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I definitely hate on touristy places and resorts because I hate crowds and standing in long lines for an eventual let down and I don't like resorts because I don't understand the point of visiting a foreign country and hardly ever leaving the confines of the resort.
I've made it clear in this thread and others that I'm the same way. I'd much rather go somewhere and absorb the local way of life than wall myself off in a resort or stand in line for Madam Tussaud's or some other tourist trap. My next big trip is to Japan in May (Tokyo, Nikko, and more) and I have friends who are floored by the fact that I wouldn't rather go sit on the beach in Cancun ("for a lot less money!"). Different strokes.
That said, I CAN do the resort thing and enjoy it if it's in a place I've already explored. Florida is the perfect example. I have family and friends in Florida and I've been all over the state dozens of times and seen a ton. I'm at the point where if I get a deal to go to Universal Orlando for 3 for a good price, I'll gladly wall myself up inside one of the on-site resorts and tour the theme park for 3 days. I'm a sucker for interesting special effects and LOVE roller coasters. I've also seen enough of Orlando to know I'm not missing much by staying in the resort. In fact, I'm secretly looking into doing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which I haven't been to yet (love the rest of Islands of Adventure).
99 out of 100 trips I make include immersing myself in local culture. Even my weekend trips (from Boston) are to places like Quebec City, Montreal or New York as opposed to a weekend in a mountain resort or a "spa" weekend ("Spaghetti Weekend" for anyone who watches Sunny). Still, I get where people are coming from and there are some instances where I'm not opposed to a resort.
Do you think there is a cachet of travellers who has this belief that they are somehow more 'adventurers' or 'true travellers' than others?
Like they'd say things like, 'I'd NEVER go on a tour,'
'I try to stay away from all those tourist traps.'
They constantly bash newer attractions, for instance Las Vegas, while they get Moderator cut: edited: excited about some 12th century hill fort in Scotland because this and this historical event happened there.
They look down on those who stay in resorts...pride themselves on how well they budget themselves.
They think everyone should have to immerse themselves in the culture, learning the lingo, eating weird food...
Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit like that myself, but I do notice that some folk can get a little bit pretentious about being 'seasoned travellers.'
Certainly there are travel snobs and cruuse snobs as well. There are those who only cruise certain lines and look down on anyone who doesn't do the same. There are those who think they know everything about travel, cruising or whatever. Those of us who are lucky enough to have been able to travel a lot have run into them over and over.
I don't see much wrong with saying "I did/would not go to/do XYZ" - because I'm talking about what is right for me (I also try to not use words like "never").
I do see a problem saying "Why would anyone go to/do XYZ?" - because that projects my own preferences onto others.
I think the secret is how you say it. Yes, there are those who probably would never do a tour and that is fine, but when they say it in a putdown way it can be very annoying. The same about cruising; we were on a particular cruise line this past fall. It was our third time on the line and each time we have run into so many that think they are just a tab better for cruising that line or say things like, wow, you like so and so line, I wouldn't be caught dead on that line. The funny thing, the particular line is nice but certainly not upscale in anyway.
Travel snobbery most definitely exists. There are those who think their experiences better than yours if they have stayed in one place for longer than you as they have got to know the place in more depth. There are also the travelers that have to do everything in the cheapest way possible, if you’ve spent more than them on accommodation, meals, transport or anything else, well you just aren’t as good a budget traveller as them. Conversely there are those who have a more lavish budget so enjoy spending more on things, some consider others to be “slumming it†by staying in backpackers or cheap guest houses. So I guess you could define travel snobbery as considering you’re own experiences to be better than anyone else’s and not even considering that other people’s were just as enjoyable.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmnita
I think the secret is how you say it. Yes, there are those who probably would never do a tour and that is fine, but when they say it in a putdown way it can be very annoying. The same about cruising; we were on a particular cruise line this past fall. It was our third time on the line and each time we have run into so many that think they are just a tab better for cruising that line or say things like, wow, you like so and so line, I wouldn't be caught dead on that line. The funny thing, the particular line is nice but certainly not upscale in anyway.
Nita
That's what I kinda meant.
I don't mean to say that if you have preferences, you're a snob, far from it. I mean those who actively look down on others for going on cruises etc. I'd be equally happy on a cruise as a trek through some ancient ruins, variety is the spice of life.
I think that cruises are a great way to see places you might not go to otherwise--especially in the Med. Who would travel to all the small Italian or Greek islands that you might see on a small ship cruise if they had to fly to them--and I'm not sure all even have airports.
Cruises are also great for people with mobility problems and other disabilities who might not be able to find suitable accommodations in many areas they'd like to see.
The cruises I don't get are the mass market cruises that go out for a few days, visit one, maybe two ports not really even worth visiting (I'm talking about the ones where most people just stay on the ship) and are really just an excuse to drink, eat, and gamble 24/7. It seems that Vegas might be a less expensive alternative once you add in the perks they hand out. But hey, to each their own.
Cruises are definitely a then and now situation. My 1st cruise was in 1982, something I always wanted to do. I've been on many cruises, mainly to areas I normally wouldn't see. Traveling myself, cruising a great way to be with other people, as much or as little as I want. I've seen cruise snobs, generally I don't tell them how many cruises/places I've been, just let them brag.
Cruise lines started going bigger in the late 80s/90s then the 2000s really exploded. All travel took a hit in 2001, cruise lines regrouped and really went mass market. The cruises to the Caribbean are not high on my list.
If I cruise, generally 10 days or more, repositioning with more sea days and to places I haven't seen. I still have a few things on my list, Australia, Far East, Northern Europe.
'I try to stay away from all those tourist traps.'
They constantly bash newer attractions, for instance Las Vegas, while they get Moderator cut: edited: excited about some 12th century hill fort in Scotland because this and this historical event happened there.
They look down on those who stay in resorts...pride themselves on how well they budget themselves.
They think everyone should have to immerse themselves in the culture, learning the lingo, eating weird food...
Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit like that myself, but I do notice that some folk can get a little bit pretentious about being 'seasoned travellers.'
Actually, I can understand both sides. I always make fun of "tourists" which are dressed like tourists, behave like tourists, stay in their resorts, eat food from home, take guided bus tours and I hate crowds, long lines and tourists traps. On the other hand, there are situations after a while of hard work, when I also like to stay on a beach the whole day, just drinking cocktails, not giving anything about culture and history.
I would call myself a traveller, as I have been to rather exotic destinations like Uzbekistan or Russia and always like to make new experiences. I always want to explore new places, but maybe when I am older, I just go to the places I have identified as the best fit for me, without any more "experiments".
Fortunately, everybody is able to chose from a variety of travel and tourist activities himself. I would not care about what the others say.
and we can thank God we do have choices. As I have indicated, I have a preferance to cruising although it has changed and I do not enjoy it as much as in years past. Our oldest daughter and hubby are like us: if they can vacation only once a year they would almost always choose cruising. Our younger daughter hates cruising. She and her husband will go several times a year to a Carribbean island, love to mix with the locals and just lay on the beach with a cool one and a good book. For his 50th birthday a few weeks ago they rented a private boat complete with a small crew for a week and visited very small inlands. The funny thing, they live in Florida. I would think they might enjoy other types of vacations, but this is their life.
Do you think there is a cachet of travellers who has this belief that they are somehow more 'adventurers' or 'true travellers' than others?
Like they'd say things like, 'I'd NEVER go on a tour,'
'I try to stay away from all those tourist traps.'
They constantly bash newer attractions, for instance Las Vegas, while they get Moderator cut: edited: excited about some 12th century hill fort in Scotland because this and this historical event happened there.
They look down on those who stay in resorts...pride themselves on how well they budget themselves.
They think everyone should have to immerse themselves in the culture, learning the lingo, eating weird food...
Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit like that myself, but I do notice that some folk can get a little bit pretentious about being 'seasoned travellers.'
When I was in college I did that -- but I found that I'd be in some museum in another country and could listen in to what tour guides were telling a group of tourists and realized that you can learn more if you hear what the tour guides have to say.
I went to a historic site in the USA where there were free tour guides and it happened we got there just in time so I decided to let my kids see how it was and it was more interesting because some things were pointed out and explained that we would have overlooked on our own.
Now I'm not a travel snob -- and nothing stops you from enjoying a resort one trip, a tent the next. Now I think a real traveler would want to experience travel from every angle. You can fly, drive, take a bus, take an RV, join a tour group -- it's all good.
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