# Are Rich Western Tourists Hated/Resented by 3rd-World Residents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359 "2013-03-19T15:45:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/21 "2013-03-20T17:06:24Z")
I spent a couple of years living in Comox on beautiful Vancouver Island before the island highway project opened up a high-speed option that keeps vehicles outside of urban areas. When I was there, the summer tourist season meant daily parades of trailers and motorhomes along the main drag. Did the locals hate it? Not really. No one liked the local transportation issues is created, but the tourists were welcome and appreciated. It was nice to get back to a normal routine after tourist season ended. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/22 "2013-03-20T17:39:00Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I have to wonder how much hatred of tourists is based on an experience of dealing with a jerk traveler This. Jerks are hated everywhere - I think the frustrating thing about when they’re foreigners and don’t appear to understand the local language or one you can speak is that if you’re having a combative day you can’t give them a proper dressing-down: they won’t understand it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/23 "2013-03-21T19:12:48Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > Come visit Cleveland, the Best Location in the Nation. We love our smattering of tourists here, 😃 I have friends in Cleveland - usual assortment of really nice people, neutral people and a few asshats, just like everywhere else. You just have to avoid the asshats and everything is just fine. > [@Nava](#): > > This. Jerks are hated everywhere - I think the frustrating thing about when they’re foreigners and don’t appear to understand the local language or one you can speak is that if you’re having a combative day you can’t give them a proper dressing-down: they won’t understand it anyway. I travel in areas that I don’t speak the language, and I can understand being frustrated and not speaking the local language. You just need to learn that no matter how frustrated you get, you should never lose it and become a raging hosebeast. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/24 "2013-03-21T19:56:12Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > My experience (living, as I do, in a tourist destination) is that the locals ALWAYS hate and resent the tourists, rich or otherwise. Even if their livelihoods depend on tourism. ESPECIALLY if their livelihoods depend on tourism. Maybe in very touristy places this is true, but in non-touristed places, it is not like that. I visited Iran not too long ago and had I accepted every offer of a meal or to stay in someone’s home, I’d still be there enjoying their hospitality. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/25 "2013-03-21T20:09:42Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > How do you feel about rich foreign tourists? What goes through your head when you see an obviously well off Saudi family at Disneyland? Not Disneyland but I have been at a Vegas Casino when an ultra Rich Saudi or two were there. And to be honest it did piss me off, which I’m not proud of. One guy went through a $10,000 stack of hundreds in about 2 minutes throwing them at games, and people, both workers and random table players. Then he just turned to one of his entourage and got another stack. It just seemed so over the top “I am better than all you peasants, your piddly money isn’t even worth my bothering to care” that I really wanted to punch him in the face. So I am very careful to avoid being that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/26 "2013-03-22T18:31:49Z")
I live in San Diego, which is a big tourist destination, and I am happy for whatever business outsiders bring to the city. Personally, the thing that angers me is when our city tries to add additional taxes (especially hotel taxes) to screw them so they don’t come back. I have definitely been other places, however, where I was resented, and I really try to fit in. Several cities in Alaska, which seem to live and die by tourism, have a surprisingly bad attitude about folks on cruise ships. In my foreign travels, Egypt, Cyprus, and Columbia struck me as destinations where tourists weren’t well thought of. Most other places I’ve been, however, I was treated very well. I had the distinct pleasure of being with a group of the first Americans back in China after the 1989 Tienanmen Square incident in Beijing, and I was treated like a celebrity everywhere I went. People wanted to give me free food, have their picture taken with me, practice English with me, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359/27 "2013-03-23T14:38:53Z")
I live in a tourist destination. The ones who get the flack are those who’ve lucked in on a budget deal to come here, but don’t have the excess cash to spend. Jokingly called “Poorists” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-rich-western-tourists-hated-resented-by-3rd-world-residents/653359.md?page=1)