Skip to Content

Why I Envy Chinese Tourists!

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you use these links.

I recently visited Cappadocia in Turkey and whilst I was there there were a huge amount of Asian tourists and like me, they seemed to decide that Istanbul was a good place to visit afterwards.

Asian Tourists and Chinese Tourists especially have a bit of a bad reputation and I get it, they tend to travel in huge numbers, bigger than any other Country or Nation it seems but I’ve always had a bit of envy towards them.

Firstly I feel a bit bad because the words ‘Chinese Tourists’ is thrown around a lot and I often wonder if they are all Chinese, are some of them Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and they all get called Chinese and get annoyed by that? Or do the Chinese get annoyed because they get blamed when actually it’s the Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese Tourists for example?

If you have any thoughts on this let me know!

Anyway, here is what I have been thinking of recently when it comes to ‘Chinese Tourists’ and why I feel envious of them rather than annoyed with them:

They always seem to have someone to travel with.

Let’s start with the obvious one, the bad reputation mostly comes from the fact that they travel in such large numbers and although I do love solo travel, I do love a group tour too and when I’m wandering around by myself, eating by myself and trying to take my own photo, they always seem to be with so many people.

And if they’re not in a big group on a tour, they’re in smaller groups as friends, or as a couple. You very rarely see a Chinese Tourist alone.

They get the shot.

Chinese people also have a bit of a reputation for taking lots of photos and now with social media being most of our priorities they make sure they get the shot! The amount of photos everyone takes has been annoying me recently but that aside, I am envious of how they don’t care, they will get the photo and they will take as long as it takes.

Plus, because they’re in groups or as a couple they always seem to have someone to take a photo, and not only that but someone who tells them where to go and willing takes a zillion of them (the boyfriends always seem like such good sports!), I don’t think I’ve ever been that keen to take a friends photo and neither has a friend for me, but I wish I had that!

They always look great!

Talking of photos, Chinese people always have the most awesome clothes!! In Cappadocia there was me with a backpack in gym pants and trainers because I thought that was most appropriate and comfy for my day trip (it was to be fair) and I lack in choices from my backpack. But the Asian girls were in dresses, jeans, boots, sandals, I even saw one girl with a coca-cola can handbag which was very inappropriate and a bit useless but great!

They always have suitcases, big suitcases but it doesn’t seem to bother them.

All of those clothes need to go somewhere and a suitcase when visiting more than one place is a no no for a lot of us but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Chinese Tourist with a backpack. They always have a suitcase, usually quite a fancy one and a huge one, and they just seem to manage it. I don’t know how!

They travel well.

Now I’m not sure if an individual Chinese person does actually travel a lot and many times a year or it just seems that way because of the vast number of people from the Country, but no matter where you go and when, you will always see Chinese Tourists so it seems they get to go on a lot of trips and travel well!

They don’t seem to give a shit.

Lastly, they don’t seem to care, not about taking ages for a photo, not about people looking at them and calling them ‘Chinese Tourists’, not about pushing in, not about not speaking the language or even any English, and not wearing appropriate clothes.

And this point is probably the one I am most envious of because as a Brit I do care a bit too much and I can be too polite and too self conscious.

 

I’ve had a fascination about going to China for a few years and I think it comes down to wanting to see the ‘Tourists’ that I see travelling in their home country. What do they do there? Are they the same or different? Anyway, China is on my list to visit so I should find out soon!

I just had these thoughts going through my head in Turkey and I thought they were funny and perhaps relatable, or perhaps not, but I wanted to share them!

If you have any insights on whether everyone is Chinese and how much they actually travel, let me know!

Rachel

Friday 12th of October 2018

This was an interesting post to read and something a bit different! I know what you mean tho, they seem to really like a selfie stick too haha. Like you say they get the shot though and don’t seem at all embarrassed by standing posing for photos for ages - I get so shy I do a quick snap and then run away! I’ll be intrigued to hear what they are like when you are in China!

Kirstin

Monday 8th of October 2018

I know exactly what you mean about always having friends/family to travel with. My boyfriend is Nepalese and whenever his family go on holiday it is a bit affair!

I don’t want to spread the wrong information but what I’ve heard is in Japan, they only get one holiday a year and that is why there is so many photos/taking time/big suitcases. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of how good they look too!

| http://www.LetsGoSomewhereElse.co.uk|

TheWanderingQuinn

Monday 8th of October 2018

Ahh I see! That’s interesting to know! Glad you could see where I’m coming from! And yep, deffo jealous of the outfits! Lol