Paris is on a mission to become less rude. The French city is one of the most visited cities in the world but it also has a reputation for being a rude city. The city is trying to change that by catering to the needs of tourists.
According to Reuters, Paris has created a six-page booklet called "Do You Speak Tourist?" which is being handed out to those that tourists may encounter such as waiters, taxi drivers and sales staff. These figures sometimes come off as impolite since they can't speak the tourist's language. Tourism chiefs hope the manual changes that.
The booklet contains greeting in eight different languages including German, Chinese and Portuguese and tips about the shopping habits and cultural differences.
For instance, "the British like to be called by their first names," the guide says. It also says that Italians should be greeted with a handshake and Americans need to be reassured on prices. The guide calls the Chinese "fervent shoppers" and that "a simple smile and hello in their language will fully satisfy them." It also says to speak English to Brazilians, who tend to want a good night out.
France is a top destination for tourists and the capital was visited by 29 million people in 2012, which has helped the French economy.
However the Paris chamber of commerce and the regional tourism committee is concerned that tourists may choose to go to friendlier cities such as London. Due to this concern, the committees decided to try harder to attract visitors and improve the kindness of the locals.
There have been 30,000 copies of the friendly handbook printed and it is being given to taxi drivers, waiters, hotel managers and sales people in tourist areas like those around the Seine River and in popular areas like Versailles and Fontainebleau.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
