Parisians learn how not to be rude with a new manual

The World

Paris, a city famous for both the Eiffel Tower and rude waiters, has decided to crack down on the latter.

Local tourism authorities in Paris are distributing a manual to Parisians who work closely with tourists on how to be kind to visitors.

"Do you speak Touriste?" has been given to waiters, boutique staff and taxi drivers in Paris to help them improve their brusque manners.

Paris' chamber of commerce created the manual after worries that the city was losing tourists to friendlier places like London.

France is the most visited country in the world and Paris is its main attraction. The tourism industry directly and indirectly employs 1 in 10 people in the city.

About 35,000 copies of the manual have already been distributed around Paris and a website created for those French who need help on how to be more kind.

The guidelines do offer some odd advice.

After teaching greetings in eight languages, it offers some rather strange recommendations in dealing with certain cultures.

Brits like being called by their first names, Italians like handshakes and Americans need to be reassured about prices.

Spanish people are looking for sympathy and attention.

Chinese people love shopping the manual says, and just saying hello in their native language is enough to make them happy.

Brazilians are, of course, tactile and like "evening excursions."

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