As American travel to Europe continues to surge, a new survey from Upgraded Points uncovers where U.S. tourists are greeted with open arms, and where they might get a side-eye instead.
The study polled over 2,200 residents across 22 European countries to understand current perceptions of American travelers in 2025. The responses highlight how experiences, stereotypes, and even politics, shape hospitality abroad.
Top of the friendly list? Belgium and Italy. Just 1.9% of Belgian respondents and 2% of Italians said their countries are unwelcoming to Americans. Other welcoming destinations include Estonia, the Netherlands, Finland, and Poland, all hovering around the 3% mark.
At the other end of the spectrum, France ranked as the least welcoming, with 15% of locals saying they view their country as unfriendly toward U.S. tourists. Rounding out the top five least hospitable were Hungary (8.7%), Norway (8%), Denmark (7.5%), and Spain (6.9%).
The traits that stand out
To dig deeper into traveler perceptions, the survey also asked both Europeans and Americans what traits they most associate with U.S. tourists, and the results show where reputations align and where they diverge.
- Loud: No surprise here, 70% of Europeans described Americans as loud, and 69% of Americans owned it too.
- Friendly: Europeans were actually more generous, with 64% calling Americans friendly, compared to just 44% of Americans who felt the same.
- Curious: 42% of Europeans see American travelers as curious, while only 31% of Americans agreed.
- Arrogant: Americans were harder on themselves, with 53% believing they come off as arrogant, though only 27% of Europeans said the same.
- Rude: Again, Americans were more self-critical. 40% admitted to rudeness, while just 12% of Europeans agreed.
