Europeans Share Their Least Favorite Part About Vacationing In America

The contrasts between American and European culture have existed ever since the first settlers arrived in the New World. They brought with them customs accrued from their ancestors over many generations, which were to find a fresh expression in America and contribute to the essential multicultural character of the United States. Today, the mutual flow of tourism between the two continents is a huge industry, with many Americans heading to Europe to connect with their European roots, and Europeans heading to the United States to experience the cities they are often already familiar with from movies and TV shows.

Indeed, a 2019 study by the airfare website JetCost.com, the details of which have been published by Travel Pulse, backs up the idea that Europeans head to the U.S. to experience glamour. Big American cities are by far the most popular destinations, with New York, the setting of the internationally syndicated sitcoms "Friends" and "Seinfeld," and countless blockbuster movies, coming out on top as the most-searched-for destination among British, French, Spanish, and German travelers. But while the study revealed there is great desire among many Europeans to visit the United States, it also found that many of those who took a trip across the Atlantic returned home with some negative opinions about both the people they encountered and the money they spent to get there.

According to the JetCost study, which gathered responses from travelers to the United States from the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany, all nationalities surveyed except for the Spanish said that "the people" were the worst aspect of a trip to America. Shockingly, a full 30% of British respondents gave that as their answer.

What exactly the respondents disliked about the people they encountered on American vacations was not reflected in the study. It is important to note that, at 22%, "the number of tourists" came in third in terms of what British travelers liked least about U.S. travel. There is a good chance, then, that when they say that they were annoyed by "the people," they meant other tourists and the crowds they had to contend with to see the attractions on their itinerary. The price of travel to the United States also came in for criticism from respondents, with two out of every five Brits — who named prices as the second worst thing about a trip to America — saying they would be unlikely to plan a return visit. Maybe some of them had fallen victim to Times Square tourist traps Americans know better to avoid. Or, with the higher cost of living in the U.S. compared to much of Europe, it may be that European travelers feel the sting on their purse strings more. This effect may have only amplified since the survey was conducted, since 2022 saw an increase in the strength of the dollar, making travel more expensive for Europeans in the U.S. and more affordable for Americans in Europe. This phenomenon has reportedly shown a growing disparity in the flow of tourists across the Atlantic.

But the shocking survey wasn't all negative in terms of Europeans' views on American travel. JetCost also asked, thankfully, what respondents liked about their time in the United States — and the answers were often somewhat surprising.

For instance, 38% of respondents from France, a country known for its exceptional cuisine and for food capitals like Lyon, in addition to Paris, said that the food was the best thing about traveling to America, a sentiment shared by 28% of Brits. 36% of U.K. travelers said that sightseeing was their favorite part of American travel, as did 28% of Spanish respondents, making it their favorite thing about the U.S. Germans, meanwhile, said their favorite thing about America is the culture. 

A statement from JetCost observed: "It was interesting to see the differences in opinion from Europeans, and what they liked the most and the least about visiting America — but it's worth remembering that there are 50 states in America and each one varies greatly, offering many different things and appealing to many different people" (via Travel Pulse). It goes without saying, too, that the opinions revealed in the study are unlikely to reflect those of Europeans as a whole. Heading the other way? Here is our easy-to-direct guide to planning your first trip to Europe.