World's unfriendliest places

frank recktenwald · May 28, 2013

When traveling, some countries just don't like you. Or at least, it can certainly feel that way.
A new report, put out earlier this month by the World Economic Forum, has ranked which countries roll out the welcome mat to travelers and which give the cold shoulder.
The "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013" ranked 140 countries according to attractiveness and competitiveness in the travel and tourism industries.
World's unfriendliest nations for tourists? - CNN.com

For a country that highly depends on tourism the DR doesn't score that good.
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TT_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf

Castellamonte · May 28, 2013

At least the DR beat out the Islamic Republic of Iran!

frank12 · May 28, 2013

Who are the world's best tourists?
World's unfriendliest nations for tourists? - CNN.com

The world's coolest nationalities: Where do you rank?

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

Friendliest
1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

Unfriendliest

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

frank recktenwald · May 28, 2013

Castellamonte said:
At least the DR beat out the Islamic Republic of Iran!

Yes they did but then again tourism in Iran is not as important to them as it is to the DR.

cobraboy · May 28, 2013

I would have thought my ex wife's family reunion when I showed up would have made the Top 10...

zoomzx11 · May 28, 2013

The DR would do much better if the poll looked at friendly cities. In Sosua everyone is friendly. Wherever I go in town the Dominicans always greet me with "hello my fren". Even Chip calls me his fren, although, he is not from Sosua and we have never found anything we a agree about. Our "frenniness" here in Sosua must be contagious . Sosuans just love tourists.

cobraboy · May 28, 2013

I can understand Bolivia. After Buch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid wreaked havoc, I can see why they are distrustful of foreigners...

flyinroom · May 28, 2013

Getting into the "over-generalization" spirit of things and with all due respect of course..........Never get in the way of a German in the buffet line or else be prepared to be run over.

Oops......wrong thread.
lol.

MANGOS · May 28, 2013

zoomzx11 said:
The DR would do much better if the poll looked at friendly cities. In Sosua everyone is friendly. Wherever I go in town the Dominicans always greet me with "hello my fren". Even Chip calls me his fren, although, he is not from Sosua and we have never found anything we a agree about. Our "frenniness" here in Sosua must be contagious . Sosuans just love tourists.

I agree with Sosua,when we lived there it was more relaxed,friendly and you wasn't harassed so much with sellers...NOT so the case in Cabarete,which as got worse with pushy moto concho guys and very rude beach sellers if you dont buy from them,slamming there dollar store jewellery back in the wooden box,muttering something.You cant even get to your chair to sit down and there are already at your table,ever few minutes theres another on a rotation even though you told them NO about 10 minutes previous.One family that was sat in front of us were trying to be polite but it was crazy to watch how many in a span of 10 minutes kept coming over,they left because of it...I think the new tourist minister guy needs to get these people off the beaches and tourist will return and make it a more welcoming place

frank recktenwald · May 28, 2013

flyinroom said:
Getting into the "over-generalization" spirit of things and with all due respect of course..........Never get in the way of a German in the buffet line or else be prepared to be run over.

Oops......wrong thread.
lol.

Not just the buffet line, not just the buffet line

Aguaita29 · May 28, 2013

frank12 said:
Who are the world's best tourists?
World's unfriendliest nations for tourists? - CNN.com

The world's coolest nationalities: Where do you rank?

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

Friendliest
1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

Unfriendliest

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

I`ve always heard wonders about Venezuela. Everyone says people there are so friendly. I`m surprised it`s on the unfriendly list! I`m really curious to here about those here who`ve been there.

yacht chef · May 28, 2013

Thy do not like us here. Thy only tell lies and want to use us for money and that is if and when thy choose to associate with us. Dominicana only likes Dominicana...............

bob saunders · May 28, 2013

yacht chef said:
Thy do not like us here. Thy only tell lies and want to use us for money and that is if and when thy choose to associate with us. Dominicana only likes Dominicana...............

I feel loved, and liked as well. Maybe I'm easily fooled, or perhaps my friendly demeanor and polite discourse is the reason. I've been called smiley since I was a little boy. I find the Dominicans that aren't friendly and are excessively rude are that way with their fellow Dominicans as well. I just ignore them as life is too short to worry about rude people.

Africaida · May 28, 2013

frank12 said:
Who are the world's best tourists?
World's unfriendliest nations for tourists? - CNN.com

The world's coolest nationalities: Where do you rank?

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

Friendliest
1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

Unfriendliest

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

My country is on the friendliest list, I feel frendly today

bronzeallspice · May 28, 2013

yacht chef said:
Thy do not like us here. Thy only tell lies and want to use us for money and that is if and when thy choose to associate with us. Dominicana only likes Dominicana...............

I'm sorry to hear that's the way you feel about Dominicans. Some people have a tendency to misjudge, blame an entire country when they go through some negative experiences. Instead focus on the reasons why it happened. You will see that many times it's because of the wrong choices that was made.

frank recktenwald · May 28, 2013

Africaida said:
My country is on the friendliest list, I feel frendly today

Senegal or Burkina Faso which one?

dv8 · May 28, 2013

i'm surprised poland does not top the unfriendly list. every time i smile at someone back home they look back at me like they want to snap my head off with a scythe.

IslandDreaming · May 28, 2013

frank12 said:
Who are the world's best tourists?
World's unfriendliest nations for tourists? - CNN.com

The world's coolest nationalities: Where do you rank?

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

Friendliest
1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

Unfriendliest

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

Have to disagree with Russia, Bulgaria and Slovak republic. they are desperate for had currency and very friendly to tourists

Bratislava was one of the friendliest and interesting cities I have visited

IslandDreaming · May 28, 2013

dv8 said:
i'm surprised poland does not top the unfriendly list. every time i smile at someone back home they look back at me like they want to snap my head off with a scythe.

I felt very "appreciated' in Poland, maybe it was tourist dollars

Got stopped on motorway because I didn't have some sticker or permit, after exchanging stories about Police work and giving the two officers Ball Caps from my PD we were old friends. I wish they would have offered me the old Soviet Style hats they wore, impressive

suarezn · May 28, 2013

dv8 said:
i'm surprised poland does not top the unfriendly list. every time i smile at someone back home they look back at me like they want to snap my head off with a scythe.

Me too...as a matter of fact pretty much all of Eastern Europe seems to be that way. Not sure if a remnant of the old soviet control or what, but it just seems like everyone from that side of the world has a certain surly attitude. I've only met ONE funny Russian all of my life and she's a woman of Jewish descent.

Of course this poll is seen from the perspective of Americans, thus what countries The US has an ongoing quarrel with probably has something to do with it.

Africaida: Are you Burkinabe? For some reason I've always been intrigued with that part of the world.

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