Dumb tourists - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Diorama** · 07-06-2005, 10:39 PM

Okay here's my lil bitch/pet peeve of the day.

As ya prob know I work in a hotel as a concierge. So I spend my whole day dealing with tourists. Sometimes I simply can not understand the ignorance that these individuals display.

For example (this happens every day). I will be selling a day tour to some guests and I will tell them the price. Then they go "Is that in american dollars?" First off why would I tell you the price in american dollars. Idiot your in CANADA...... (Home of the bloody Canadian dollar)...Then they'll automatically proceed to pay me with american cash. Then I politely tell them that I can't accept American cash and they look at me dumbfounded. I tell them it's an entirely different country, you'll have to pay in Canadian dollars...Then they get upset and don't understand why I can't take American dollars

Fuckin retards...Do you go to Japan and expect to pay with American dollars everywhere. NO! aaaaaaargggggh.

Okay I feel much better. Thank you!

**TheJake** · 07-07-2005, 12:04 AM

I dont know... I would try to pay with american.

But then again everywhere I have traveled has prefered american dollars. Mexico, costa rica, brasil, argentina, even southern peru, Everywhere prefered dollars. So why not canada?

Don't worry sweetheart someday my country will blow itself up and then you can come over and buy us out with your canadian cash

**omisan** · 07-07-2005, 12:14 AM

Countries with shite for an economy will usually take American dollars over the local currency. US dollars come in very handy in Latin America, southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Canada, as I understand it, has a fairly healthy economy

I have a sneaking suspicion that many travelers (no one here, of course) realize that the "dollar" is the name of the currency in numerous countries, so they just assume that when you say dollars, you mean American dollars.

Personally, I like to irk folks in the Commonwealth by paying with coins from Zimbabwe. "It's got the queen on it, hasn't it???"

**GoKrazy** · 07-07-2005, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by omisan@Jul 6 2005, 11:13 PM
Personally, I like to irk folks in the Commonwealth by paying with coins from Zimbabwe. "It's got the queen on it, hasn't it???"

HAHAHA!

Good one - I have to try that soon!

Dio - I feel for you! As a way of getting back at them you caould always try to pay in Canadian dollars every chance you get while in the US

**elfmaiden** · 07-07-2005, 07:48 AM

And mention something like "Oh isn't the States a province?" Ha ha! Okay, I'm sorry that's my one bad thing for today. :D

Jenn

**GoKrazy** · 07-07-2005, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by elfmaiden@Jul 7 2005, 06:47 AM
And mention something like "Oh isn't the States a province?"* Ha ha!* Okay, I'm sorry that's my one bad thing for today.* :D

HAHAHA! I like the way you think!

And don't appologize... it implies that you did something wrong - simply plead ignorance!

**SuDz** · 07-07-2005, 08:45 AM

It might also depend on how far up they go into canada or what part. I know in Montreal they had the auto conversions setup on cash registers etc. They would ask me if it was american or canadian. Depending on what I said the price would either change over or come up originally in what I had handy. Granted your not behind a cash register but they might assume it is common based on what they have seen already.

SuDZ

**IDDQD** · 07-07-2005, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by elfmaiden@Jul 7 2005, 06:47 AM
And mention something like \"Oh isn't the States a province?\"* Ha ha!* Okay, I'm sorry that's my one bad thing for today.* :D

Jenn

or call the U.S. Canada Jr. hehehe

**space virgin** · 07-07-2005, 09:35 AM

Dumb tourists indeed. But hey, I've been to stores & restaurants in Vancouver where they accept U.S. dollars. But the non-idiots know that they're getting a shitty exchange rate when they pay for something with U.S. currency instead of going to an ATM or something.

**my retro career** · 07-07-2005, 09:56 AM

Dio...I'll loan you THIS...

**LaurieL622** · 07-07-2005, 10:04 AM

haha...i would get frustraded as well.

i've been to a few countries that preferred US dollars, but i never assume it...to do so is a bit condescending. how was a concierge in the US act if someone tried to pay in japanese yen?

**LiveFreeorDie** · 07-07-2005, 10:37 AM

Shit - if I were you, I would tell them they can pay in Canadian or American dollars, but the amount stays the same. They want to pay in American dollars, you can exchange it yourself and pocket the difference. Fuck 'em for their stupidity.

**omisan** · 07-07-2005, 10:58 AM

I love the way you think!

**The Monsignor** · 07-07-2005, 11:26 AM

Yeah, I hate to say it, Dio... at least over on the west side, if you're near the border, it seems that almost all the Canadian stores will take U.S. dollars. (but they rob you in the conversion) I wouldn't expect a hotel to automatically pin me as an American (gee, I hope I'm not that obviously a tourist) and give me a price in U.S. currency, however. I like using Canadian money, personally... they include that little scratch-off lotto spot on their bills... (I scratched one off a 20 the other day, and won 10 bucks, U.S.!)

Course, there are so many other insensitive and stupid touristy things to pick on...

I love the 'province' gag...

**Diorama** · 07-07-2005, 12:30 PM

I actually technically am allowed to accept american dollars, but it screws up my daily cash out at the end of the day, so I refuse to take it....and why should I?

It's not a matter if we take american dollars or not (your right most stores do), but why assume that I'm talking in "american". It's not even just americans, other nationalities always think I'm talking in american funds etc...I'm gonna pull out an atlas and show them that they are indeed in another country. Thanx for the loan retro...I shall indeed need it today for work..off i go..

Heck I'm gonna fly to Kansas city tomorrow and gonna go up to the hotel clerk and ask "IS that in Canadian dollars" and then I'll hand her some loonies eh...!" See how when in reverse it sounds so silly...

**pinion** · 07-07-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Diorama@Jul 7 2005, 12:29 PM
Heck I'm gonna fly to Kansas city tomorrow and gonna go up to the hotel clerk and ask "IS that in Canadian dollars" and then I'll hand her some loonies eh...!"* See how when in reverse it sounds so silly...

Thanks for the good laugh Dio

Frank from Boston · 07-07-2005, 01:01 PM

Diorama, where do you work in Canada?

**Diorama** · 07-10-2005, 09:53 PM

^Vancouver

Qwardian · 07-10-2005, 10:44 PM

Throw them off.

"The tour is 10 loonies, or 5 toonies."

"If you need to you can exchange your American money for Canadian Tire money over at the Timmy's down at the end of the street. Make sure you tell them you want it double double."

**IDDQD** · 07-11-2005, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Qwardian@Jul 10 2005, 09:43 PM
\"If you need to you can exchange your American money for Canadian Tire money over at the Timmy's down at the end of the street. Make sure you tell them you want it double double.\"

ahahahahahahahahahahaha

Did you know Canadians exchanging CT money in the southern states is actually a problem? Man, you gotta feel dumb if you fall for that.