Travel Etiquette 101: Be a Respectful Visitor, Not a Tourist Karen

It’s likely that we’ve all witnessed that cringe-worthy moment at a bustling, foreign café when a fellow traveller loudly complains that “nobody here speaks proper English,” or read a scathing one-star review because their guesthouse in rural Thailand didn’t have Western-style breakfast options.

These uncomfortable encounters aren’t just embarrassing to witness – they represent missed opportunities for genuine cultural connection and highlight the lack of respect some people have for anything “different”.

Chances are you’re already someone who makes every effort to be a respectful traveller. Someone who wants to explore the world thoughtfully, experience diverse cultures, and return home with meaningful memories rather than a collection of complaints.

The challenge is that even the most well-intentioned travellers can sometimes find themselves frustrated when things don’t work quite like they do back home. Even we have felt frustrated once or twice.

Cultural differences can be a challenge to overcome, especially when you’re tired, hungry, or dealing with language barriers. It’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed when faced with unfamiliar customs, different service styles, or communication challenges.

The key is recognising these moments before they turn into “Tourist Karen” situations that can ruin your trip, make you look foolish, or even damage someone else’s business and reputation.

This guide isn’t about becoming a pushover or accepting genuinely poor treatment. Instead, it’s about developing the cultural awareness and skills that will turn stressful encounters into enriching cultural exchanges.

We’ll explore the warning signs of entitled tourist behaviour, share practical strategies for common travel challenges, and show you how changes in perspective can unlock new experiences that most visitors never discover.

Ready to become the kind of traveller that locals light up to see walking through their door? Let’s become experts in the art of respectful travel.

The Tourist Karen Warning Signs

Red Flag Behaviours to Recognise and Avoid

There are a few obvious bad behaviours that we have all probably witnessed at some stage on our travels (and hopefully not be the one on the wrong side). Let’s have a quick overview:

The “home away from home” Karen

While travelling can be an incredible way to experience how different people and places are around the world, there are some people who just can’t cope when they finally realise that not everywhere is “exactly like back home”.

You will hear complaints about hotel rooms being smaller than back home, restaurant hours being annoying because they are different, and food in the markets not being refrigerated.

The trap lies in forgetting that different doesn’t mean deficient – it’s simply a reflection of local culture, resources, and priorities.

The “listen to me” Karen

I’m sure you know this, but now everyone in the world speaks your language. And yet we’ve all seen, or more likely heard, a tourist getting frustrated because someone in a remote village can’t understand them.

Communication can be tricky sometimes but expecting everyone else to speak your language when you couldn’t even be bothered learning “hello”, “please”, and “thank you” in theirs is just arrogant.

And in case you didn’t know, speaking to them more slowly, or worse still more loudly, is not helping anyone. I’m sure nobody has ever been given better service by demeaning the locals.

The “national pride” Karen

A close relative to the “home away from home” Karen, this tourist just wants everone to know that no matter where they are in the world, when compared to their home, nothing is as good.

You’ve probably heard some thing like “it’s good but back home we have…”, or “why do they do it that way? Back home we do it like…”. This behaviour suggests that your home country’s approach is inherently superior, which can be offensive to locals who take pride in their culture and customs.

The “VIP” Karen

These are the tourists who can not bring themselves to believe that they are actually guests in another country, and that it is a privilege to be there. Instead, they feel that because they paid money to be there, they own all of the locals, or at least the locals can be treated like servants.

Remember that your country may be more modern or technologically advanced, but that definitely does not automatically make you a superior person to any of the locals. It doesn’t even make your country better.

The “keyboard warrior” Karen

Perhaps the worst behaviour is leaving harsh online reviews that penalise businesses for cultural differences rather than genuine poor service or facilities.

Giving a family-run restaurant or hotel an undeserved one-star review can seriously harm small businesses that depend on tourism income. Your pettiness is something that doesn’t need to be shared.

These reviews often say more about the reviewer’s narrow-minded view of the world and their lack of cultural awareness, rather than the quality of the establishment or the service.

Why These Behaviours Backfire

When all is said and done, nobody wins when this type of behaviour comes out. The locals can become withdrawn, embarrassed, or annoyed, while the Karen actually comes out even worse.

Not only do these arrogant tourists come out looking foolish to everyone around them, but they also lose out in three other areas:

1. They close themselves off from any chance of experiencing the wonder that can come from exposure to authentic local experiences.
2. They perpetuate the stereotype of the ugly tourist, which can make travel more challenging for those of us who yearn for new experiences.
3. They miss out on the transformative benefits that travel can have when you open yourself up to new and different experiences and cultures.

Pre-Trip Preparation: Setting Yourself Up for Success

Cultural Intelligence Basics

Considering the amount of time you likely spent researching and booking your trip, a few more hours delving into the local customs, tipping practices, and social norms shouldn’t be a big ask.

Instead of assuming everyone at your destination will speak your language, and even if the majority of them do, make the effort to at least learn some basic social nicities in the local language. A simple hello, please, thankyou, excuse me and sorry shouldn’t be too difficult.

You should understand that a 5-star rating can be very different in Paris than it is in New York or Bangkok. Research the local area norms and set your expectations accordingly.

Be prepared for some frustrations over language barriers. Have your translation apps ready, always wear a smile, and have some fun with the potential confusion.

The Mindset Shift

Arrive at your destination with the mindset of a guest and not a customer. Or even worse, never arrive thinking that the locals are your servants who only exist to please you.

Never view new and different things as inferior. if you look at any new experience as interesting and unique, you are more likely to enjoy travel than those who want to always compare things to home.

The best travel stories often come from experiences that seemed frustrating or even catastrophic when they happened but ended up being nothing but a slight inconvenience. Never let challenging events ruin your day.

With that point in mind, travel with the mindset that something will probably not go to plan at some stage of your trip. But if your plan is already flexible then you will be better prepared for the unexpected.

The Respectful Traveller Preparation Guide

• Learn how to use Google Translate on your phone and practise using it. There is little point in having the tool and not being able to use it when you arrive.
  (Google Translate is much more than a type and translate app. You can take a photo of a menu or sign and translate the text, or even speak into it and have it speak back in the other language)
• Research local eating customs and typical dishes. Be prepared for different dining times and get some idea of the type of food to expect.
• Understand tipping culture and payment methods. Not every country expects tipping, in fact, some prefer it not to happen. Contrary to what some believe, the US dollar is not the worldwide currency, and credit cards are not always accepted, especially in small towns.
• Know basic numbers, directions, and emergency phrases. The translation apps are great, but the more of the local language you know, the quicker things can be resolved when time is important.

Navigating Common Challenge Areas

Communication Without Frustration

The Challenge: Overcoming language barriers and misunderstandings

Tourist Karen Response:

• Speaking louder as though they must be deaf
• Criticising their English skills even though you didn’t bother to learn any local words or phrases
• Showing impatience and getting angry, blaming everyone else

Respectful Tourist Approach:

• Always attempt local phrases first. There might be a giggle or two over your pronunciation, but the effort will always be appreciated
• Use hand gestures (not rude ones!), Pictionary-style drawings, and apps patiently
• Thank locals for their efforts to communicate, preferably in their language
• Stay calm, smile, and have fun with the challenge

Dining Adventures vs. Dining Demands

The Challenge: Unfamiliar foods and different dining customs

Tourist Karen Response:

• Expecting or demanding familiar foods
• Criticising the local cuisine even though you should have taken the time to research what would be on offer
• Ignoring local customs because they are “stupid” or not the way you do things back home

Respectful Approach:

• View menus as discovery opportunities. How often have you tried something “strange” and found out it tasted great?
• Ask for recommendations rather than demanding substitutions. If you want Western food, find a McDonalds.
• Learn local dining etiquette and meal times throughout the day
• Communicate dietary restrictions politely. Most places will be able to cater for your needs but if not, politely leave and try somewhere else

Accommodation Expectations

The Challenge: Different standards, styles, and amenities

Tourist Karen Response:

• Harsh reviews for cultural differences
• Making unrealistic demands, usually based on the “I paid for this, so now you have to do whatever I say” mentality
• Blaming the Hotel or staff for things that you don’t like, but were actually made clear in the Hotel description before you booked

Respectful Approach:

• Research typical local accommodation standards and set your expectations on research and not past trips to other places
• Appreciate architectural and cultural differences like room sizes, quality of fixtures, and housekeeping routines
• Address genuine issues respectfully with management. No customer service people anywhere want to be helpful while being yelled at
• Distinguish between problems and preferences. Problems can happen anywhere, but preferences could have been avoided if you did some homework before booking

Cultural Customs and Social Norms

The Challenge: Navigating unfamiliar social situations

Tourist Karen Response:

• Ignoring local customs because they don’t make sense to you or may be a little inconvenient
• Displaying inappropriate behaviour. What may seem like a bit of fun to you and your mates could be offensive in some countries, and the punishment could be more than you bargain for
• Cultural insensitivity. Often a result of the Karen suffering from “main character syndrome”

Respectful Approach:

• Research and observe local behaviour before acting
• Ask permission before photographing people. It may seem awkward at first but how would you feel with random people taking photos of you as you go about your day?
• Dress appropriately for cultural and religious sites. If the expectation is to keep shoulders and knees covered, do not strip down to a bikini “for the ‘Gram” just because the background looks perfect
• Show genuine interest in learning about traditions. Surely the main benefit of travel is to experience new and different things

Choose Your Travel Personality

We all should want to be excited, inspired and respectful when we travel, and I’m sure if you are reading this then you are already a member of the club. But unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way.

By actively seeking new experiences and embracing our cultural differences, we have the opportunity to not only have some incredible adventures but also to become better human beings. Ones who appreciate the differences rather than be afraid of them.

Being respectful of cultural differences is not about being bullied into following rules that you are not used to in your daily life back home, it’s about learning that your way is not the only way, and maybe not the best way either!

So do that extra bit of research before your next trip. Learn a few key phrases in the local language, have a realistic expectation of the accommodation style and quality, and get an idea of the food on offer and the meal times.

But the most important thing to do before your next trip, actually, before every future trip, is to leave your bad attitude at the airport.

When all is said and done, the best destination for a Tourist Karen is their home town, in their own house. At least then they know what food they will eat and the exact style of accommodation. Everybody wins!

What was the funniest, or worst, Travel Karen incident you have witnessed while travelling? Or the most ridiculous review of a hotel or restaurant you have read. Let us know in the comments.