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We’ve seen it discussed before and we tend to agree somewhat as to complaints regarding international guests and certain behaviors. We are a Native American owned B&B on the Navajo nation 12 miles south of Lake Powell/Page, AZ. We see a tremendous influx of foreign tourism and it’s overall a positive. We’ve a certain demographic that has proven to be our most problematic and challenging. But, with their visitation numbers growing exponentially we are looking for ways to accommodate yet still provide our brand and remain sane. We will profit from them. Not run and hide. We recommend speaking with tourism directors in your town, city, or state. Also, consult with business owners who happen to be of shared ethnicity of the target group. Also, we are going with hard copy guide books that offer visual aids as well as text.
It’s a shame that Air is not making more of an effort to educate people on the customs of the country they are going to visit. Here is an excellent pdf that the Japanese made when having difficulty with foreign visitors. Great visual aids and text:
I know. I expect that expats will practice some parts of both cultures. What I find offensive is being criticized for practicing my own culture in my own country (as long as these cultural practices are harmless).
The great thing is @EllenN that every host is different. Before we used Airbnb, most of our guests were American and yes, we used the duvet but the kettle was hidden in a cupboard. With Airbnb it’s about 50-50 Americans and Europeans.
But visitors coming from abroad are looking for the ‘American experience’ so I’d never criticise a host for providing their own cultural experience. That’s important.
I have an electric tea kettle, well two actually. One lives in my kitchen; the other in the AirBNB space. I received a Russell Hobbs as a wedding gift years and years and years ago and can’t imagine life without it. I also use duvets. I also have a top sheet. I like to incorporate anything that seems like a good combination of form and function. Rice bowls… are they perfect or what? I have several sets of Asian bowls for rice and soups.
On the other hand, I have no use for bolsters and decorative pillows, so there are none in my house.
There was a same kind of manual they handed out to Arabs in a place in Austria. The manual is not available anymore, because there were a lot of negative comments about it. (The obvious racisism claims from people that are not familiar with the situation)
They are trying to rewrite it. And at the same time, Kuwayt and SA have made a manual themselves because of the negative image their people have created as a tourist.
Some of the remarks in the manual
Arabs were advised that:
Their children should wear car seatbelts
They should avoid littering and separate their waste for recycling
Prices are fixed and haggling is frowned upon
They should not smoke outside the designated areas
They should not use their own cooking appliances in hotel rooms or eat meals on the floor
We are navajo hosts in monument valley and we are appalled at the type of reviews we receive from guests who are so unknowledgeable about navajo culture. They complain about us not having street addresses, which is something we cannot change and are subjected to. They complain about the outhouse and our solar shower as if we are required to provide electricity or running water for them when we do not have it for ourselves. We do not have wifi and we get scoured for this. There’s simply no wifi where we are at. They have no concept of the level of poverty on the Navajo Rez and expect some type of glamorous retreat. All the navajo admire and find out accommodations exceptional as well as those who are familiar with navajo lifestyles. However we are expected to be something that we are not rather than to experience the situation as part of our culture and it really saddens us that we are expected to provide for them what most Navajo people do not have ourselves. We have a solar charging station, an outdoor shower with hot water and even this does not appease. Our prices are lower than all others in our area who have less amenities than ours. Our outhouse has the most beautiful view and well maintained and we are slurred with its a hole in the ground. We attempt to address this with literature and the impact that flushing toilets have on our environment and what a waste it is for our nation to allow precious and sacred water to tamper down composting smells or to flush it out of sight. This is why they frequent the San Francisco peaks who use toilet water to desecrate our sacred mountain with manufactured yellow snow. I wonder what good are we really doing if we cannot overcome their lack of education on what we spend most of our time explaining to them. It seems like such a waste of our time.
Your place sounds amazing! Would you be willing to share the listing? You may PM if you wish.
Many of the guest nit picks that you name can be headed off with really really strong and clear listing copy. Maybe in the house rules, you reiterate all of the above that people don’t get. Perhaps when you accept their booking, you can again state all the things they are agreeing to (composting toilet, etc.) and make sure they understand this upon booking acceptance.
You sound very articulate so I doubt you are unclear in your listing what this magical place is about. If people book and still don’t get it, for shame. In fact… the rez conditions in the Navajo and other nations are shameful and part of the long legacy of shame the US has inflicted on Indian peoples and their traditional lands.
I recently visited the brand new Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC and was amazed by one thing–the treaty room. They have every single original treaty on display and explanations about how each were broken. For shame…
I would love to stay at your place and would gladly use your composting toilet with its amazing view without complaint!
We do try to explain it as best we can. And yes nitpick is a great word. In this day and age it surprises us that so many people have no knowledge of the outhouse. And for many years was considered substandard and just recently pushed to the forefront of an eco friendly top of the line composting toilet market lol. Which we do have a great view from and yes you would be welcome anytime at ours and I’m sure Shash dine’s in page. Hahah. Thanks for your kind words. But sometimes I can read the stress in people’s reviews as they describe it as if we have put them through great difficulties for just having to walk to the restroom. They have no concept of walking and what many of our people do to walk, many dozens of miles just to get to work sometimes.
We will profit from them. Not run and hide. We recommend speaking with tourism directors in your town, city, or state. Also, consult with business owners who happen to be of shared ethnicity of the target group. Also, we are going with hard copy guide books that offer visual aids as well as text.
