Most of us have had a run-in with fellow tourists exhibiting a lack of manners, whether that’s an inappropriately dressed member of a church tour group or a honeymooning couple too eager to display their affection. If you’ve ever wanted to tell someone to pack away the selfie stick or flip-flops, you’re not alone.
The following landmarks, cities and airlines are all tired of these bad behaviors from travelers.
Say No to Selfie Sticks
Selfie stick bans frequently made the news throughout 2015. Major landmarks such as the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum in Rome, the National Gallery in London and the Mecca in Saudi Arabia have all banned the ubiquitous selfie-taking devices.
The Happiest Place on Earth (Disneyland) feels happier without the stick, as do Cape Town, parts of Lake Tahoe and major music festivals such as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. While several spots, such as Disneyland and Lake Tahoe, banned selfie sticks due to concerns over safety, Coachella flat-out called them an act of narcissism.
No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service
While it might not occur to the average traveler to remove his or her clothing at a famous landmark, there are some among us who contributed to the nudity ban. Due to tourists stripping down, both Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu had to put an official ban on nudity in the past two years. In fact, bad behaviors have caused a slew of new rules at Angkor Wat. These include bans on smoking, touching monuments and attempting to take selfies with local monks without permission.
Avoid Public Displays of Affection
The Indian village of Salvador do Mundo, 8 miles away from Goa’s capital city of Panaji, banned couples from kissing in public due to complaints from the locals in 2015. Similar bans on PDA were made in 2009 in England and France due to too many kissing couples causing train station delays.
Hoverboards Remain Grounded
Throughout 2015, several U.S. airlines banned hoverboards due to fire safety concerns, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines. The lithium batteries found in many hoverboard brands pose a fire hazard. But U.S. airlines aren’t the only ones with hoverboard bans — Qatar Airways and Air Canada have rules against them, too. England’s Windsor Great Park also instituted a hoverboard ban on order of the Queen in December 2015.
Dress to Impress
In 2014, Capri banned tourists from wearing flip-flops due to noise complaints from locals. Meanwhile, Qatar issued a decree asking tourists to wear trousers and not leggings while sightseeing, deeming leggings not modest enough, especially as tourism is set to increase due to the 2022 Football World Cup. Not covering your knees and shoulders will also get you a warning in Dubai and the Vatican, as will dressing up like a gladiator in Rome during the Holy Year.
Cover Up Your Tattoos
Almost half of all Japanese hotels ban tourists with tattoos from public bathing areas due to tattoos being common among yakuza crime organizations, although these bans are being reconsidered by Japan’s tourism agencies in an effort to boost tourism. However, they’re not the only country with tattoo bans. Thailand and Sri Lanka are cracking down on tourists getting Buddha tattoos while visiting due to cultural insensitivity.
