Which country packs the case for 'best tourist'?

A new study on tourism has revealed just who are the best and the worst recipients of a tourist visa.

The French – known for their haughty ways and tightness with money – were officially announced as the world’s worst tourists. They were closely followed by Spanish and Greek tourists.

The findings were taken from research conducted by TNS Infratest for the Expedia online travel agency. The poll, known as the Expedia Best Tourist Index,  has been running annually since 2002.

Top of the league were the Japanese. Their good manners and respect for cleanliness made them the most welcome visitors worldwide. Canadian tourists came second.

US tourists came first when it came to tipping and spending while abroad and tourists from UK came a surprise second in overall good behaviour and second best to the Italians in dress-sense.

The study asked over 4,500 hotels around the world to rank tourists from 27 countries based on nine measures from everything from spending habits to their willingness to try and speak the local language.

Luckily for many, getting a visa to move or work abroad depends on a more rigorous selection process.