With European getaways on the rise, Upgraded Points set out to discover just how American travelers are perceived abroad. From the nation most likely to roll their eyes to the U.S. states blamed for the worst traveler behavior, the findings reveal a complex set of cultural impressions across the pond.
"European countries are hotter than ever as destinations for American travelers, but popularity doesn't always equal praise," said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points. "We wanted to see if Europeans still see the stereotypical loud, overly patriotic American tourist, or if that's just part of a common misconception."
The survey asked over 2,200 residents across 22 European countries to gauge 2025 sentiments toward American tourists, probing their general impressions, influential experiences, and the impact of recent political events. Additionally, more than 1,000 frequent American travelers were asked how they believe Europeans perceive them, which experiences have shaped those views, and whether politics plays a role in the opinion.
Before examining European attitudes in depth, the study first asked Americans how they view their own international image:
- 54 percent of Americans worry at least a little about their reputation when traveling internationally.
- 73 percent believe Americans overall have a bad reputation overseas.
The study then asked non-Americans to give their real opinions of American tourists:
- More than 1 in 4 Europeans hold a generally negative opinion of American tourists. (27 percent)
- More than a third of Europeans think Americans behave worse than other tourists (36 percent), which closely mirrors the 40 percent of Americans who expect to be seen that way.
Most Annoying States According to Americans and Europeans
Europeans did not hold back in naming the U.S. states they feel send the most troublesome tourists, and Americans largely agreed with their choices.
European Top Picks:
- Texas (33 percent) reigns supreme as the state with the worst travelers.
- Florida (21 percent) came in second.
- California (14 percent) rounded out the top three.
American Self-Reflection:
- Florida (23 percent) topped the Americans' list of worst tourist-producing states.
- Texas (21 percent) followed closely.
- New York (19 percent) and California (15 percent) took third and fourth.
Most/Least Welcoming EU Countries
Some European nations are more critical of American tourists than others, although perceptions can shift dramatically from country to country:
Least Welcoming:
- France (15 percent): The French lead Europe in viewing their nation as unwelcoming to Americans.
- Hungary (8.7 percent), Norway (8 percent), Denmark (7.5 percent), and Spain (6.9 percent) follow as the top five least welcoming.
Least Annoyed:
- Belgium (1.9 percent) and Italy (2 percent) have the lowest number of residents calling their countries unwelcoming.
- Estonia, the Netherlands, Finland, and Poland all averaged a modest 3 percent, saying they would largely welcome American visitors.
- Poland (7 percent), Spain (7.8 percent), the U.K. (8.8 percent), Greece (8.8 percent), and Latvia (9.6 percent) reported they were relatively unbothered by Americans.
Some common reasons Europeans report being annoyed with U.S. visitors include:
- 64 percent say Americans are far too loud.
- 61 percent believe Americans expect everyone to speak English.
- 33 percent say Americans are overly friendly.
- 30 percent think Americans too often ignore local customs.
To know more, check out other results by visiting the complete study online.
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