Travel Etiquette

Travel Etiquette

Today Aimee will be appearing on NBC’s Charlotte Today on Monday, May 15th on the topic of “How to travel and not be a jerk!”.

Click here to watch the segment.

Bon Voyage!

Q – What tips do you have when it comes to travel etiquette to avoid being a tacky tourist, a “Loud American”, or, plainly, a jerk?

1. In hotel hallways be considerate of others. Especially late at night and early in the morning don’t talk loudly, hang out in the hallway, or let you kids run up and down.

2. Don’t take up more space than you really need. Like in an airport terminal, on a bus or train, don’t lay your stuff all over while others have no room to sit.

3. Keep your voice down. Don’t be a loud American by talking too loudly in a public place or talking on your cell phone when others can hear you.

4. Don’t complain about things that cannot be fixed. No air conditioning in your room? Can’t get a good Wi-Fi or cell phone signal?  If nothing can be done then don’t waste your breath.

5. Be in the moment and put your cell phone away. Don’t walk down the street texting, surfing or taking selfies. Look around you and see the roses.

6. If abroad, remember these key things about international travel etiquette:
   • Not everyone speaks English! Try to learn key phrases from the country you will be visiting. Trying to speak their language goes a long way.
   • Learn their customs by Googling the country or getting a guide book that will tell you key things you need to know. Before you head to Marrakesh, know, for example, that in Morocco, it’s considered unacceptable for non-Muslims to enter mosques.
   • Understand tipping policies. In some countries you tip and in some you don’t.

7. Know things might go wrong and stay calm. And if things do go wrong (delays, lost luggage, etc.) politely talk to who can make things right and don’t take frustrations out on those who can’t help you. Having an open mind when it comes to traveling is the best lesson to remember when embarking on a new journey and will make abiding by these travel etiquette tips very do-able!