From The Times
July 28, 2009

The West can’t spend. China won’t spend

We need Chinese consumers to start splashing the cash. Will they break the habit of a lifetime?Carl Mortished

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Arrogant and rich, Victorian Britons were once the ugly face of world tourism. In the 20th century, the crown of shame passed to America. Yanks in slacks became objects of scorn and ridicule from the Louvre to the Uffizi. Debt and the shrinking dollar have upset America’s claim to the title of world’s most despised foreign visitor. A new aspirant has taken up the challenge of bringing sartorial shame to the world’s fleshpots. From Bondi Beach to Phuket, the Chinese tourist is making waves.

Taiwan turned up its nose last year when mainland Chinese arrived after six decades of travel bans. Locals complained about spitting, loud voices and boorish behaviour. For their part, the Chinese tourists found Taiwan “tatty and rundownâ€