They don't want Russian tourists. "We don't serve Russians." Where our tourists are not welcome - and is this true? Not enough culture

The list of countries that do not like tourists from Russia has expanded in recent years. At the same time, residents of those places that are becoming more and more popular among Russians as resorts have joined the ranks of Russophobes. Due to the bad behavior of some compatriots abroad, the stereotypical thinking of the “hosts” and differences in cultures, Russian tourists may encounter rudeness and aggression from the host country on vacation.

Baltics. Once in the Baltic countries, you will probably notice that the opinions about Russia and Russians contained in the local media reflect the opinions of ordinary citizens much more than is commonly believed. The image of Russia as an occupying country, which has been imposed on the Balts for about 20 years, has become firmly entrenched in the minds of young people and is perceived extremely negatively. Thus, a Russian who decides to vacation in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia may encounter rudeness and rudeness. It will be better for you if you do not know local languages ​​- you will save your nerves. It is especially not recommended to know what “Russian pig” sounds like in Latvian, Estonian or Lithuanian. “A friend living in Riga, seething with anger, voiced to me the comments Latvians made to us, based on the fact that we are both Russian tourists and do not know the language,” says Anna. “The most interesting thing is that when they say nasty things to us, smiled."

In order to local restaurants and cafes to be served not least, it is best to communicate with each other in English, experienced tourists from Russia advise. When communicating in Russian, you risk waiting for your order for as long as you like. “We were traveling on the Moscow-Vilnius train. When it was our turn in the dining car at the bar counter, the bartender began to serve the Estonian woman standing behind us, and both he and she showed with all their appearance that it could not be otherwise,” - Irina says.

Ukraine, more precisely, its western part. No matter how much you try to talk to the hotel staff or waiter in Russian, nothing will work; they will still answer you in Ukrainian - out of principle. No one here believes that a Russian tourist may really not know what chorna kava is. “I couldn’t communicate with the waiters at all,” says Alexey. “They didn’t react at all to my Russian remarks. Orders had to be made through my Kiev friend. For two days, not a single, indeed not a single, waiter answered my questions. requests made in Russian."

In Lviv, the Kryivka restaurant, dedicated to the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), is thriving. There are anti-Soviet and anti-Semitic posters on the walls, and the names of the dishes on the menu will not excite the appetite of every Russian: fried crucian carp “Muscovites drunken crucian carp,” buckwheat “Everyday Life of the Wehrmacht,” cocoa “Childhood of Stepan Bandera.” But in order to be able to examine the interior of “Kryivka” and get acquainted with the menu, you need to know the password to enter the establishment - the organizational greeting of a member of the Bandera movement “glory to Ukraine” (in response - “glory to the heroes”). After a successful exchange of code words, the guard will ask you to swear that you are not a Muscovite or a communist.

If during the day the health of a Russian tourist in Lviv, by and large, is not in danger, then at night you can run into ill-wishers based on nationality anywhere - even on Lvovsky Square opera house. An ill-wisher can be recognized by the loud cry of “Muscovites to knives!”, and it is better not to wait for what will follow. “We were almost beaten in the very center of Lvov just because we were Russians. Militant-minded young people, having heard Russian speech, ran up to us, began shouting obscenities in broken Russian, offered to fight, accompanying their proposal with active gestures - so that we Apparently they understood,” says Alexey. “They fell behind when they found out that there were Ukrainians in our company - they decided to let us go in peace.”

Türkiye. How more rest in this country is gaining popularity among Russian tourists, the less local residents rejoice at their arrival. This is especially true for the female part of the population. Due to the thriving sex tourism in the country, women of Slavic appearance are increasingly faced with hostility from Turkish women. Turkish men are more supportive of Russian women, but they say about men that they do not understand what a family is, so they allow women to behave promiscuously. Turks often present complaints to Russians that have already become banal: a love of alcohol and fighting, an inability to behave at a buffet table. But there are also more original statements. “My wife doesn’t like Russians, she says they all have AIDS,” a Turk selling souvenirs in a hotel shop shared with a Russian tourist. “After which the interlocutor hastened to assure me that this is nonsense, and he, of course, does not believe in it,” says Evgenia.

France, Courchevel b. Interest in ski resort Courchevel began to awaken among the Russians a few years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian tourists of that time from current visitors of this prestigious resort, of course, are strikingly different. But despite the fact that the Russian oligarchs who come to the Alps today are sophisticated, educated people with good taste, the French do not favor them and do not want to be neighbors with them during their vacation. Actually, no one wants to live next to Russians during the “Russian seasons” in Courchevel. The behavior of rich Russians seems too shocking and even indecent to Europeans. In January 2007, billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov was arrested at the fashionable Byblos hotel in the company of 7 women on suspicion of organizing a pimping network. True, then all charges against Prokhorov were dropped and they apologized for the detention; the French were unable to prove the indecency of the actions of the Russian tourists. However, they still don’t favor Russians, because they all wear T-shirts with the inscription “Russia”, every restaurant has a menu in Russian, and they serve pickled cucumbers with vodka ordered at the bar without any questions asked. “And my French husband never tires of being surprised: where do they get so much money?!” says Daria, who has lived in Paris for 10 years.

For the period between the New Year and Orthodox Christmas, as well as at the beginning of March, the British and the French themselves have holidays during French Alps has to be postponed. “The French say that during the “Russian seasons” they have nothing to do there, and sigh with nostalgia,” says Daria. “They believe that the Russians took Courchevel from them, and cannot forgive them for this.”

True, there is a small part of the French who are happy about the massive influx of Russians. These are service personnel who remember our compatriots with gratitude because of the colossal tips.

India, Goa. It looks like Russian tourists have fallen out of favor at their favorite resort. Tourist Honeymoon Goa with Russia is over, The Times of India stated in February. Russian tourist visas are either expired or extended for a small bribe. Russians do business in Goa, commit crimes, attack local residents and with such behavior terrify Indians and scare away tourists from other countries - jeopardizing the well-being of the state's tourism industry, the newspaper writes. “We’ve never had problems before with the British, the Germans, the Scandinavians or even the hippies since the 70s,” the publication quotes George Fernandes, president of the Goa Tourist Taxi Association. “The Russians come and eat our bread. They do private cabs, meet us at car at the airport of their compatriots and do it under the guise of driving their friends. What, friends come to see them every week?! Russian tourists are representatives of the lower classes of society; they are hostile by nature, they believe in Goa. The companies they created in Goa do not pay taxes, and the Russians not only engage in crime themselves, but also represent a convenient environment for Indian criminals. Indian politicians do not deny that they once benefited from tourists from Russia, but note that they lost even more. And local residents say that they will not tolerate hostile attacks from the Russians, and promise to pay them in the same coin.

Firstly, let us immediately clarify that “Russian tourists” does not mean at all that they all come from Russia. For foreigners and hotel staff, “Russians” are everyone who speaks Russian, regardless of country or nationality.

Russian-speaking tourists often cause irritation among tourists and vacationers from other countries and among service personnel for the following reasons:

There are many Russian tourists and vacationers and their number is increasing,

As a rule, Russian tourists have poor command of foreign languages,

Russian tourists often behave quite noisily, regardless of those around them and accepted rules(after all, Russians traditionally believe that on vacation you can and should “have fun” to the fullest).

Once I myself witnessed how the administration of one German hotel at two o'clock in the morning, after unsuccessful warnings, she was forced to call the police to calm down the noisy company, which was just celebrating hotel room upcoming departure for home the next day.

Moreover, we were not talking about some wild tourists, but about a group of specialists from one of the reputable Russian banks who came to Germany for banking studies. And I was a translator for this group.

At the same time, if before this the Germans were considered the “worst tourists,” maybe everything is not so bad. Not to mention the fact that economically, Russian tourists probably still generate income, unless, of course, they scare away tourists from other countries with their presence.

Yuri Novikov

Articles about why there are so many complaints against Russian tourists abroad

"Cluster large quantity representatives of an unfamiliar culture in one resort, where people from different countries are already present, are more noticeable, and, therefore, cause more irritation. More and more Russian guests come to certain countries every year, it comes to the point that in some hotels there are 99% Russians. Of course, a lonely Dutchman feels awkward in such an environment, when everyone around him speaks only Russian.”

To improve the situation, Visser advises Russian tourists to have more contact with foreigners, without being embarrassed by their poor knowledge of the language.

Russian tourists are recognized as the worst in the world (08/28/2009 - turist.rbc.ru)
Russians topped the ranking of the worst tourists compiled by the English travel website Real Holiday Reports. This survey is conducted regularly by the site, and Britons who have returned from vacation rate the behavior of representatives at resorts. Russian tourists are recognized as the worst in the world of other countries. Usually the list of the most repulsive tourists was headed by the Germans, but this year the Russians unexpectedly took the lead.

The current survey involved more than 1,000 UK residents who have already traveled to summer rest to Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta.

Russian tourists irritate the whole world (08/29/2009 - www.newsland.ru)

Russian tourists have snatched the title of “worst travelers” from the Germans, claims the British tabloid The Daily Mail. The publication refers to the results of an online poll organized by the Real Holiday Reports website,

Russians in Egypt - Curiosities and incidents Behavior of Russian tourists in Egypt (www.egyptstyle.ru)

“In the summer of 2014 I was in Mallorca. There are few Russian tourists there, mostly Germans, English, French and Spanish. Those Russians we met pleasantly surprised us - they did not drink, did not row, but traveled around the island, studying history, taking photo reports, etc.

But the Germans... You cannot find sober Germans in Mallorca. For them, all the shops near the beach sell buckets (you know, black plastic ones, we use them to clean our floors), the bucket comes with 15 long straws and the filling is whiskey and cola, all together for 12.5 euros. The price tag is only in German. Already in the morning on every beach you can see such “daisies” from German tourists around the bucket.

They love Russians there like no other tourists. Russian women are admired; during a week of rest I received two marriage proposals. Russian women there are considered the most beautiful in the world, but the most important thing is that Russian women love children and value family, which Spanish women do not value at all now. More often than not, during a divorce, their children stay with their dad, but their mother has no time - she goes somewhere to seek her own personal happiness.

Russian tourists are also loved, of course, for their generosity. Locals said that over the previous season, 9 million Germans, 7 million British, 2 million French and only 200 thousand Russians came to them. But these 200 thousand Russians spent twice as much money as everyone else combined.

Only a Russian tourist, coming to the store, may not buy the best Mallorcan liqueur at 10 euros per bottle, just because it is too cheap!

Mallorcans gave nicknames to tourists:

The Germans are called "Plaça de cap" ("square head").

The English are called "Gambes" ("shrimp"). To our question: “Why shrimp?” The answer was: “The British arrive in the morning and immediately go to the beach. Unlike the Germans, they do not drink in cafes and restaurants, at least under an umbrella. They get drunk while lying in the sun. By evening the shrimp is ready!”

As for the Russians, they said that they were afraid to give them nicknames. And in general they are afraid. Again, there is a reason. In Mallorca, the locals do not speak Russian, and do not understand it, and even understand English very poorly, but they are very, very sociable. Among Europeans, the language barrier is not a problem - when they do not understand each other, they smile broadly, try to explain themselves with gestures, signs, etc.

And only Russian tourists, when they do not understand what a Mallorcan is telling them in his own language, begin to feel like a fool, and also consider those who babble something, trying to start a dialogue, to be fools. This is immediately reflected on the Russian’s face, it takes on a threatening look (here our Catalan friend depicted the face of a ferocious Russian). The interlocutor gets scared, tries to apologize, again, in Catalan, it doesn’t get any better, and the Russian’s face expresses “don’t come closer - I’ll kill you!”

At the end of the explanation, our Catalan friends said: “If this is a reaction to a simple conversation, can you imagine what will happen to us if the Russians find out that they have some kind of nickname?!”

By the way, quite strange behavior others had it too foreign tourists in relation to ours. Here is one funny incident (I feel proud of our men every time I tell this story):

There we met two young people from Pskov, very educated, interesting, and well-mannered. Both are tall, about two meters tall, athletic, strong.

On the very first day of vacation, in a cafe on the embankment, three tipsy Englishmen approached the table and began to bully our people. At first, the guys tried to explain that there was no need to ruin everyone’s vacation by fighting, but they didn’t let up. Our people stood up, stretched their necks, exchanged a few words in Russian, and... Silent horror in the eyes of the British, then the question: “Are you from Russia?” Ours - they say, yes. The British: "Oh, sorry, we don"t want problems! Sorry." and ran away. Our guys were surprised, shrugged their shoulders, and did not catch up.

Two days later, a similar situation happened with the Irish (they were sitting at the next table and glorifying Ireland, so we know for sure that they are Irish). And again, as soon as they found out that they had pestered the Russians, they apologized profusely and ran away, sobering up.

A day later, the same situation repeated itself, but then our guys managed to catch one by the scruff of the neck, and demanded to explain why you were bullying at first, and how do you find out that we are Russians, you run away, you don’t want to fight? The answer was great. With tears in his eyes, a young, lively Englishman said: “You Russians are crazy! We have so much fun on vacation - it’s very invigorating, to fight with someone, for example, with the Poles or the French. But the Russians fight too heartily - that’s a table in a cafe They’ll break someone’s head, they’ll break their legs, they’ll wash them in the toilet.”

It turns out that some insurance companies in Europe that insure tourists against injuries received in a fight do not insure against fights with Russians. Too serious injuries! (I don’t know for sure about the rules of insurance for tourists in Europe, I’m writing from the words of a caught Englishman).

Another case was told by the owner of a scooter and motorcycle rental shop. My friend and I wanted to rent a small scooter, but our category B license didn't work. Then we jokingly asked how much such a scooter costs, can we buy it and go? The interlocutor’s reaction shocked us: “Oh, no, again?! And then what should I do?!”

We wondered what he meant, and it turned out that not even a month had passed since a company of Russians arrived, also without the necessary rights. We also wanted to ride a scooter. Having not received the rental, ours asked how much they would sell it.

The seller (as it seemed to him) quoted a huge amount of 600 euros. Our guys said: “Pffffff, let’s take it,” they took 600 euros out of their pocket and paid for the scooter. The seller is completely shocked; ours left on a scooter. But two days later our vacation ended, and we couldn’t take a scooter on the plane. Before leaving, they brought the scooter to the seller, and with the words: “Listen, it will stay with you for a while,” they left. According to the law, he cannot use this scooter, and he is afraid to throw it away (in case the Russians return), so he is forced to organize a foster home.”

“Only our man” - Mikhail Zadornov, 2013 (Saratov)

The question of how Russians are treated abroad has acquired particular relevance in connection with the current difficult international situation, in which our country plays not one of the last roles. Many potential tourists are worried whether political squabbles will affect friendliness local population. Of course, in different countries The attitude towards tourists from Russia is different, however, openly aggressive behavior can be encountered, after all, rarely.

Even before the well-known events of recent years, our tourists abroad were treated somewhat biasedly in many countries. Somewhere, this attitude is rooted in the distant or not-distant past, and at certain resorts, tourists themselves have managed to tarnish their reputation, and politics have nothing to do with it.

If we do not take into account those countries that are not very welcoming to Russians due to political and historical events such as wars or occupations, there are several general points in the behavior of tourists from Russia that provoke a negative response.

Russian tourists are too loud and rude

Many people consider it absolutely normal to talk loudly, sing songs, swear at each other right on the street, and also, without hesitation, talk about everyone around them and make jokes in their direction. But what, the foreigners around you still don’t understand anything? They may not understand, but they can pick up volume and intonation well.

Russians believe that everyone owes them

For some reason, some of our compatriots, having come on vacation to another country, believe that everyone around them should: communicate politely and smile, even if they themselves walk with a straight face, make discounts, speak Russian, tolerate indecent antics and swearing , run as fast as you can on demand, and so on. This behavior is especially common among those who flew to another country on the cheapest ticket, but behave like a king. Would you like it if you were treated like this in your workplace?

Russians disrespect traditions

Many countries, including Arab, Hindu and Buddhist countries, have many traditions, customs and rules of behavior, the violation of which is offensive to the local population. For example, in the UAE you cannot go to in public places in beachwear, this is categorically unacceptable, since it is prohibited by religion. By the way, you shouldn’t be too naked, especially for girls, in Turkey or Egypt, but our tourists don’t even remember this. It is not surprising that after this, Russian girls are perceived there as easily accessible. By the way, shouting enthusiastically after you is not a sign of sympathy, but rather disrespect, because such behavior is not allowed towards local girls.

Russians drink too much and have poor table manners

In this case, we can say that what ruined the Russian tourist was not only, or rather not so much, Russian vodka, but the notorious system all inclusive. It simply does not fit in the minds of our tourists that one can eat and drink in moderation, even if everything, yes, everything, has been paid for. In order not to lose the hard-earned food and drink reserves already paid for the trip and hotel, Russian tourists fill the restaurant with full plates of food that they are not able to eat. By the way, many foreigners note that Russians do not know how to behave at the table, this applies to the use of cutlery, loud belching, and irrepressible fun.

As for alcohol, this topic has always been a sore subject for Russia. Once on vacation, many consider it their duty to “not go dry” for a day, it’s vacation! An excessive amount of alcohol consumed can lead to sad consequences, it’s good if it hits you in the head so much that you want to dance and have fun, or, at most, sing along with local songs. It's worse when alcohol starts to cause aggression, which can lead to fights. Russians' attitude towards alcohol and aggressiveness even lead to the fact that on the eve of May 9, many Germans are asked not to leave their rooms. Not ashamed?

Russians are very stingy and, at the same time, waste money

Many foreigners cannot explain this paradox. Russian tourists can haggle for a long time and tediously at the market to reduce the price of a magnet or a T-shirt, but for the same alcohol or other entertainment they can spend as much in an evening as the local population, especially in poor ones Asian countries, earns per month.

According to surveys, Russians are least liked in the Middle East, including countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Israel.

Why Russians are loved abroad

However, not everything is so bad. Of course, after reading everything that is written above, you might think that those abroad do not like us, or are even aggressive. In fact, if you behave as described above, then you should expect a corresponding relationship. However, in Russia they treat those who behave uncivilly in our homeland in the same way. There is only one conclusion: those who behave rudely are treated poorly. Behave decently and respectfully towards another country and you will receive a warm welcome and polite treatment in return.

In most countries, tourists from Russia are treated either neutrally, just like other guests, or well, with special warmth and interest. It is worth saying that in connection with recent political events, little has changed in the attitude of foreigners towards Russian tourists. Whatever they think about the foreign policy of our state, everyone understands perfectly well that the people of the country are not responsible for the actions of their leaders, therefore, even if they do not approve of the course of our country, their attitude towards Russian tourists it doesn't have any effect.

Russians abroad are loved for their openness and friendliness, for their sincere surprise at everything new, their keen interest in people and events happening around them, as well as their cheerful character (again, to a certain extent). In addition, many resorts in the most different corners the world became more developed precisely due to the fact that at a certain period they began to become fashionable among Russian tourists, who began to travel en masse to one place or another. In recent years, it is the segment of Russian tourists that has made a significant contribution to the development of the tourism industry in many countries.

According to surveys, Russians are most loved in Greece, as well as in South Korea and China.

How Russians are treated in different countries

Of course, in some countries the attitude towards tourists from Russia is special, and the degree can vary from a sharp minus to a rather noticeably hot plus. In most countries, the decline in temperature occurred a long time ago, and the reason for this was, as you might guess, military conflicts in which our country, to one degree or another, infringed on the rights of others.

Countries of Europe

Oddly enough, in Europe the attitude towards Russian tourists is neutral, even despite the strained relations. Most Europeans are much more concerned about their own well-being and the well-being of their home than conflicts with Russia. The attitude towards us here is rather neutral. No one will be aggressive or, especially, refuse service, but you can’t expect hugs and kisses either. The exception is Greece, where, according to a recent survey, we are the most loved in the world.

Perhaps, they are somewhat wary of Russians in Germany, and only due to the fact that in this country there are many youth parties and movements that are susceptible to opposition ideas. However, these young people are not aggressive, you shouldn’t expect an attack from them, the most they can do is drag them into a conversation “for life.” Also, according to an international survey in which 39 countries participated, Russians are least liked in France, although no one will show this openly.

USA

Of course, propaganda works quite well in the United States, so the idea of ​​Russia as an aggressor was firmly rooted in this country many years ago, and is now only being confirmed. However, the Russians here are rather a little afraid, and only if we are talking about some abstract Russians, because the Americans do not know what to expect from us. In direct contact, the residents of the United States are nice, accommodating and do not show any aggression. It cannot be said that tourists from Russia are incredibly welcome here, but you can count on a polite and correct attitude in any case.

South America and the Caribbean

Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, most likely, do not even think about the conflict somewhere in distant Eurasia, because for them it seems distant, and therefore uninteresting. To Russian tourists in Latin America They are friendly, you won’t find an aggressive attitude here, however, you won’t find anyone particularly friendly either. Tourists from Russia here are rather surprising and interesting.

The same can be said about the countries of the Caribbean, both continental and island. Russian tourists have not yet had time to explore these destinations en masse, so an opinion about Russians as a nation has not yet formed. Therefore, we are for them, just as they are for us, rather exotic. The only exception to the overall picture is, perhaps, Cuba. Many people here speak Russian, there are many Russian cars, and a significant part of the population, especially those over 40, studied in Russia. Most Cubans treat Russian tourists well, but there are those who are supporters of the United States and do not feel much sympathy for Russians. Outwardly, however, this does not manifest itself in any way, except that they smile back not so often.

Asia

In Asian countries, tourists from Russia, as well as from all other countries, are treated more welcomingly than anywhere else. People are always happy to help here, the locals are friendly, and their sincere smiles immediately put you in a positive mood. However, here, as elsewhere, mirror relationships are in use: if you behave uncivilized or arrogantly, you will receive rudeness in response. In recent years, at resorts favored by guests from Russia, for example, in Thailand or India, the attitude towards Russian tourists has become a little cooler, especially towards those who behave inappropriately. If previously they were neutral towards the antics of Russians, attributing it to peculiarities specific person, then with an increase in the influx of tourists and mass similar cases, the attitude becomes a little more wary. However, as soon as the locals understand that this is a normal, well-mannered person, an endless sea of ​​smiles and positivity is guaranteed. In Asian countries they treat children especially well; tourists with children are always ready to help and make all kinds of concessions.

Baltic countries and neighboring countries

Oddly enough, it is in the Baltic countries and neighboring countries, which are our immediate neighbors, that the attitude towards Russian tourists is ambiguous. And it is precisely in these countries that the negative attitude is connected not with the behavior of Russian vacationers, but with the historical past of our states.

Citizens of our country are treated negatively in Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine. In the first two countries this is due to the opinion of the local population about the period of Soviet occupation, and in Ukraine in connection with the events of recent years. In these countries, you may encounter that the locals will not speak Russian, although they know it perfectly, and in some places they may even refuse service. Tourists from Russia are treated a little more calmly in Lithuania and Poland, although one cannot expect a particularly warm welcome either.

They have a neutral attitude towards Russian tourists in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Albania, Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Despite the fact that we have had difficult relations with some countries in the past, today there is no noticeable negative attitude. In these countries you can always hope for a polite and hospitable welcome. Complex issue stands regarding Croatia, because in the Yugoslav conflict Russia sided with Serbia, which caused hostility on the Croatian side. However, in tourist places They don’t even remember this, and the tourists who go to Croatia are mostly intelligent ones, so the attitude here is rather friendly.

In Bulgaria, Montenegro, Belarus, Slovakia and Serbia, Russian tourists are treated well and received with all warmth. Some people are already used to us, and our cultural characteristics are similar in many ways, and with some countries, past political relations contribute to this attitude.

To summarize, I would like to note: despite the fact that in some countries the attitude towards Russian tourists is better than in others, it is still not worth abusing hospitality. Before traveling to the country, you should definitely ask the locals cultural characteristics and study traditions. Well, upon arrival, behave like a long-awaited, but at the same time, cultured, polite and friendly guest. In this case, no matter what country you come to, you can expect a good and friendly attitude.