The Economic Cost of Unfriendliness: Why Tourism Needs More Than Just Revenue
A new report highlights global destinations where tourists report cold or impatient treatment, including Paris, Italy, and Germany. While local fatigue grows, tourism remains a vital economic pillar.
A luxurious hotel, a cheap flight, and a good restaurant can easily turn a city into a sought-after destination, but vacations involve another element that is harder to measure: the feeling of being welcome. In a world where a negative experience in a restaurant, taxi, or shop can reach millions on social media within hours, the treatment tourists receive ultimately carries significant economic value.
A new report based on traveler experiences and insights from international etiquette expert Jo Hayes, founder of EtiquetteExpert.org, highlights several destinations where tourists reported encounters perceived as cold, impatient, or unwelcoming. Among the repeated names are Paris, Italy, Germany, South Korea, New York, and Montenegro, alongside Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.
Paris: Starting with a Bonjour
Paris is one of the most prominent examples. According to Hayes, a common friction point is language. A tourist arriving in the city and immediately speaking in English may receive a response perceived as cold or impatient. A simple greeting in French before switching to English can completely change the nature of the encounter.
Hayes also distinguishes between Paris and France as a whole, noting that she experienced much warmer hospitality in other regions of the country. This illustrates that it is difficult to generalize an experience from a single city to an entire nation. The paradox is that France desperately needs these tourists. The country welcomed 102 million international tourists in 2025, following nearly 100 million in 2024. International tourism revenues reached 71.1 billion euros in 2024, and direct tourism accounts for approximately 1.5 million jobs.
Italy: When Success Becomes a Problem
In Italy, travelers reported impatience and a growing sense that locals in certain areas are simply exhausted by visitors. Here, it is difficult to separate etiquette from over-tourism. Italy welcomed 57.7 million international tourists in 2024, and OECD data shows arrivals grew by another 6.3% in 2025. Tourism employs about 2.1 million people, representing roughly 8.5% of national employment.
However, revenues are not evenly distributed, as congestion repeatedly concentrates in major hotspots—Venice, Rome, Florence, Lake Como, and popular coastal regions. While more visitors mean higher revenues for hotels, restaurants, and shops, they also bring congestion, strain on public transport, and a surge in demand for vacation rentals. The Italian government is actively trying to disperse visitors to lesser-known destinations to ease the pressure.
Germany: Direct Service Without Small Talk
In Germany, the friction is largely cultural. Some travelers describe short answers, matter-of-fact service, and a lack of the exuberant enthusiasm expected from service workers in places like the United States. However, German culture places less emphasis on small talk and outgoing friendliness.
Despite this, tourists continue to arrive. Germany recorded a record 497.5 million overnight hotel stays in 2025, a 0.3% increase from the previous record in 2024. Approximately 83.8 million of these stays were by foreign guests, proving that a direct or reserved reputation does not deter visitors.
South Korea: Surging Tourism and Friction
In South Korea, some visitors reported crowding on public transport, limited personal space, direct communication, and service staff who do not always stop to explain local rules. Conversely, other travelers described the exact opposite experience, praising locals who went out of their way to help.
Statistics show massive growth: South Korea welcomed 10.71 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2026, with nearly 2 million arriving in June alone—a 23.1% increase compared to the same period last year. In 2025, the country hosted 18.94 million foreign visitors. According to the Bank of Korea, foreign tourists stayed an average of 6.5 days and spent about $177.80 per day, with foreign tourism expenditure accounting for about 1.17% of South Korea's GDP.
Montenegro: When Tourism Drives the Economy
An even more extreme example is Montenegro. Some travelers described distant interactions and a lingering sense of being viewed primarily as a source of income. Yet, very few countries can afford to lose tourists less than Montenegro.
In 2025, the country recorded 2.73 million tourist arrivals and 15.37 million overnight stays, with approximately 95.8% generated by foreign visitors. Montenegro's tourism revenues reached about 1.5 billion euros in 2024, and tourism exports accounted for 54.6% of all service exports, while the broader tourism sector contributes around 30% to the GDP.
The Economic Multiplier of a Smile
According to the OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 report, international tourist arrivals across OECD countries reached a record 847 million in 2025, marking a 3.4% increase following an 8.1% surge the previous year. Tourism accounts for an average of 4% of GDP and 6.3% of employment in OECD nations.
Hotels can be renovated, terminals expanded, and new flight routes opened. However, repairing the reputation of a city where visitors feel unwelcome is far more difficult. That is perhaps the greatest paradox of modern tourism: locals may grow weary of visitors, but economies can hardly survive without them.
