Don’t Pick Your Nose in Public: China Issues New Guidelines for Tourists

By Colum Murphy and Liyan Qi

Don’t pick your nose, pick your teeth, cough or sneeze in front of other people, the guidebook admonishes.

On a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Singapore last month, a perspiring passenger from mainland China sneezed and wheezed nonstop. 

Despite coaxing from passengers and crew, the man did not cover his mouth, sending fellow travelers scurrying for face masks to protect themselves from germs.
A new set of guidelines by China National Tourism Administration, issued late last month ahead of the key Golden Week vacation period that kicked off on Oct. 1 National Day, aims to set such tourists right.
Among the admonitions contained in the 64-page animated handbook: Don’t sneeze in front of others. Ditto for picking noses and teeth.
While the booklet contains suggestions for Chinese when traveling at home, the main target is to improve the lamentably poor reputation of Chinese tourists abroad.
In May, Vice Premier Wang Yang stressed the need for Chinese tourists to behave better while traveling overseas so as to protect China’s image abroad.
Last year more than 83 million Chinese traveled overseas, up 18% from the previous year according to the Chinese Tourism Academy. 

While Hong Kong and Macau have long been favorite destinations, travel tastes are evolving, with more Chinese venturing farther afield, including to Southeast Asia.
But even as they venture farther, the Chinese continue to pack bad habits in their carry-ons.
From defacing ancient Egyptian temples to exploding in epic airport meltdowns to letting children defecate in the middle of airports, Chinese tourists have earned a bad rap.

A new 64-page booklet gives Chinese tourists illustrated guidelines to follow when traveling abroad, such as not to take photos in areas marked ‘no photos.’

There is little to suggest anything has changed in recent months. 

As China completes day three of its Golden Week holiday period, images of Chinese tourists behaving badly are already doing the rounds online. 

China Central Television piled on with Thursday night’s national news broadcast, showing shots of tourist graffiti on bamboo trees and the walls of a temple.
But now armed with the latest “guidebook” to travel etiquette, Chinese travelers should, in theory at least, have no excuse for boorish behavior.
If they adhere to the guidelines, expect to hear more Chinese sprinkling their conversations with niceties such as “Morning” and “Sorry” overseas. 

After all, “it’s international practice,” the booklet says.
Similarly, when using the restroom, Chinese are asked not to linger too long in the stalls. 

“Don’t leave footprints on the toilet; don’t forget to flush the toilet after use,” the manual implores.
Snapping a holiday shot? 

Then be considerate — don’t fight with others when you want to take pictures, and don’t force other people to take pictures with you, the booklet adds.
When flying, the guidelines advise travelers not to take life vests away from airplanes, as one Chinese man did recently.
For years, overseas travel by Chinese was heavily restricted and it wasn’t until 1997 that Chinese people began to venture abroad purely for tourism. 

With such a short history of globetrotting, it’s not surprising that many Chinese commit faux pas on their foreign voyages.

When traveling abroad, say ‘Good morning’ in the early part of the day, and say sorry if you make a mistake, the Chinese booklet advises tourists.

Chinese tourists are also urged to be respectful of local customs wherever they travel.
In the United Kingdom, for example, it’s not polite to ask people: “Where are you going?” or “Have you eaten?” the book says.
When in Spain, ladies should wear earrings when they go out—anything less is akin to being naked, the guidelines say—one piece of advice that one Weibo user found a bit spurious.
Another Weibo user wrote that he found some of the travel tips plain weird—a claim some guidelines make difficult to refute:
“Wherever you dive in the ocean, don’t catch and take away any marine life,” and take care not to “dry your handkerchief and underwear on the lampshade.”