Taking a selfie in front of a monument definitely makes you look like a tourist. / Digital Vision
Layering a large lensed Nikon over your Hawaiian shirt is a dead giveaway you’re not from around these parts — but it’s not the only sign you’re a tourist. Even if you think you’re blending in, the locals know better. Priceline.com took a look at what lets everyone know you’re just visiting via a study conducted by Edelman Berland research. The study surveyed travelers as well as locals who’ve lived in a major U.S. city for at least five years, from New York to San Francisco. Here are the highlights of Priceline.com’s first Tourist Report Card.
What to wear
• The biggest tourist giveaway, according to the more than half of locals, is somebody wearing a camera around their neck and taking pictures of everything.
• Locals voted that the ugliest tourist accessory is socks and sandals (42 percent), followed by the fanny pack (21 percent).
• But almost 60 percent of tourists say they try to avoid wearing typical tourist gear.
Eating out
• Ordering local dishes and drinks, according to 65 percent of tourists, is one of the top ways they try to blend in with the culture.
• The majority of tourists prefer eating at local restaurants — where there are few tourists.
• But 54 percent of tourists admit to eating at chain franchises.
Getting around
• One in four tourists prefers to use a pocket foldout map when traveling and about three in seven still use a printout map from an Internet source like Mapquest.
• More than half of tourists equate blending in successfully with learning to navigate public transportation.
• About 63 percent of tourists have asked a local for directions.
Sex
• More one in three single tourists say they would love to have a fling with a local while on vacation.
• Nearly one in five would put those thoughts into action, actually trying to find a one-night hook-up.
• More than one in three tourists have become smitten over a foreigner with an accent.
Locals in major U.S. cities, including Chicago, weighed in on what makes you stand out as a tourist. / Getty Images
Top 5 ways to blend in a new city
1. Order local dishes and drinks.
2.Travel by public transportation.
3. Avoid tourist gear, such as fanny packs, water bottle holsters and local city T-shirts.
4. Learn and use local phrases and expressions.
5. Befriend the locals.
Top 3 tourist cliches
• 63% ask a local for directions.
• 54% eat at a chain franchise.
• 49% stop in the middle of the street to take a picture.
