More Than 41% Of US Travelers Cheat On Vacation, Behavior Tied To ‘Tourist Syndrome’

A survey of American travelers found that the majority act out of character while on vacation – with a significant amount even cheating on their romantic partners.

Radical Storage, a global luggage storage network, released the results of a survey of 1,231 U.S. travelers in October 2024. The results found that 56.5% experience “tourist syndrome,” which was described as “the greater inclination to misbehave or be rude on vacation.” Of those surveyed, 41.3% admitted to cheating on their partner while on vacation.

The data showed men were more likely to break the law on vacation and cheat on their partners than women. Younger generations generally showed more affinity for acting out on a trip than older travelers. Most (72%) of Gen-Z travelers admitted to switching up their behavior on a vacay. For millennials, it was 56.1%. 

Gen X came in at 48.6%, while Baby Boomers were at 49.1%.

What Else Is There To Know About The Survey On Tourist Syndrome?

Notably, 50% of those surveyed said they had been embarrassed by their tourist syndrome behavior. Four in 10 (40.6%) justified their switch up by arguing that a vacation “is time to let your hair down and have some fun.”

The survey’s findings also detailed other types of bad and questionable behavior committed while on vacation. Surprisingly, 42.5% admitted to breaking the law while on a trip. Moreover, nearly one-third (32.3%) said they’ve inappropriately posed with a statue while on vacation. Additionally, 59.6% of Americans said they tip their standard amount or less while on vacation.

Arguably, one of the more sketchy admissions was that nearly half (49.7%) said they would “play the tourist card” to get themselves out of trouble while away from home.

“Unfortunately, the findings of this survey confirm what we already know,” said Radical Storage Co-founder Giacomo Piva, according to USA TODAY. “The tourism industry may have recovered from the impact of COVID-19, but sadly, the epidemic of bad behavior continues to threaten the future freedom of travel, with anti-tourist protests sweeping Europe.”

“The fact that 56.5% of people admitted to behaving badly and experiencing ‘tourist syndrome’ on vacation shows us that this issue isn’t about the few ruining travel for the many — but the many ruining travel for us all,” Piva highlighted.

What Should I Know About The Survey’s Methodology?

Radical Storage’s post about the survey was updated in late February 2025. The demographic breakdown of the subjects was not evenly distributed by gender and age. See the breakdown of the subject group below: