To feel a bit like everyone hates me when I'm a British tourist in Europe now

[Everythingisnumbersnow]

I try with the language, I try not to get in people's way, I tip and I don't complain.

But everything still feels much more hostile than it used to.

Not true IME with the Scandinavians IME, it's family and friends anecdotally but what parts of Europe are you referring to- continental?

Maybe you smell?

Can't say I've experienced this either, but I don't doubt it's possible.

England is far from the only country that has that reputation. The English are also not uniquely criticized in tourist hotspots.

Get better sources. They did not colonised Poland. Occupation and colonisation are not the same thing.

And lol at "liberation by soviets".

They did colonise Poland.

You're wrong. Admit it.

That is not my experience at all and I have travelled all over the world and make frequent visits to European countries.

Your description of English people doesn't match anyone I have ever met.

And "overly polite"? WTAF is that supposed to mean? I have literally never heard anyone say "Why can't English people be a bit ruder? It would make them so much more likable"...

You can "lol" all you like. Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz 80 years ago.
You should read some books on the Nazi colonisation of Europe, which included Poland. Horrifying.

I doubt very much whether that will happen.

I think the problem, here, to an extent, is the feeling that it's about US. It isn't. It's about the experience and feelings of the local people.

Let's be honest, if you live and work in a touristy area, you'll mutter about 'bloody tourists'. Doesn't matter who it is or which country you are in. They are on holiday, they have all the time in the world and they don't really appreciate that the pretty little village they are gawping at is home.

It's not about who colonised who, generally, or even about stereotypes, it's about reaching a point where you just want to go down to the beach near your house when the weather is good and have enough room to sit on it.

People know perfectly well that tourism is a big part (the only part, in some places) of their economy. It doesn't make it any easier to live with. I really don't like the 'well, if it wasn't for my money' brigade. People with that attitude tend to be the least understanding of the simple fact that people who live in these places still need to be able to do the stuff people do in their home towns and villages.

If you ask people what pisses them off about tourists, it won't really be what their country did. It will be how it takes three times as long to get to work in the season. It will be how there's nowhere to park. It will be about the assumption that you have as much time as they do. It will be about your kids finding used condoms on the street, feeling less comfortable going out at night, being kept awake at night.

It's what happens when suddenly, in peak season, your sleepy little town/village/island quadruples in numbers of people. And for some places, like the Canaries, there's no respite any more. It's year-round.

SOME people make a lot of money. Most people just work ridiculously hard in a notoriously poorly paid industry with very long hours.

It's not your fault. You just want a nice holiday. But it's hard work for the locals, even if they aren't working in the industry. People living in tourist areas in the UK find it hard, and it's a short season, here and most visitors speak the language and know how to drive here (well, in theory). But even 'staycationers' who have only gone 200 miles up the road seem to think the 'rules' are different in a place that caters for tourists. That somehow, because you are on holiday, it's OK to do things you wouldn't do at home. That effect is magnified abroad.

You're right, @ObelixtheGaul . There was a thread on here about holidays in Cornwall, some Cornish people posting were quite stinging about tourists.

Europeans don't hate us. There's tension in parts of Spain because holiday rentals have put pressure on the housing market, and locals are priced out in a lot of touristy areas. Some people take it out on tourists rather than the actual people who could sort it out- their local politicians.

Well I'm as English Rose as can be and toured Andalusia twice last year as well as Gran Canaria and everyone was lovely even with my dreadful Spanish and holding people up because I had the wrong bus ticket etc.

Perhaps it's you OP.

Try going to South America and saying that. Or go to north or west Africa and ask what people think of the french....

It's a language difference. We say please and thank you when Spaniards wouldn't. It marks you out as 'British person speaking Spanish' rather than how the locals speak.

I honestly think people who claim to travel a lot in southern Europe and not notice a thing are either bludgeoningly insensitive or fibbing a bit. I'm not saying it has to bother you but you can't reasonably not notice it.

Or maybe we don't go to the minority of areas that have a lot of British tourists and are suffering due to lots of AI hotels and Airbnbs.

We go to Spain a few times a year. We've never been AI or used Airbnb and few British people will have even heard of the places we've been to, let alone been there.

Maybe we are used to it because that's how we are treated in many places, and we have no choice but to develop a thick skin.🙄

Are you travelling with others OP or alone? do they also feel hated by everyone?

I bet you’re a complete drama llama in RL 😆

I have noticed anti tourism.

But it's against all tourists. Not just the brits.

The drama is really excessive. Especially for a white person. Sorry, I said what I said.

I don’t believe these people who say that the locals overseas say….oh. It’s ok, you are Welsh or Scottish.

My DH is not English, he’s from a med country. All his relatives are educated to a high level and have well paid jobs but I assure you they think “British” and couldn’t name the countries in the Uk, or colour them in on our map, let alone tell the difference between them. They just aren’t interested. They have better things to do than acquaint themselves with Britain. Plus English people come in all shapes and sizes. I’m British but a lot of people ask me if I have Italian parents because of my colouring.

The only way you can tell if someone is British is if they are wearing a Man U top (or similar), are burnt to a crisp from their factor 5 and baby oil, have a beer belly and are wearing adidas sliders and have tattoos.

Honestly OP, you're being ridiculous. I don't know where in Spain you're going but I've never felt unwelcome and its not because I'm oblivious to hostility.

Especially for a white person?

I'm white and I've been told to fuck off back to my own country.

Being white doesn't make you have an easy life