Some would argue that the best part of travelling isn’t always the scenery or even the foods, but rather it’s the people we meet along the way.
To some extent, I believe that’s true because we encounter hundreds (or maybe thousands) of fellow tourists while travelling! I like to think that we see more tourists than landmarks when we’re on the road.
Some of whom we’d want to see again while others we hope to never come across again in our lifetime.
You may even have a memory of a fellow tourist who helped you with directions when you were lost or that group of tourists who asked you to take a thousand pictures of them.
However good or bad our experiences with fellow tourists are, we can’t deny that people leave a lasting impression on us when travelling!
So for today’s article, I’m going to talk about the types of tourists you’ve likely encountered while travelling!
The Master of Selfies
The first sign that a tourist is a Master of Selfies? A selfie stick!
This is the type of tourist who will take pictures of and with literally everything - and everyone! You’ll often see them in popular tourist spots asking locals (and sometimes fellow tourists) to take pictures of them.
For these selfie-addicted tourists, travel is synonymous with a thousand pictures, which isn’t really a bad thing! Taking pictures is a way to immortalise the experience.
The Planner
Equipped with a map, a checklist and a detailed itinerary, The Planner will refuse to do anything that’s not on schedule!
I think they’re the most organised type of tourist because they like to stick to the schedule.
That’s mainly because they have limited time to explore.
Despite that, they’re usually the most accomplished because they cram as many destinations and activities as possible in a single day.
While some tourists don’t like to research before exploring,the planner can’t help themselves but to read up on a certain place before visiting a place.
You may see them looking stressed reading something on their phone and writing on a piece of paper. Idle time doesn’t exist in their vocabulary!
The Social Butterfly
Whether you’re in line at a restaurant or queuing for museum tickets, The Social Butterfly never misses the chance to chat with locals and tourists alike.
If you ever meet one while travelling, you’ll find yourself answering questions like “where are you from?”, “how long are you staying here?”, and “what do you do at home?”
You may even end up having lunch with them or meeting up again at another location. As long as you think they’re not creepy, take this as an opportunity to get to know other tourists and earn a new friend!
The Adventurer
The Adventurer is the first one in line to try every daring and thrilling activity one can possibly do on vacation.
You’ll often see them jumping off bridges, mountain climbing, swimming with sharks, cliff diving, bungee jumping, and parasailing. For these adrenaline junkies, visiting historical landmarks and checking out local restaurants isn’t enough to make a vacation memorable.
There has to be an adrenaline-inducing activity involved before they call something a real vacation, so visiting museums is already off the list!
It’s as if they’re willing to do everything to make the most out of their travel insurance!
The Fashion Forward
Refusing not to look good on every occasion, The Fashion Forward has likely brought their entire wardrobe for a week-long trip.
Going on a vacation with this type of tourist means feeling underdressed because of their multiple wardrobe changes in a single day.
If you have a hike planned out, expect that they will show up in complete khaki survival gear!
You’ll never catch them wearing a plain shirt and jeans while exploring because, for them, every place is a fashion opportunity!
The Parent of the Group
For the designated Parent of the Group, the trip isn’t nearly as fun as everyone claims it to be. You’ll often hear them nagging their friends to wait up, slow down, and stop running around.
Instead of the face of someone having fun, their expression is always of worry and exhaustion as if they can’t wait for the day to be over.
But hey, they’re the ones who keep an eye one everyone!
Where’s Wally?
Often part of group tours, this type of tourist tends to disappear without leaving anyone a notice.
You’ll only notice they’re missing when the tour bus is ready to hit the next destination.
Due to their careless attitude, they often get into fights with other tourists for disrupting the itinerary for the day.
If you find yourself on a group tour with a Wally, better keep your eyes on them!
Can’t wait to be a tourist again?
That concludes my list of the types of tourists you’ll likely meet while travelling! Did I miss out on a type of tourist you’ve encountered before? Let me know about them in the comments!
As borders start to reopen, it’s important to help the hospitality and tourism industry recover by travelling as soon as we can! Send me a message so I can help plan your future travels!
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