2022 may have had some bright spots for many people, and certainly the travel industry. But as travel returned in 2022, so did terrible tourist behavior - from cruise ship brawls, naked dancing at sacred sites, and many more travel incidents that make us shake our heads and ask ourselves, "What is WRONG with people?"
The Globe and Mail was keeping track, and compiled a list of the worst travel incidents to make it to the 2022 Travel Hall of Infamy Awards.
The Not So Sneaky Smoker Award
This award goes to the passenger on a El Al flight from Israel to Bangkok who sneaked into a washroom for a cigarette. When the smoke alarm sounded, the passenger tossed the butt into the trashcan...which was filled with tissue paper. The paper ignited, triggering a full fire response from flight attendants. Smooth. Very smooth. And illegal, but hey.
The Queen Of All She Surveys Award
This award goes to a visitor at the Mayan pyramid El Castillo in Mexico’s Yucatan region who, despite longstanding rules prohibiting scaling the monument, scaled the staircase for photos before dancing at the gathered crowd below before climbing back down. Instead of receiving cheers, the crowd was shouting “jail, jail, jail" and the woman was bombarded by water bottles by other tourists, and a waiting honour guard of security officers.
The Don’t Stop Running Award
This award goes to a visitor at South Africa’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve who spotted a pointy-tusked bull elephant moving towards his car on the park’s safari trail. Instead of staying in the car, the visitor got out and sprinted out into the safari trail, which is home to lions, leopards and hyenas. He wasn't really thinking on his feet, but luckily, escaped unharmed. The elephant wandered off soon after and the visitor got back into his car. "This guy did completely the wrong thing," said one wildlife expert on the situation.
There should be a whole category for travel selfie fails.
The All-You-Can-Punch Cruise Ship Buffet Award
This one goes to multiple recipients, 60 Carnival Magic passengers who marked the final night of their cruise by hitting the dance floor - and each other. An altercation between two guests quickly lead to a mass brawl. The ship got the U.S. Coast Guard to help restore order, and when the vessel docked in Manhattan, the NYPD was ready to greet those 60 guests. As a bonus, the mass arrests delayed the disembarkation of their fellow guests, who also became enraged. Not much civility left anywhere anymore.
The Please Just Stay Home Award
This award also goes out to many, many, many of the visitors who took a trip to Italy this year. In 2022, the country reported a long list of bad encounters with tourists, including the Saudi Arabian visitor who took his rented Maserati for a drive down Rome’s Spanish Steps; the Mexican duo who crashed their drone into the Leaning Tower of Pisa; and the American who climbed an out-of-bounds path on Mount Vesuvius, dropped his phone into the crater and then had to be rescued when he fell in trying to retrieve it. Oh, and the influencers who swam nude in the canals of Venice. We need a whole category for travel influencer fails, too.
The Nude Dude Behaving Badly Award
Canada makes the sorry list, too, with one Canuck deciding that the best way to respect a sacred Bali mountain was to film himself dancing naked on it. On social media, the tourist said he was “expressing himself,” but Indonesian officials had a different interpretation and ordered for him to be deported. He could have also faced a hefty fine and jail, so I guess he got lucky.
The Sitting Down Is Hard To Do Award
This award goes to a passenger flying into India’s Kochi airport (COK) who tried to sneak in contraband by shoving it up his you-know-where. Ouch. Officers didn't say how they spotted the perp, but it might have something to do with a very funny walk.
The Foolhardy Fowl Play Award
This one goes to a passenger at FLL who tried to sneak his gun onto a flight by hiding it inside one of his travel essentials - a large raw chicken stowed away in his checked luggage. (Wouldn't that raise some red flags on its own? Wouldn't you look for a better, less standout place to hide a gun?) According to local media, TSA agents smelled something suspicious when they spotted a gun-shaped image sliding into view on the scanner. "We hate to break it to you but stuffing a firearm in your holiday bird is just a baste of time," tweeted the TSA agents, who somehow always manage to tweet the funniest fails they encounter.
Here's hoping more people will remember how to travel right in 2023!
