What customer service? The world's rudest destinations for tourists, from 'arrogant' Paris to 'unfriendly' Poland

Jetting off abroad to a new destination should be an exciting adventure, but some tourists find the attitudes of locals can occasionally cast a shadow on the experience.  

Britons are known for their love of neatly queuing and polite, friendly customer service – but these characteristics aren't replicated in every country. 

From Italians cutting to the front of lines and rubbing Brits up the wrong way, to unfriendly attitudes in Paris – there are plenty of examples of less-than-hospitable holiday destinations.

One tourist who holidayed in Germany claims to have experienced 'complete rudeness' from 'simple interactions'. 

However, most of the time it's simply a case of cultural differences, Jo Hayes, founder of EtiquetteExpert.org, tells the Daily Mail. 

Read on to discover some of the unwelcoming experiences tourists have had in destinations around the world.  

Paris

Parisians don't always have 'the friendliest of attitudes, mainly towards those who don’t speak French'

Etiquette expert Ms Hayes argues Paris is 'top of the list' for being unwelcoming to visitors. 

She notes some Parisians do not always have 'the friendliest of attitudes, mainly towards those who don’t speak French'.

'I, like many tourists, don’t - apart from the most basic of words/phrases, such as bonjour, au revoir, merci… and despite most Parisians being very capable of speaking and understanding English, many refuse to speak English, and appear annoyed that tourists don’t/can’t,' Ms Hayes adds.

However, the expert insists the attitude doesn't exist across 'all of France' and says that when she's visited other regions away from the capital has 'enjoyed a beautiful welcome'.

Italy

While in Italy, queuing etiquette differs to what most Britons would expect

Known for its pizza, pasta and beautiful art – Italy has a lot to offer and millions of tourists flock there every year. 

But some visitors have found the queuing etiquette isn't the same as in Britain, where we happily stand in line and wait our turn. 

One holidaymaker on Reddit says, 'I can’t tell if I’m crazy or not, but I’ve noticed a couple of times in Italy when I am waiting in line for something, people will come up from behind and if they find a more convenient spot ahead of me, they’ll take it and cut in line. 

'For example, I was in line for a carnival-type ride at a feast, and people who got there after our group pushed through ahead of us and didn’t say anything. The Italians I was with didn’t seem bothered by it either.'

Germany

One holidaymaker described their experience as a tourist in Berlin as 'not great'

Germans are regularly described as being better tourists than most, especially Brits, and often behave in a more orderly manner. 

But this positive outlook isn't always felt by tourists to the country, keen to check out the impressive landscapes and architecture. 

'I’ve recently visited Berlin and my experience as a tourist was not great,' says one holidaymaker on Reddit.

'Simple interactions with Germans at tourist information desks, train stations and in stores have been met (in most instances) with complete rudeness.'

They recall 'eye rolls, blank stares, instructions in German (when I’ve led by saying "sorry, ich spreche kein Deutsch")'.

South Korea

One visitor to Seoul described the locals as 'fierce' 

A rich history, futuristic-looking skyscrapers and great food are just some of the attractions that draw visitors to South Korea, but not everyone leaves the country feeling positive. 

Pushy behaviour in the street, locals being 'reluctant to help' and 'rude' staff are just some of the issues noted from tourists.

'I just found them fierce when I visited Seoul,' Thomas Isacke tells the Daily Mail, who visited for four days and ventured to the DMZ (de-militarised zone) border point with North Korea.

'I felt like I was often snapped at, and when walking in the streets people seemed to barge by. Maybe I was reading the body language and directness in the wrong way, but it felt like people had a sharp edge.' 

Another tourist shares on Reddit: 'I recently spent a month in Korea and felt a little unwelcome. 

'People were reluctant to help, lots of pushing and lack of personal space on transport, staff were quite rude when we were not sure of customs and rules.'

However, they admit they only visited Seoul and their Korean was 'non-existent besides basic pleasantries'. 

New York 

Some New Yorkers have left a bad impression on visitors exploring the Big Apple

Skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty and endless entertainment – it's no wonder the Big Apple is so popular. 

However, New Yorkers have managed to get somewhat of a bad rep with tourists for having a chilly attitude, though some would argue they are just going about their day in a bustling city. 

'Can someone actually explain to me why people in New York are so unhappy? Genuinely baffled at all the rude interactions, like why are people so mean?' Malena on TikTok shares. 

'Why isn't anyone polite, and why do people lack manners?' 

Montenegro 

A visitor to Montenegro found 'everyday interactions were often very neutral or distant'

Montenegro is becoming an increasingly popular tourist spot, and in the first eight months of 2025 saw 86,709 British visitors, according to Metro. 

But some seem to leave with a slightly sour taste in their mouths. One traveller on Reddit describes it as a 'beautiful' country but did notice some downsides.

Regarding customer service, they explain: 'At times we had the impression that tourists are mainly seen as a source of income. 

'Everyday interactions were often very neutral or distant, even when we tried to be friendly. 

'For example, one morning in Zabljak we had breakfast, left a small tip (just rounding the bill), and the very next day when we went to buy something, the same person who had served us did not acknowledge us, even though we were standing right there.'

Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary

Poland was named as a destination that can sometimes be perceived as being 'unfriendly towards tourists'

While all located in Central Europe, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary each have their own customs, cultures and languages. 

However, for Ms Hayes, they all 'have a history of being rather unfriendly towards tourists, particularly those from outside Europe/Eastern Europe'.

She puts much of it down to 'simply cultural differences' and says: 'What people in the UK, USA or Australia would describe as "cold" is just normal for many of these nations. 

'They behave the same way towards each other… even people they like.'