NEWTON, Mass., July 8, 2009 - TripAdvisor®, the world's
most popular and largest travel community, today announced the results
of its beach and pool etiquette survey of more than 3,800 U.S. respondents.
From beach chair hogging to "letting go" in the pool, 69 percent of travelers
find that people often violate some form of beach or pool etiquette, while
13 percent believe that people always do. TripAdvisor Destination Experts,
local gurus around the world that answer travel questions every day in
TripAdvisor forums, also offered their insight into some of these waterside
violations.
Most Common Beach and Pool Etiquette Violations
1. Beach chair hogging
2. Urinating in the water
3. Littering
Most Annoying Beach and Pool Etiquette Violations
1. Blasting loud music
2. Smoking
3. Urinating in the water
No Beach Chair Hogging
Eighty-four percent of travelers agree that people should not be allowed
to "save" beachside or poolside chairs by getting up early and leaving
their stuff on the chairs for hours. Twenty-four percent of travelers find
beach chair hogging to be the most common beach and pool etiquette violation.
One TripAdvisor Destination Expert says, "My bugbear is when people throw
a towel over one of the highly sought-after sun lounges/cabanas, and then
go AWOL."
Whiz in the Water
Travelers may find others urinating in the water to be annoying (16
percent called it the most annoying beach and pool etiquette violation),
but it seems travelers don't practice what they pee - 53 percent of travelers
admit to finding it acceptable to urinate in the ocean if other swimmers
aren't near.
Don't Puff that Stuff
Eighty-two percent of travelers believe that smoking should be prohibited
around the pool, while 62 percent would like to see it banned on the beach.
Smoking also ranked as the second most annoying beach and pool etiquette
violation, with 17 percent of the vote. One TripAdvisor Destination Expert
says, "I can't stand when on a crowded beach day people smoke one foot
away from you, and then discard their butts in the sand...I don't care
at all if people choose to smoke as long as it doesn't affect me or the
beauty of the beach!"
Sour on the Shower
Thirty-seven percent of travelers rarely shower before going in to
the pool, and 14 percent admit to never washing off before hitting the
pool. Thirty-one percent of travelers think it violates pool etiquette
not to shower before entering the water, with the remaining 69 percent
finding it acceptable to splash in the pool without first rinsing off.
Don't Stand So Close to Me
At an uncrowded beach, the majority of travelers (38 percent) believe
that you should sit no closer than 20 feet away from another stranger.
Twenty-two percent find 7-10 feet away to be sufficient. At a crowded beach,
however, 28 percent think that no closer than six feet away is an acceptable
distance. One TripAdvisor Destination Expert recalls, "I find the perfect
spot on the beach, far away from the intrusion of kids, pets, and game
players. Then a family of 12 with undisciplined kids sits right next to
me! When the beach is empty move over!"
Playpens and Pooches
An overwhelming majority of travelers surveyed - 97 percent - believe
that it violates beach and pool etiquette when parents let their kids borrow
others' sand or pool toys without asking permission. Fifty-five percent
of travelers think it violates etiquette for parents to change their children's
diapers in public at the pool or beach, and 73 percent even think the beach
should be separated into kid-friendly and pet-friendly areas. Only 56 percent
of travelers think that pets should be allowed on the beach at all.
Skimpy Double Standard
Twenty-four percent of travelers think that it violates beach and pool
etiquette for women to wear revealing bikinis, while 35 percent of travelers
think it violates etiquette for men to wear speedos. However, 14 percent
believe that speedos are only inappropriate in the U.S., while 21 percent
think they violate etiquette no matter where they pop up. One TripAdvisor
Destination Expert admits to being especially peeved by those who "either
go topless or wear tiny little dental-floss bikinis on the beach or by
the pool."
Ugly Americans
Twenty-two percent of respondents find U.S. travelers to be the worst
beach and pool etiquette offenders, with Germany coming in second at seven
percent. When asked which U.S. state's travelers were the worst beach and
pool offenders, they awarded New York the honor, which came in at 11 percent
of the vote, followed by Florida with seven percent and California with
five percent.
"With summer in full swing, 'tis the season for some annoying behavior
on the beach and at the pool," said Michele Perry, vice president of communications
for TripAdvisor. "Travelers would do well to mind their manners and take
other travelers into consideration."
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©2009 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix, March 2009
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