Let me start by apologising to responsible Indian tourists; because I have a rather jaundiced view of Indians in their tourist avatar. I find us loud and overbearing and demanding and insensitive to the places and people we visit. We lay waste to much of what we purport to enjoy. A recent video about Indian tourists in Bali and a tweet by Harsh Goenka have centred attention on these very problems.
Goenka shared this image from a Gstaad (Switzerland) hotel that addressed a notice to Indian tourists asking to be quiet and respectful, follow rules and not pilfer. While some were angry and called the notice racist, others tweeted to acknowledge that we Indians in fact, do not make good tourists.
Recently this video of an Indian family, caught stealing items from a hotel in Bali went viral. It is shameful that the family was caught stealing all sorts of things from their hotel room, which they offered to pay for – and pay ‘extra’ (read bribe) – when caught. In the end, the man is also heard berating the woman for the debacle.
This Twitter user felt that the notice was xenophobic and unnecessarily rude to Indians. Why should the notice be addressed only to Indians he asks?
This commentator also felt that the notice being addressed to one specific nationality was racist. Many expressed the view that when white people behaved just as boorishly, this is neither pointed out nor censured.
This commentator feels that if such a warning was issued at the time of booking the hotel, Indian guests would have the option of boycotting that particular hotel for such policies.
The tweeple pointed out instances of tourists from other nations surreptitiously packing away food from the breakfast buffet, being loud, obnoxious etc.
A lot of Indians want to travel abroad but still want to eat ‘like home’. It is not just the fact that other tourists may find strong odours and the mess unseemly. I have always wondered, what is the point of travel if one wants to eat exactly as one does at home; if one is unwilling to sample anything of the local cuisine?
It is undeniable that many Indian tourists want to have a good time with little regard for the enjoyment of others. The fact that their own enjoyment impinges on that of others, seems inconsequential.
In some places there is the concept of weighing a food serving or plate to eat. Here as well, the tourist wanted to pull a fast one on the establishment. Rather like jumping a red light or bribing and official to jump a queue, we seem to relish breaking rules and undercutting others.
As the hotel employee says in the video, it’s not about the money; it’s about respect. When we speak loudly on the phone while in a restaurant, this is disrespectful to other diners. When we try to break queues and bend rules, when we are late, this is to the detriment of all others. When we demand extras and freebies, we make the opposite person feel uncomfortable.
Yes, in the end, it is about respect – about treating other tourists as well as staff and other employees around with respect. This is about acknowledging that just because we pay for a service the service provider doesn’t become a servant. It is about being sensitive to the requirements of others. Being culturally aware and thoughtful about the needs of others doesn’t reduce our own enjoyment.
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