5 things international tourists love about American culture

According to the US Travel Association, about 67 million international tourists visited the United States last year, spending about $155 billion. That’s more than the federal government spends on K-12 schools nationwide ($119.1 billion).

People around the world, especially young people, are drawn to American music, movies and brands. But the experience of visiting the States allows them to interact closely with the American people and culture. And generally, many like what they find. In no particular order, these are some of the recurring themes we see across the internet about what foreigners love about American culture.

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

• In general, international tourists appreciate the friendliness and easy-going nature of many Americans.
• They also like the wide variety of entertainment available.
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What is it for you?

Many people have some responsibilities related to international hosting in the United States. You might work in the tourism industry, in college admissions or student life, or in a multinational company that receives visitors from foreign affiliates and customers. Or you could work for a nonprofit that helps immigrants and refugees settle in the States.

In any of these situations, knowing what foreigners like best about American culture can give you some ideas about talking points and experiences you might want to organize to help make a favorable impression on your guests, clients, or colleagues. .

1. Open, friendly, positive people

Americans aren’t as happy as the people in stock photos (nobody is), but people in other countries notice that we smile a lot, have an upbeat attitude, and are often willing to talk to and help strangers. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but people from other cultures, for a variety of reasons, are more reserved around people they don’t know.

2. A variety of food and lots of it!

Foreign visitors often comment on how much food is available, how many options there are and how much more affordable it is than in their own country. And the free refills absolutely blow their minds. A visitor from Singapore commented: “Americans cook like it’s the end of the world and you want a fancy final meal for every meal.“

3. Willingness to try new things

American culture values ​​having diverse experiences and taking risks to pursue your dreams. If you fail, yes there are some people who laugh or try to bring you down. But mostly, you’ll be encouraged, praised for trying, and encouraged to see it as a learning experience.

4. Choice and Convenience

In many parts of the US, you don’t have to go far to find a store, restaurant, bank, or anything else you need. Almost anything can be delivered right to your door. There is a wide variety of options for every type of consumer product or service: food, home decor, cars, pets, gyms, insurance policies, such as. In fact, if anything, people are stressed by too many choices, not too few.

5. Extravagant holidays

Americans take vacations BIG. In many families, Thanksgiving is the biggest family gathering with the biggest meal centered around the biggest roasted bird that will fit in the oven. At Christmas, neighbors compete with each other to put on the most extravagant light shows at their homes. Children’s birthdays are events that require weeks of planning. And the 4th of July fireworks look like World War III just broke out.

Foreigners find vacations in the US way over the top. But also quite interesting. And that goes for how they view American culture in general. So the next time you read or hear about a foreigner criticizing the United States, you can be sure that they probably like it as much, if not more, than they hate it.

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