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R/£ Chinese tourists stigmatised for crude behaviour
September 26, 2006 Edition 4
Shanghai - Spitting and littering top the list of uncouth behaviours among Chinese travellers, about 31-million of whom went abroad last year.
Other complaints compiled from an online survey commissioned by China's National Tourism Administration include smoking in non-smoking areas; queue-jumping; and poor hygiene, such as not flushing toilets and sneezing without covering one's mouth. Walking around hotels in pyjamas and going shirtless and shoeless in public were also on the list of unacceptable behaviour by Chinese tourists, the administration said.
More than 30 000 people responded to the survey, which is part of a strategy to improve the manners of Chinese travellers.
The Communist Party's spiritual civilisation steering committee has published an etiquette guide to be included with plane tickets because of concerns that ingrained habits such as loudly clearing one's throat and spitting - commonly considered a healthy practice in China - have "damaged the image of China as a civilised country and generated negative attention overseas", the committee said.
Up to 100-million Chinese are expected to travel abroad annually by 2020. - Sapa-AP
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