Is It Time To Retire ‘Ugly American’ From the Travel Lexicon?

Anthropologists, New York City cabbies, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke, New York Times writer Paul Vitello and many others agree: We need to rethink the use of the term “ugly American.” “Let it be said that no group holds a monopoly on the title of ‘ugly,’” writes Vitello in Sunday’s paper. “Tip-stiffing, line-jumping, excessive price-haggling, sidewalk-blocking-when-stopping- suddenly-to-take-pictures- of-a-person-playing-the- steel-drums—none of these are unique to any national group.” As evidence, Vitello points to the recent Expedia survey of European hoteliers that ranked French, Indian, Chinese, Russian and British tourists as the worst tourist nations in the world.

Vitello’s story is one of many I’ve recently seen that pushes back against the stereotype of the ugly American. It’s a good trend, I think, but let’s not get too carried away pointing fingers at other cultures. As Vitello also points out, “people from different countries observe different customs—not only of speaking, but of eating, sleeping, gesturing, counting change, observing boundaries of personal space, tipping cab drivers, standing in lines, avoiding certain topics of conversation at dinnertime as unbearably disgusting—is a truism one probably can never be reminded of too often.”

That shouldn’t excuse, say, tossing around money in insulting ways or excessive, obnoxious drinking, but it should serve as a reminder that, before we throw around the “ugly” label, a little understanding of other cultures—when traveling and when hosting—can explain many perceived offenses.

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