Boors Unlimited

"Do not curse locals. When in Scotland, don't buy stones as souvenirs. Don't leave footprints on the lavatory seat."
Chinese tourism etiquette manual

Also, take care to be sensitive to the sensitivities of foreigners living in their own countries. Which, as Chinese tourists, one is a visitor to. Imagine, the United Nations World Tourism Organization cites this little factoid: 83-million Chinese tourists spent almost $100-billion overseas in 2012, travelling to see the world around them and spending, spending, spending.

It is considered a valuable coup for a country to be included on the official Communist China tourism list, where Chinese citizens with their newly-found wealth, are given implicit permission by their state, to visit. The Chinese are intelligent, enterprising, curious people. And they like to travel. They are curious about how other people live, and they are fascinated by other cultures.

But it seems that some among them are expressing less than sophisticated habits while abroad. And this appears to have become a matter of some concern to the tourism chiefs of China's Communist Party. They have now gone out of their way to recommend that Chinese cut back on their limp handshakes, their public nose-picking, soiling of swimming pools, that kind of thing.

What comes naturally in one culture does not necessarily bring huge admiration in others. While international destinations beckon and countries of the world are anxious to attract tourism to boost their bottom line especially with tourists who have money to spend, a growing global image of Chinese travellers behaving boorishly has embarrassed China.

Chinese tourists visit a popular waterfront promenade in Hong Kong. (AFP/Philippe Lopez)

 

Vulgar and impetuous tourist had "damaged the image of Chinese people and caused vicious impact" on the reputation of the entire country, according to Wang Yang, a national leader. Imperiously ordering locals to take their photographs, urinating or spitting in public pools, fingering facial cavities to extrude foreign bodies are now forbidden.

Instructions are telling, relating to a sense of exquisite fastidiousness; the sign of a cultured society: nasal hair to be properly trimmed at all times. Cutlery, pillows and aircraft life jackets to be returned politely after use.

Not to be treated as takeaway "found" gifts.