British are best, say Toulouse tourism workers
A poll of Toulouse tourism professionals has revealed their favorite visitors... and the British come out on top, thanks to their courtesy and willingness to speak French.
The thousands of foreign tourists who visit the Pink City every day make an impression on guides, shopkeepers and craftsmen. But the new survey of local tourism and service workers has revealed which country鈥檚 visitors are the most courteous, generous and clean or grumpy, dirty and miserly.
One taxi driver quizzed pulled no punches: 鈥淭he German tourists I carry are often discreet, and those who respect my car the most, unlike some Asians who tend to leave me their coffee cups. Some even leave their chewing gum on the floor. And this is not a generalisation but Mexicans have shown themselves to be the most joyful, and North Americans very demanding. The Saudis rarely smile, and the French are the kings of impatience,鈥� he said.
His 鈥渟upertourist鈥� award would go to the Swedes for 鈥渢heir dignity and unconditional zenitude鈥�, unlike the often impolite Russian client. For a waiter at Wilson Square, the Canadian tourist 鈥渋s the ideal holidaymaker鈥�.
At the Grand Opera House, Japanese tourists are considered to be the most demanding while the best tourists are Australians 鈥渇or their kindness and exemplary calm.鈥�
At Place du Capitole, Thibault, a taxi driver, along with a guide from the tourist office, and waiters at Caf茅 Albert and the Tenors brewery, are unanimous: British tourists are by far the friendliest. S茅bastien Spinelli, the head of the Tenors brewery, says they are 鈥渢he most courteous鈥� and 鈥渢hose who strive most to speak French.鈥�
The British even leave the biggest tips 鈥� between 鈧�10 and 鈧�20. Charly Bouchacourt, the assistant manager of Caf茅 Albert, observes that France鈥檚 British cousins are 鈥渢he most smiling鈥� and 鈥渢hose who respect the waiters the most鈥� 鈥� an attitude that Charly says has not yet crossed the Pyrenees. 鈥淭he Spaniards whistle at servers to get their attention,鈥� he says. Another waiter, Sebastien, agrees: 鈥淭hey [the Spanish] frequently leave the table with chairs scattered, and napkins and cutlery on the ground.鈥�
A guide from the tourist office adds that the Iberians often forget to say 鈥渢hank you鈥� while the British tourist stands out as his 鈥渂est tourist.鈥�
Meanwhile, the town鈥檚 has also revealed some of the more unusual questions posed by visitors to its helpdesk. 鈥淲here can I get a vegetarian cassoulet?鈥� asked one, while another asked where the PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) football club shop was. 鈥淲here can I buy a postcard of the Eiffel Tower?鈥� said another while 鈥淲here are the white sandy beaches?鈥� was another question from a baffled member of the public.
