ED Ugly Chinese tourists

The duty free areas of Jeju International Airport often resemble the scenes left ravaged by a swarm of locusts that cut a vast swath across crop fields.

In the place of old skins cast off on the path of the growing armies of bugs is a sea of wrappings from merchandise that Chinese tourists litter the floors with after unpacking them so they can carry back the contents alone, while reducing the volume of their baggage.

Horror stories abound among employees at these shops.

One common thread that has extensively been reported recently is about Chinese tendencies to spit on the floor. The second is about their habit of smoking in nonsmoking areas. The third is about their playing poker or mahjong in waiting areas, while eating food. They rarely clean themselves, according to reports. Also raising the eyebrows of other visitors is the case of “toilet cultural differences,” in which the Chinese unaccustomed to using flush toilets do their private task while squatting on the seat with shoes on.

One reported account has a Chinese tourist blocking a Japanese visitor from leaving a watch shop, insisting that Japanese should relinquish the merchandise he had paid for because he liked it.

Airport authorities complain that their efforts to encourage Chinese tourists to mind their manners have not worked but using a more forceful approach is often set aside because Korea’s tourism industry relies heavily on the Chinese. This year, Korea hopes to draw 17 million foreign tourists with over one third of them being Chinese. Now, the industry is reeling from a reduced number of Chinese visiting Korea after bilateral relations suffered a setback from Korea’s planned deployment of a U.S. anti-missile interceptor or THAAD.

Still, it is important to use awareness campaigns with varying degrees of strength and content because Chinese tourists are guests and it is our duty as hosts to treat them kindly. Chinese are just beginning to cash in on their newly found riches with overseas travels being part of their new package of privileges.

With any other nations on such fast-track development, they follow the path of “ugly Americans” or “ugly Koreans.” For Chinese to graduate early from the “learning curve,” the best way is to learn for themselves. That learning experience may start by having themselves in other people’s shoes: thinking how unpleasant they would find it if others acted without manners such as they do.