Perceptions of Americans

Terrorism notwithstanding, Americans should be and are re-engaging the world, experiencing cultures other than their own. As Traveler Editor Keith Bellows points out in the March issue, the dollar is strong, the crowds are gone, and many foreigners—even the French!—are happy to see Yanks.

It’s an opportunity not to be missed—or abused. Cultural awareness is now more important than ever. Americans traveling abroad are, by and large, more sophisticated than they were in the days of the popular ’60s movie If It’s Tuesday, This Must be Belgium. Still, when cultures meet, misunderstandings and erroneous assumptions abound. As representatives of the last superpower, Americans are possibly the most loved, hated, envied, appreciated, and resented nationality on Earth. Right or wrong, such perceptions form whenever Americans travel abroad or foreign visitors explore the United States.

This month, the Tourism Forum asks:  What impressions do Americans make on people of other countries?

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—Jonathan B. Tourtellot

Jonathan B. Tourtellot is Traveler magazine’s geotourism editor.