Indian tourists aren’t exactly known for being on their best behaviour while travelling, especially when it’s about respecting cultures and customs of the country they are visiting. There have been many instances of unruly behaviour by Indian tourists with the recent being in Bhutan. A Facebook page by the name, ‘Bhutan Land of the Thunder Dragon’ has pointed out an incident where an Indian motorcyclist climbed atop a religious shrine to get himself photographed. The post says , “The stupa you are standing on is called a chorten, it’s a sacred Buddhist shrine, devout Buddhist practitioners circumambulate around these stupas and pray.”
“You are most welcome to Bhutan, but please be mindful. Seen here are bikers filming youtube videos, using scared chortens as props, we have no words,” he adds.
He was part of a 15 bike convoy headed by a Bhutanese team leader. He has been detained for questioning by the Royal Bhutan Police and his passport has been taken. Police is also investigating if the incident could be desecration of a religious and cultural site among others.
In July, television actor Siddhant Karnick visited Bhutan in July and posted a video on Facebook about his experience of coming across Indian tourists. In the video, Karnick advised Indian tourists to not make foreign destinations their living room. “All tourists wherever you go, if it’s a peaceful place — I can understand a mall but if it’s a peaceful place — be peaceful. Don’t be yelling and screaming and breaking the tranquillity for others. This is not your backyard, you don’t own this place. This is not your hall. Don’t scream around and ruin a peaceful, tranquil place. Come on Indian tourists! Learn! We’re ambassadors of our own country. If people see us behaving like this, what will they think of us,” he said.
He also added that Indian tourists are loud and requested them not to make tourist places as ‘Bhindi Bazaars’.
In July, a video of Indian family being caught for stealing by Hotel staff in Bali went viral on social media. In the video, the hotel staff recovers items such as hangers, electronics, towel and decoratives, which were stolen from the room. The incident triggered an outrage with many labelling it an incident that shamed India and its people.
Why do Indians do this I just can’t understand. One shd maintain a certain kind of dignity n class ..What is this #Shame pic.twitter.com/VzmzqmZmVv
— Ginny (@rumilife0612) July 27, 2019
In the same month, industrialist Harsh Goenka tweeted a notice put up by Hotel Gstaad in Switzerland. The notice which was addressed to specifically to ‘Indian guests’ read “Please do not take anything with you, the food is for breakfast only. If you would like a lunch bag, you can order it from the service stall and pay for it.” Moreover, guests were directed to not “speak loudly” in the balcony and “be quiet” in the corridor.
Reading this notice I felt angry, humiliated and wanted to protest.
But a realisation dawned that we as tourists are loud, rude, not culturally sensitive. With India becoming an international power, our tourists are our best global ambassadors. Let’s work on changing our image! pic.twitter.com/7R4ZrZIXKi— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) July 22, 2019
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