How to tell a "tourist" from a "traveller"

There was an interesting poll in the UK the other day, determining who can be defined as a “traveller” and not a “tourist.’ Let’s face it, the concept of a tourist has been derided over the years, inspiring images of men wearing plaid shorts with straw fedoras and Kodak Instamatics around their necks, a mid-1960s  holdover. The term is synonymous with superficiality and the "stereotyped Westerner" who eschews local hotels and food to boot. Perish indulging in something “foreign.” A traveller, on the other hand, connotes someone who wants to dig digger into local culture, frequents pieds-a-terre and tries earnestly to “live like a local” including dining at any place that is anything “touristy.”  A traveller inspires images of gap year backpackers across Europe and Asia, staying in hostels, and reading the works of Lord Byron, Jan Morris and Paul Theroux. Oh, and Frommers’ Europe on $25 a Day (I still have the book) the amount since increased dramatically. According to the survey 42 per cent of people said the best example of being a “seasoned traveller” is “a tatty passport full of stamps.” If so, I qualify, with 12 pages of stamps in my passport which was issued in June 2018 (photo). More than this, I have stickers festooned to the outside, including one from Health Canada during the pandemic, four little security stickers from god-knows-where-countries, and a couple of large stickers so mangled I can’t figure out what they are. But I do think my passport is impressive holding in my hand standing in line waiting for my turn at Customs. Other survey "traveller" criteria were: “backpacking tales to wheel out at dinner parties” (28 per cent) – I don’t backpack so fail there; “putting souvenirs from your trips on your walls at home” (27 per cent) – I generally don’t but now have four or five on my fridge; “pronouncing certain foreign words” (10 per cent)” such as pho, chorizo and nduja. I don’t know what the last one is and I pronounced pho like 'PHOto' when it’s “fuh.” Oh, yes, and another sign that one’s a real traveller is they have a travel blog. Bingo! 

I read the British press, with their extensive travel pages, especially the Daily Mail. There are certain British terms that will never ever be changed, such as “mum” for mom, “biscuit” for cookie, “crisps” for potato chips, “car hire” for car rental and “holiday” for vacation. A Brit will never say a “round trip” ticket but a “return.” So set in their ways I’m always tempted to interject that I’m on “vacation.”

Speaking of Brits, when I was in England last fall – and travelling extensively by trains – a recurring public service announcement was about abandoned luggage being a possible terrorist threat. The announcement ends with “See it, say it, sort it” as in authorities will “sort” the matter. I’d never heard the word used that way but it’s British vernacular for resolving an issue. Like “Mind the Gap.” Sort of.

Another puzzle is why some tourists (or travellers) plastic shrink wrap their suitcases (photo left). I went into a luggage shop at Heathrow and asked the question. “Oh, it’s because in some countries, unscrupulous airport personnel will pry and steal suitcase contents.” Good to know, I suppose.  

- Ron Stang, Windsor Ontario Canada, a frequent traveller