According to the U.S. Travel Association, last year about 67 million international tourists visited the United States, spending approximately $155 billion dollars. That’s more than what the federal government spends on K-12 schools nationwide ($119.1 billion).

People around the world, particularly youth, are drawn to American music, films, and brands. But the experience of visiting the States lets them interact with the American people and culture up close. And overall, many of them like what they find. In no particular order, these are some of the recurring themes we’re seeing across the Internet of what foreigners love about American culture.

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• Generally speaking, international tourists appreciate the friendliness and casualness of many American people.
• They also like the wide variety of entertainment available.
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What’s It To You?

Many people have some responsibilities related to hosting internationals in the United States. You might work in the tourist industry, in college admissions or student life, or in a multinational company that receives visitors from foreign affiliates and clients. Or you could work for a nonprofit helping immigrants and refugees get settled in the States.

In any of these situations, knowing what foreigners like best about American culture can give you some ideas of talking points and experiences you might like to arrange to help your guests, clients, or colleagues have a favorable impression.

1. Open, Friendly, Positive People

Americans aren’t as happy as the people in stock photography (no one is), but people of other countries do notice that we smile a lot, have an optimistic attitude, and are often willing to talk to and help strangers. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but people of other cultures for a variety of reasons are more reserved toward people they don’t know.

2. A Variety of Food, and Lots of It!

Foreign visitors often comment on how much food is available, how many choices there are, and how much more affordable it is than in their own country. And free refills absolutely blow their mind. One visitor from Singapore commented, “Americans cook as if it were the end of the world and you want a final luxurious meal for every single meal.”

3. Willingness To Try New Things

American culture values having diverse experiences and taking a risk to pursue your dreams. If you fail, yes there are some people who laugh or try to bring you down. But mostly, you’ll be encouraged, commended for trying, and encouraged to see it as a learning experience.

4. Choice and Convenience

In many parts of the U.S., you don’t have to go far to find a store, restaurant, bank, or whatever else you need. Nearly anything can be delivered right to your door. There is a wide variety of choices of every kind of consumer product or service: groceries, home decor, cars, pets, gyms, insurance policies, you name it. In fact, if anything, people are stressed by too many choices, not too few.

5. Extravagant Holidays

Americans do holidays BIG. In many families, Thanksgiving is the biggest family gathering with the biggest meal centered on the biggest roasted bird that will fit in the oven. At Christmas, neighbors compete with one another to put on the most extravagant light shows at their homes. Birthdays for children are events that take weeks of planning. And July 4th fireworks look like World War III just broke out.

Foreigners find U.S. holidays way over-the-top. But pretty exciting, too.  And that pretty much goes for how they see the American culture in general. So next time you read or hear about a foreigner criticizing the United States, you can rest assured that they probably love it just as much, or more, than they hate it.

 

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