How do you travel smart and be a good tourist?

[kmajewski]

Caption: A photo of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, showing the white marble mausoleum against a blue sky with its well-manicured garden and blue, dry fountain in front, and tourists filling the pathways on either side. (Local Guide Thanakorn Chokpitiboon)

Today is World Tourism Day, a holiday created by the United Nations World Tourism Organization to highlight the positive impacts of tourism around the world. The holiday also celebrates the adoption of the organization's statues on this day in 1980 which help it to promote responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

As Local Guides, you play an important role in tourism in your city, telling newcomers where to go through your contributions on Google Maps. Through your photos, reviews, videos, and lists, travelers can get a sense of what places in your city are really like and can make sure they suit their needs.

But sometimes Local Guides aren’t the guides, but rather tourists in a new city relying on others for helpful info and recommendations. That got us thinking: how do you make sure you’re being a good tourist when in a new city? Tell us in the comments below along with your top traveling tips.

[ErmesT]

This is a good question @kmajewski

15 years traveling as a "worker with a passport" have been very useful for me, to learn and to build up my own way of being a tourist.

What I always try to do, in planning a trip, is to try to "think as a local".

What does it mean?

In every place there is people, living there, moving with public transportation, visiting places, eating in restaurants.

So, why to search for a bad dish of spaghetti, if I can get some delicious local food. This is very Italian, I know, but I really had a lot of funny feedback from friends that was telling me "in that country pizza is horrible". I am usually asking to the locals where to find local food. Fresh food growth locally.

Same for transportation, or for the best place to visit.

I am trying to be informed about the places where I want to go. In this, Local Guides Connect is giving me the opportunity to contact some Local Guide from the place where I want to go, getting useful information. My last trip was in Krakow, just a week ago, we had the opportunity of being guided by a Local Local Guide, @TorM, that made our visit really enjoyable

[Nick-Hobgood]

Learn to say "Thank You" in the local language.  Say it with a smile and most people will appreciate your efforts and will be more willing to help you if you need it. 

[YadeanD]

well for me it has all Ways been learning some Words in the langange ,, no meter were Ive been it opend a lot of operitonitis for me... I IHaven't seen the world from a Working Prespective I gess being Organized When you have2-3 Days is s better but mostly when Work is a factor there are colleges to Welcome you and There is all Ready a common ground,, as for me i had to gain trust or brake the ice most people then switch to a langauge you understand youll the amazed how mush biolingall People there are inthe world are much more Well this got me invited to, homes for Diner, Privett partys,   local festivals and much more,, I

[Wim]

First of all. Look online for info about the country, their laws and local habits, so you fit in better. Don't be afraid to ask online for info about that.
Don't travel in large groups visiting a new country. It's more difficult then to find a nice place to stay or a good restaurant for dinner while in a large group.
The locals in general don't contact easy with bigger groups of foreign people. Make sure your're not alone in a new country or city. Make sure you travel with a full battery smartphone, and now the local alarm ( police, ambulance ) numbers. Put the international phone number of your fellow travelers in your smartphone, so you can reach them easy if in case of trubble, or you get lost somewhere. Don't wave your exspensive camera's and smartphones around like a tourist. You ask then for attention from criminals. Learn the basic lines in the new language for asking direction, your hotel and police.
Always dinner where the locals eat, and ask for the local dish. It's cheaper, sometimes suprising, but mostly verry good, and always fresh products.  Don't go to a local money exchange or exchange any currency on the street. Now the exchange rate from their currency, before you leave home. And last but not least, respect the privacy of the local people. Ask them before making pictures or video.

[Lera76]

Halo @kmajewski terima kasih informasinya. Saya selaku pengelola wisata tapi tidak pernah tahu ada hari periwisata dunia😀. Anda memberi tahu saya informasi tanggal dan hari pariwisata Dunia. Semoga setiap tahun saya bisa merayakannya 🙏🙏 salam sukses 

[Panam]

Well, from personal experience, I'd say to always bring your trusty backpack with you. And also pack light, leave the things that you could easily get from wherever you are going. Don't hesitate to ask the locals about the terrain, food and festivals. Who knows, you might win some friends that way! 

[Aj_Philadephia]

There are multiple ways to be a wonderful tourist in a new city:

1. Do not push your culture and beliefs onto the people of that specific place, and the way they live. Around the world there are many, many different lifestyles, traditions, ethics, and beliefs, and when you travel it is important to remember not everyone is like you. While the people in your city might be loud, bustling, and energetic, you may visit a town in which everyone is quiet and the way of life is slow, and that's okay!

2. Keep it clean! If you are a tourist visit a new place it is important to respect the land on which you stand. If you have trash locate the nearest trash can, even if it means walking a few more steps. While you may be on a vacation, the residents of that place have to live with the mess you've created.

3. Be Kind! Don't be rude to the locals. This is their home, and their city. If you do not speak the same language as them either learn, or try to find someone who does. 

4. Be respectful when taking pictures! While new places may have a lot of photo opportunities to offer, make sure you are not intruding on the space of the locals, and are not damaging the brilliant object you are trying to capture. Also, if there is anyone in your photo, make sure they consent to having their picture taken. 

[Shubham_Ranjan]

Be genuine and be smart. Whenever you travel any new place do some good reaserch on the internet and after that try to connect local people don't trust anyone blindly confirm the same thing from some another person also. Whenever you go to the new place try to go beyond the tourist place then you know about the place and their culture.

[Safdarrai]

Well said sir @ErmesT about your trip and very useful information about traveling around good places.