Travel agencies and the municipal tourism department in Shanghai launched a campaign to teach travelers how to behave when going abroad during Spring Festival, or Chinese lunar New Year.

 

Brochures and lectures on manners and etiquette were given to travelers who were going to travel overseas.

 

"Try to present the positive image of Chinese citizen and put an end to uncouth behaviors," Shanghai tourism commission issued travel directions just days before Spring Festival.

 

It is embarrassing for China that some Chinese tourists exhibit ungentlemanlike behavior in their visits abroad, and the phenomenon has become the hot topic for media.

 

Some experts attribute the uncouth behavior to Chinese people's lack of awareness of public property and selfishness.

 

A work staff of a Shanghai-based travel agency who declined to give his surname told Xinhua News Agency that some ill behavior of Chinese tourists could be traced back to their misunderstanding of the local customs, and that's the reason his agency gave lectures to travelers who are going to travel abroad.

 

Education in manners and etiquette has been strengthened in some kindergartens and primary schools in China. But experts believe it may take several generations to form a positive image of Chinese tourists. Chinese tourists made 31 million trips abroad and 1.2 billion trips across the country in 2005. The number is expected to leap to 100 million overseas trips by 2020.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2007)