The European Country Unexpectedly Called One Of The Least-Friendly Places To Visit In The World

Certain cities and countries have a reputation for being less welcoming to tourists. Some of this perceived hostility is due to governmental policies towards tourists or even just the political climate of the country. Unstable countries or active war zones are often considered "unfriendly" because it's highly advisable to avoid tourism there when possible. There are also countries (or cities) considered inhospitable due to the attitude of the locals. Russia is known for its cold shoulders (figuratively and literally), Eastern Europe and parts of Scandinavia have a reserved, straightforward populace that can come off as cold, or perhaps you unintentionally used a hand gesture that's considered rude by Greece's citizens. France is famously known to have snooty locals, but, lately, a neighbor of France has been getting attention as uncongenial — the little country of Luxembourg.

Why is this gorgeous and wildly underrated European country where public transportation is free considered unfriendly? Part of this reputation is due to the comments of Mark Wolters, the well-traveled head of the "honest travel website," Wolters World. He ranks Luxembourg in the top five of his list of least friendly countries he's visited because, according to Wolters, "the people of Luxembourg will make you feel like they are doing you a favor by allowing you to exist in their country."

This is partly because Luxembourg, as the wealthiest country in the world, doesn't need tourists. In an interview with RTL Today, Wolters notes that this "lack of service and friendliness" is especially evident in the service industry, which tends to deal with more tourists than most. In a separate discussion, one Luxembourger commented tongue-in-cheek on r/Luxembourg, "We aren't rude to foreigners. We are equally and nondiscriminatory rude to everyone." However, they also said, "Luxembourgers aren't very open to new people in general," emphasizing that this "rudeness" may be more of a cultural difference than a true disdain for outsiders.

While Wolters' assessment of Luxembourg seems negative, he does have positive things to say about the country. He was favorable about the country's cleanliness, environment, and sites; most of his criticism was focused on the quality of service, the attention of service workers, and the attitude of the locals. As Wolters is an American, his criticism of service industry workers should be taken with a grain of salt, even for someone so well-traveled. As American service workers rely on tips, they tend to be attentive and friendly as a rule. When you're used to this kind of more deferential treatment, it can feel jarring or even rude for Americans to travel in countries where waiters earn a living wage sans tips.

It also begs the question: Do unfriendly locals impact the popularity of a destination? For example, Paris, which has the distinction of being the world's unfriendliest city, is still a wildly popular European vacation spot. The supposedly rude Parisians ("supposedly," because, as one local points out on r/AskFrance, "Parisians give back what you give out") still don't negatively impact France's tourist industry. As for Luxembourg, while the tourism industry makes up less than 1% of the economy, the annual number of visitors has been growing steadily. About 6% of the population works in tourism, an industry that has grown 30% in the last decade. Whatever the reputation of locals, tourists don't seem to be deterred (with the caveat that tourism is complicated and affected by many factors). 

Of course, stereotypes aren't always correct. If you're polite and respectful, most people, whatever their nationality, will respond in kind. A little research goes a long way to avoid accidentally offending locals. As one user notes on r/Luxembourg, "If every Luxembourger you talk to is unfriendly to you, then maybe you are the problem."