We all want a fun selfie when we travel, but one pair of Chinese tourists in Berlin, Germany clearly weren’t thinking while taking theirs. While taking photos in front of the historic Reichstag building, the meeting place of the German parliament, the pair allegedly made Nazi salutes, a gesture that is verboten under German law.

Although the travellers claimed they were joking when making the gestures, Germany has very strict laws about public symbols tied to banned organizations like the Nazis, and the visitors were each fined approximately $750 CA for breaking those laws.

The two men, aged 36 and 49, could have faced much stricter penalties, including up to three years in prison, according to the BBC.

"[Tourists] should not only travel safely but also legally by respecting local laws, culture and customs and by avoiding words or deeds which would be detrimental to the image of Chinese tourists and their own nation," said Zhou Anping, the Chinese Embassy's consular section director, in a statement via CNN.

According to the Chinese embassy, the two travellers have since departed Berlin for a new destination.

Are tourists becoming less respectful and more emboldened when they travel? Another case in point, tourists in Rome who felt it appropriate to carve their initials into the ancient Colosseum.

What do you think? Is this a sign of things to come for the people our industry serves? Let us know in the comments below.

Brian Simpson contributed to this story.

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