For those who live in 'tourist' cities

Are tourists really that awful? If so, why? I mean, I don't think I'd like living on a street that was a widely known TV or movie location but otherwise, most tourist attractions aren't really in residential areas. Would your city be better off without them or does the economic impact outweigh the disadvantages?

• People always complain about them, but they would be shit out of luck if the tourists stopped coming.

• As a Manhattanite, my only objection to tourists is walking five-across on the sidewalk.

• In SF they are a necessary evil, but at least we keep them roped off to pretty much certain areas of the city. However, I hate when they come in the subway and stare at the turnstiles like they were aliens that just landed in their backyard. Stand aside and figure them out sweety.

• I lived in Hong Kong for a few years and you could spot a tourist from 50 paces. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to look up at buildings and being completely perplexed by how to flag down a taxi, etc. On the plus side, I can't tell you how many straight men I saw going back to their hotel with "lady boys." The trannies there were really top notch.

• We are all tourists eventually. I am a tour guide (historic and ghost tour) in my city, and I will tell you that I make good money off tourists and many of them are very appreciative of a good tour and many are impressed with the town. So they leave the city with a good impression, and that makes me happy. When tourist season is over and the locals come on my tour, I work my ass off for them and make significantly less and they are hardly responsible. Tourism is a big industry, although there are many low-paying jobs that are created. I always am welcoming and appreciative of people spending their money in my city.

• I live in a touristy neighborhood in Seattle. Many are very nice, but what I don't get are that their young kids are running around outside very late - when I was say 10 or so, I was in bed at 10PM!

• and they are hardly "responsible" should be "responsive"

  r5

• I used to live in Gettysburg, PA. Small town but plenty of tourists. The tourists didn't really bother me.