Help me: ‘touristic’?

Native speakers of English: do you think the word “touristic” is English? I’ve hardly been able to move on the continent without seeing “touristic offices”, “touristic guides” and “touristic cities”. I’ve been assuming that it’s a translation slip-up by non-native speakers bringing a word over from their native language (French seems to have the word touristique and Spanish has touristica I think). Wherever the adjective “touristic” is used I’ve just substituted “tourist”: “tourist offices”, “tourist guides” and “tourist cities”.

But I’ve started to see it so often, that I’m wondering if there’s a basic bit of travel vocabulary I’ve missed!

So, help me out. Would you ever call something a touristic experience? Have you scorned a city as just being too crowded and touristic? Ever asked for a ride on the little touristic train?

Comments

I’ve never before heard, seen, or uttered the word “touristic”. Now that I’ve been introduced, I don’t see myself using it, either.

You may want to note that I’ve never (yet!) been outside of North America.

Posted by katie on October 15, 2004 08:38 AM