China has become the top spending nation in the world’s outbound tourism market. According to the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations, Chinese tourists spent $102 billion overseas last year, compared with the $84 billion that German and American tourists spent. With the continuous development of China’s economy, the spending of Chinese travelers overseas is expected to continue to grow in the years ahead.
It is an indisputable fact that the bad behavior of Chinese tourists overseas has tarnished image of the nation. These may be extreme examples, but it is a widely recognized fact that some Chinese tourists behave poorly overseas, such as spitting, tossing garbage and showing a lack of respect for local customs.
Thus, the author took the case as examples, and further analyzed these examples from a perspective of intercultural communication, especially elaborated the different characteristics of the Sino-Western cultures and its influence on the people’s behavior, focused on the important function of social etiquette to make people behave properly in different public places including international tour.
Finally, according to the uncivilized behavior of some Chinese tourists abroad, the author put forward some suggestions such as educating the Chinese tourists’ awareness of civilized manner, training etiquette skills for international tour, and learning some fundamental cultural knowledge of foreign countries, so as to guide tourists to conscientiously abide by public order and social customs, respect local cultural customs and religious beliefs and not to talk loudly, smoke in public places, and not to litter or spit on the ground and so on.
International tour is an important channel of intercultural communication. Also, the international tour can help different people to get understanding better and learn from people with different cultural settings. Meanwhile, tourists’ behaviors can build up a good image of the nation and promote bilateral better understanding and friendship among different countries.