Brush past a stranger at the breakfast buffet and a British tourist will say sorry before they have even worked out what happened. It is one of many small habits that give away a Briton abroad, according to a new roundup of the nation's holiday quirks, even as many Britons like to think they blend in with the locals.
While Italians have their cappuccino culture, the French their wine snobbery and the Spanish their daily siesta, Britons carry a set of equally distinctive traits with them on holiday, from constant apologising to sunscreen habits and breakfast-time pints.
Sorry, not sorry
Apologising is something of a national sport among Britons, with almost bumping into someone or simply being in someone's way enough to prompt an automatic "ooh, sorry!" Unlike their counterparts on the continent, who are more likely to settle for a glare or a stern look when someone has actually done something wrong, Britons say sorry without giving it a second thought.
A cup of tea, wherever you are
The idea that Britons cannot get through a day without a hot brew is backed up by the numbers. Britons drink approximately 100 million cups of tea daily, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association. Among British adults, 41 per cent drink tea and 40 per cent drink coffee at home or at work at least twice a day.
Little changes when they go abroad. Few will swap their morning cuppa for a local infusion, and stashing teabags for later, packing a favourite blend for a weekend away, or even taking leftover teabags from a hotel room at checkout are all considered standard practice.
A pint before 11am
Others prefer to start the day with a different kind of drink: a cold pint, ideally from an airport Wetherspoon's before 11am. British holidaymakers have a well-known reputation for their drinking habits overseas.
The airport pint might be a beloved tradition and usually harmless fun, but there have been recent reports of rowdy, drunken behaviour spilling past the departure lounge and onto flights. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has argued that the early-morning airport pint should be banned, citing the consequences of drunken passengers boarding aircraft.
The beachwear uniform
British holiday style has its own uniform. For women, that typically means brightly coloured swimwear, oversized beach bags and enormous hats. For men, it might be a Hawaiian shirt signalling a firm break from the office, paired with sliders and, inevitably, a pair of socks, or simply no shirt at all.
The sunbed wars
No single nationality can be blamed for the ongoing battle over poolside loungers, but Britons are certainly key contributors, and can sometimes be identified by the tactics they use to win.
One British holidaymaker was reported to have secretly sprinkled itching powder on towels left on loungers by guests reserving them before sunrise. Other British tourists have gone further still, sleeping on loungers overnight to secure the best poolside spots, while hiding or removing the towels of sunbed hoggers is another common tactic.
Sunburn and suncream neglect
Despite widespread awareness of the importance of SPF, plenty of British holidaymakers still are not getting the message. Fewer than four in ten adults in Great Britain have bought sunscreen so far this year, despite high UV levels throughout the summer, according to a new study from Cancer Research UK.
The result is the familiar sight of a sunburnt Briton wandering the promenade, an image that is not just embarrassing but dangerous too.
Lost in translation
Learning the local language is rarely high on the priority list for a British holidaymaker heading abroad for a short break, and attempts to order in French or Spanish tend to impress no one.
The surest sign of a Brit abroad remains a confident stride into a Spanish bar, a badly pronounced but proud "hola", followed swiftly by an order placed entirely in English.
