are a lot of opinions on the best and worst places to visit.
Reddit user yupyetagain asked:
"For world travelers: what is the country with the nicest people, and what is the country with the meanest?"
Perspective Is Key 🤔
"I feel like men and women may have VERY different experiences in some countries."
"India for example. I found it very friendly/respectful as a big/tall western man, but I’d not want my wife or daughters traveling alone there."
~ J4MES101
"Different races have different experiences too."
~ Downtown_Divide_8003
"I agree. I wish people would state their demographics so we could truly understand their experiences."
~ ZealousidealShift884
Montréal, Quebec, Canada, North American country — Nice 😃
"Went to Montreal once. Just got to the city and stopped in front of a street kiosk with a city map."
"Within a couple of minutes of staring at it, a woman approached us and asked if we needed help finding anything. She was local. English, but with a French accent."
"I was so confused and startled by this random act of kindness, that my initial thought was she was setting us up for something and I started looking behind my shoulder."
"The concept of a stranger helping us out for no particular reason was so alien to us that we were on guard for something that never happened. Turns out, people are just nice there and we weren't used to seeing it."
~ -Dixieflatline
"I was also shocked by how nice people in Montreal were."
"Went to a bar and we weren’t used to the currency - the bills get stuck together so easily! When we left the tip on the bar, we didn’t notice there were a ton of bills stuck together. I think we tipped $60 on a $35 tab accidentally."
"We were walking down the street and the waitress chased after us to give us the money back. She could tell it was stuck together."
"We were dumb struck. Obviously, we had her keep most of it, but we couldn’t believe she ran after us, in the middle of Winter, because we accidentally over-tipped."
~ sarocoy
China, East Asian country — Mean 😠
"Unfriendliest maybe China, but that can be related to language barrier."
~ One-Habit9786
"I found many mainland Chinese people to be incredibly rude as well."
"I visited a couple times back when I was more or less conversationally fluent, and they were still rude as hell so I don’t think it was just a language issue."
"It seemed to be more of a thing with middle-aged and older people. The younger folks I met there were much nicer."
~ No13baby
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balkan country, Southeastern Europe — Nice 😃
"Bosnia was a hugely friendly and welcoming place."
~ thecuriousiguana
"I agree. I'll never forget on my flight from Brussels to Sarajevo—which was mostly Bosnians flying home as far as I could tell—the lady beside me opened a pack of nuts and then offered me, a complete stranger a nut."
"Later in the flight as much as I tried not to I passed out from exhaustion and dropped my phone and I hadn't noticed until a nice Bosnian man handed it to me."
"This was all before I had even stepped foot in Bosnia."
~ Hiccupingdragon
"Most Bosnians would sleep on the floor and offer you their bed. They treat guests like kings. And are super friendly."
~ Traditional-Lion7391
Morocco, Northwest African country — Mean 😠
"Morocco. Had some of the most obnoxious dumba**es harass us."
~ Mothcicle
"Morocco is full of switching personalities."
"If you’re a White man on your own, it’s constant harassment to buy drugs and other nonsense."
"If you’re a woman or a group of women, it’s simply open season for harassment."
"If you’re there as a family, everyone is as nice as pie."
~ Right_Walk_6668
Ireland, island nation, Northwestern Europe — Nice 😃
"Nicest people ...Ireland. My niece is a harpist, used to go to Ireland every year to compete in an Irish music and dance festival. I'd go with her and my sister to be the driver (needed a van for the harp, no automatics to rent, sister couldn't drive stick)."
"We get into Dublin Airport and get the van, drive to the other coast to a small town called Ballybunion. I've barely slept from the flight over, hotel didn't have a parking lot, had to park the van in a lot a couple of blocks away near the business area. Streets and houses are all on the same level, no curbs. But the houses would have a low curb/fence put up around them as a bit of a boundary."
"Tired, driving on the wrong side of the road and turning down a narrow alley... drove up on the 'curb' of this one house. High enough that it's like having a jack on the van. Can't drive off of it. Road is the main road but it's one way. I back up traffic for a mile, it's a Sunday so no tow service nearby."
"Gentleman wanders over to us sitting there trying to get the van jacked up high enough to get the tire onto the curb."
"'Oh fook a duck laddie, that's a bang-up parking job."
"Proceeds to take over, borrows a plank of wood from one of the houses nearby and wedges it under the tire to give traction to back up. Sister tried to give him cash for helping, turns out it's is mother's home. She's off on holiday."
Later that week, we saw him in the pub and tried to buy him a pint.
"'Fook no, I've been drinkin' fer free all week tellin' the story about the American that backed up traffic to the next town!'."
"He bought us pints all night, still friends with him today."
~ Eligius_MS
Guangdong, China, East Asian country — Mean 😠
"I understand Mandarin/Cantonese and went to Guangdong for a holiday. Worst holiday ever because I understood how rude they were."
"When I tried on clothes at a mall shop and didn't find anything which I liked, the sales girls b*tched out loud to each other that I shouldn't be trying anything if I wasn't going to buy anything."
"At another shop, I asked if they had a certain design in stock. When they offered an alternative, I tried it on, and I could hear them complaining out loud about me being a nuisance just because I asked if they had a particular design in stock. Plus, they did it deliberately loud Mean Girls style, like they wanted you to hear what they were saying.
"I had people scold ME for exclaiming 'hey!' when THEIR spit accidentally landed on my shoe. One lady in her 20s cut the line when I was just about to pay, and then yelled at me."
"Ordering food at a semi-popular dessert store meant being body slammed like we were at a mosh pit. I was never so glad to leave a country."
~ Odd-Cobbler2126
Eastern United States, North American country — Nice 😃
"I’m French (not from Paris)."
"I haven’t been all around the world yet, but so far, the nicest people I met were….Americans."
"All over the East Coast, from NYC to Key West, I met a lot of really outgoing and friendly people, always willing to help out or eager to chat."
~ KeyOui5
"I’m Irish. I love Americans. I find them so incredibly friendly and open."
~ Jenbag
"Americans really don't get the credit they deserve for being nice to tourists. They seem genuinely pumped that people are visiting their country."
~ punkterminator
10 BEST Places To Visit On EAST COAST Road Trip - Top Vacation Spots In The USyoutu.be
France, Western European country — Mean 😠
"The French."
"I am not a huge world traveler so I'm no authority, but in my experience the French folks I met were not very friendly, and liked to make fun of people and any attempts to speak their language."
~ CountessBloodbath
"France was the one place where it didn't matter how I interacted with people; they were all prickly and, well, French!"
~ Sorry_Dragonfruit_17
Thailand, Southeast Asian country — Nice 😃
"Thailand. Nicest people."
~ Used_Start_3603
"Best service ever, especially if you tip."
~ CristinaKeller
"Well, they call Thailand the Land of Smiles."
~ NousSommesSiamese
Manila, Luzon, Philippines, Southeast Asian archipelagic country — Mean 😠
"The meanest is probably Manila Philippines."
"I've been there 3 times and every time I encounter the coldest least friendly people I've ever met."
"I heard good things about other places away from Manila so I'll have to experience that first."
~ zaryaguy
Iran, Northwest Asian/Middle Eastern country — Nice 😃
"Friendliest country unironically Iran."
You get invited for dinner almost every day."
"People are eager to help you, and they take a personal pride in travellers experience of their country.
"You feel looked after like a beloved relative."
~ One-Habit9786
"An Irish friend of mine went to Iran on vacation with his entire family."
"It was like a competition to see who could be more kind and generous."
"They were constantly being invited places, given things, given rides, etc... Sounded adorable."
~ CactusBoyScout
Hong Kong, Special Admin Region of China, Southeast Asian city — Mean 😠
"Rudest is unarguably Hong Kong. Of the three times I've visited I've always had a sh*tty encounter."
~ BewareIAmUnaware
Taiwan, East Asian island country — Nice 😃
"Taiwan is awesome and the people are super welcoming and nice."
~ Satanic_Doge
"German here, Taiwan is definitely true!"
~ Phondrason
"I've been to several countries."
"The nicest I've ever come across is probably Taiwan."
~ zaryaguy
The Top 10 Best Places to Visit in TAIWAN in 2023 - Travel Videoyoutu.be
You get what you give... except in France 😬
"It also depends on how you act. If you act unruly and obnoxiously, you are likely to not be treated well."
"If you are polite, friendly, quiet, and adhere to local customs, you should be treated well in most places."
"France is the only country I’ve been to where it doesn’t seem to matter. They can be really rude."
~ Sorry_Dragonfruit_17
"Male, American and White here. I found that it highly depends on how you carry yourself."
"There is a stereotype about loud Americans for a reason. I found myself annoyed by most Americans when overseas."
"It also depends on the customs of the places you visit. Some places are open to strangers while others are not."
~ scootdaddie
"The rudest people on Earth live in France and I will not take any argument because I am correct."
~ Gunbuckets
An environment one person is uncomfortable in—or feels unwelcome in—might be the friendliest spot imaginable to another traveler.
It's best to know all the details when someone says a place is friendly or rude before allowing it to influence your travel decisions.