The sharp rise in the spending power of China's working class has resulted in a sudden surge of foreign travels by Chinese mainlanders in major vacation hubs across the globe.

This exodus has made travel agencies fight over China's tourism market, yet it has also damaged the image of the average Chinese, in the eyes of their more refined counterparts in the community of globe trotters.

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Many  first-time chinese travelers easily become objects of ridicule in social media, for supposedly lacking refinement and for displaying embarassing behaviors.

Some Chinese travelers were caught on video defecating in public streets.

Many others would engage in arguments with shopkeepers and hurl invectives.

A Chinese teenager shocked some sightseers in Egypt when he scratched his name on an precious ancient piece of art.

Tourists in Paris could not believe seeing a group of Chinese washing their feet together at the Louvre.

These may be considered just few incidents.

But the situation turns serious when one considers that China's new-found prosperity has sent a staggering 85 million of its average citizens to foreign tourist havens.

Sydney's University of Technology Media Professor Wanning Sun explains why neophyte Chinese travelers earn the infamous reputation of being gross, rude, insensitive and even scandalous.

He says China's new economy has given birth to a new class of rich, unrefined people called "boa fa hu."

Sun points to a particular class of consumers "who got rich overnight."

While these types of Chinese experience windfalls in their income-earning capabilities, their tastes for refinement have not been able to keep up and improve.

"They haven't necessarily had the good education. Their taste is vulgar. They think just because they have money, wherever they go, people should defer to them," Sun explains.

The professor says today's new rich Chinese travelers can be compared with the so-called Australian "boganaires".

"Bogainers" are slang words used in Australia and New Zealand that refer to a group of people with a working class background, whose speech, attitude and behavior reflect a proud and insensitive mentality.

Over the last decade, they have created a sub-culture distinct from the general population.

Thailand is trying to solve the problem stemming from the arrival of the supposedly uncivilized Chinese.

Just before the Chinese New Year a few days ago, it issued a local etiquette guide, printed specifically in Mandarin.

China is not turning away from this issue.

In fact, it has warned its citizens that those who commit embarrassing actions while they are overseas shall be meted out penalties once they return home.

But for Professor Sun, the Chinese government should not worry about creating a bad image in the eyes of the international community.

"If you look at other countries like Taiwan in the 60s, and 70s, or South Korea or even Japan a couple of years ago, you had similar kinds of complains, prejudice and stereotypes," he explains.

He adds, as the Chinese are spreading their money in other countries, they are also taking 'baby steps' in learning the rules on proper behavior.

Sun suggests, instead of criticizing or looking down on these new Chinese explorers, they should just be treated as "just the new kids on the block."

TagsChinese Tourists