Cultural differences should be celebrated, not discriminated against. Every place is unique and valuable, and we can all learn from one another; by being open-minded and accepting instead of stubborn and arrogant, we can create a more inclusive global society.
TikTok user Roya (@royaventurera) is a great example of a conscious traveler. The woman fully immerses herself into the countries she goes to, and this allows her to experience them on a much deeper level than she would by just blindly following her foreign instincts.
Even better, Roya shares her insights online, so her followers can too broaden their understanding of the world. One particular destination that has received much of her attention is France. So without further ado, continue scrolling to see how it compares to the US.
This traveler made a video on culture shocks that French people would experience in the United States
Image credits: royaventurera
Image credits: Richard Ha
Image credits: royaventurera
Image credits: royaventurera
And her video went viral
So she put-together a follow-up video
Image credits: royaventurera
Image credits: digboston
Image credits: royaventurera
And it also blew up
The popularity of Roya's videos is a reminder that Americans are poised to travel overseas in a big way in 2023.
Households are continuing to unleash two or three years' worth of pent-up demand as Covid fears wane and the last vestiges of pandemic-era border restrictions have eased.
The U.S. dollar remains relatively strong versus currencies like the euro, hybrid work yields more flexibility for big trips, and some airlines have added new long-haul routes to overseas destinations.
“The travel industry is just going gangbusters,” Erin Florio, executive editor of Condé Nast Traveler, told CNBC.
In fact, 31 percent percent of Americans are more interested in international than domestic travel, a recent poll by tourism market research firm Destination Analysts has shown. (That's a 6-point increase from February and a year-to-date high, according to the survey, published in November.)
So she decided to continue the series, just reverse the roles
Image credits: royaventurera
Image credits: Open Grid Scheduler
Image credits: Bored Panda
This format also turned out to be a success
And quickly received a part-two
Image credits: royaventurera
Image credits: dailystar
Image credits: statista
Image credits: royaventurera
The more you know!
In reality, France is eagerly waiting for tourists from across the Atlantic. North America is projected to be the biggest contributor to the Parisian tourism market this year, with booking levels almost back to pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
"The Americans are doing the job," Frédéric Hocquard, Paris deputy mayor for tourism, told CNN. "Meaning that they are coming back en masse and with a lot of money to spend."
Even outside of Paris, from north to south, tourist workers and government officials across France are chanting the same enthusiastic message — the Americans are back!
On average, American tourists, mostly visiting in groups, are each spending $402 (400 euros) per day in France, bringing the budget for a 10-day visit to a stunning $7,687, way ahead of any other foreign tourists.
The Americans are especially important this year for the south of France along the Mediterranean, whose beautiful coastlines have long been a paradise harboring many wealthy Russian vacationers.
Here's how people from all over the world reacted to Roya's videos
