Boomhauer

5 countries and 5600 respondents.

I just don't buy the claim that Americans are the worst, even if most of those saying so are Americans themselves. If Americans get the worst rap then how would one rate tourists from the Gulf countries...


Yout got to laugh at the last sentence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1322046.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...icans-say.html

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinati...d-off/637651/1

kittycat1

I thought it was something like 80% of americans don't even have a passport? or am i just making up statistics now?

Boomhauer

According to the US State Department, there are almost 110 million valid American passports in circulation. This covers the period between 1989 to present and a passport is valid for 10 years.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppi...stats_890.html

Pop. of the US is about 313 million, so roughly 35% of the population has a valid passport.

Jim Smith

Pop. of the US is about 313 million, so roughly 35% of the population has a valid passport


Probably less than 30% when you account for those having 2 or more passports?

Meow

I wonder how many of those are living in states bordering Mexico or Canada who just use them to pop over the border, rather than go further afield.

Norm_uk

Given the sheer size of the US and the vast differences between states I'm not at all surprised if less than half bother to travel outside. Russians and Chinese are the same - live in a huge bloody country you can spend half your life wandering around in and see everything in your own language...

Does anyone know how many Britons have passports by comparison?

N.

Oyibopeppeh

71% according to:

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/general_about_fastfacts.asp

I'd read that for Americans it was something like 19%.

Millhouse

Of those 71%, I wonder how many have left Europe... and of those, how many have gone further than the Balearics. In terms of miles travelled, I'm sure the average Brit is much the same as the average american.

Ethos83

Yeah.

Most Americans with passports use it for Canada/Mexico/Caribbean islands.

As Millhouse implied the UK can boast a much higher level of passport possession amongst the general population but the majority of them are only using it for all inclusive package tours to Costa del Sol or the Azores. Is that any different from Americans from New York who only go to Florida?

America is a huuuuuugggeeee country. A flight from NYC to Los Angeles is seven hours, about the same as London to Dubai. Think about that carefully.

Anyhow, the article was rubbish but the comments were interesting because a pattern does emerge. Tour groups are hated regardless of the nationality and individual travellers are better regarded, once again regardless of the nationality.

Bahtatboy

Area of UK: 243,610 sq m
Area of European Union: 4,324,782 sq m
Area of US: 9,826,675 sq m (40 x UK, 2.2 x Europe)

Why do Americans need passports?

weasel decentral

So they can eat at McDonalds and drink Starbuck's coffee in a range of culturally diverse locations

Millhouse

That's pretty much what I do.

Oyibopeppeh

They don't generally. 90,000 of them in A****inganistan?

Desert Dubliner

Nothing beats an English hen party in the Temple Bar.........

Bahtatboy

As an Englishman, I apologise sincerely.