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By:

Naresh Kamath

5 November 2024 at 5:30:38 am

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral...

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

India has long taken pride in the philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ - the belief that guests deserve warmth, respect and dignity. It is an idea deeply woven into the country’s cultural imagination, often been projected as a defining Indian value. As millions of Indians travel overseas every year, the conduct of a small but highly visible section of Indian tourists is increasingly shaping how India itself is perceived abroad. The issue is not about a single incident or a handful of viral videos but a pattern that is drawing notice from hotels, tourism operators and local authorities across the world. The debate gained fresh momentum after reports emerged of a Swiss hotel issuing a notice specifically addressed to Indian guests. The advisory reportedly requested guests not to pack food from breakfast buffets for later consumption and reminded them to maintain silence in corridors and balconies. Hotels routinely issue guidelines. But when a particular nationality becomes the subject of a specific advisory, it inevitably raises larger questions about perception. “It is a sorry state of affairs. Indians, especially in groups, are displaying atrocious behaviour. This was anyway bound to happen,” says Subhash Motwani, founder of Namaste Tourism. Embarrassing Incidents Whether the notice was justified is another separate matter. The question is why such perceptions are emerging in the first place. Recent months have seen several incidents involving Indian tourists gain traction on social media. One widely circulated video showed travellers performing garba on an airport tarmac in Vietnam. Garba is among India’s most vibrant cultural traditions and a source of immense pride for millions. Yet airports are highly regulated spaces where safety protocols and discipline take precedence over celebration. The incident became symbolic of a larger problem. The rise of social media has encouraged some travellers to treat foreign destinations as stages for content creation. Public dancing, loud celebrations, disruptive behaviour and attention-seeking stunts may generate views and engagement online, but they can also leave lasting impressions on locals and fellow tourists. India is hardly the first country to confront such a challenge. During the 1950s and 1960s, American tourists acquired a reputation for arrogance abroad, giving rise to the phrase “Ugly American.” Britain spent decades dealing with the international embarrassment caused by football hooliganism. China faced similar concerns as outbound tourism surged during the early years of the twenty-first century. A nation’s image is shaped not just by its economic achievements and diplomatic influence but also by the behaviour of its citizens overseas. India today finds itself in a similar situation. Indian tourists are now among the most visible traveller groups across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This is, in many ways, a remarkable success story. However, with visibility comes responsibility. Hospitality professionals across destinations frequently point to recurring concerns. Excessive noise, queue-jumping, disregard for local regulations, overcrowding hotel rooms and attempts to bypass established rules through jugaad are among the complaints often cited. Collectively, repeated experiences can create lasting perceptions. The most revealing aspect of the debate is that Indian travellers often display exemplary discipline in countries known for strict law enforcement. In destinations such as Singapore, the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, compliance with rules is generally high. Complaints tend to emerge more frequently in places perceived as relaxed or lenient. That suggests the challenge is not one of awareness. Most travellers understand the rules perfectly well. The problem is often a mindset that rules can be negotiated when consequences appear unlikely. Changing that mindset is far more important than introducing additional regulations or issuing fresh advisories. Every interaction at an airport, hotel, restaurant, tourist attraction or public transport system contributes to how a country is viewed. These everyday encounters often shape perceptions more powerfully than government campaigns or tourism advertisements. As India stakes its claim to a larger role in the world, its citizens must recognise that national prestige is shaped not only by economic achievements and diplomatic successes, but also by everyday behaviour abroad. The overwhelming majority of Indian tourists travel responsibly and leave behind positive impressions. Their conduct rarely becomes news because courtesy seldom goes viral. Yet a handful of highly visible incidents can overshadow thousands of positive experiences. The challenge is to encourage responsible travel and a greater awareness that behaviour abroad carries consequences beyond the individual. The conduct of Indian citizens overseas should reflect the confidence and values of a nation seeking not merely recognition but enduring respect. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Abeer’s Dream and the Plastic Planet

We might one day see our planet wrapped in what looks like a massive plastic bag.

One morning, my nine-year-old grandson, Abeer, woke up from a frightening dream. He was trembling, his face pale with fear. After soothing him for a while, we gently asked what had happened.


Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage and began to recount his dream. He said he saw himself walking along a beach in Goa with his parents. The sun was shining, the waves lapping gently against the shore—until, quite suddenly, a giant wave rose from the sea and swept him away.


At first, he was terrified and confused, unable to make sense of what was happening. But after a few moments, the wave seemed to calm down—and then, strangely, it began to speak to him. To his amazement, he realised he could breathe normally underwater. It was as though the sea itself wanted to tell him something, to share its sorrow.


As his fear slowly faded, Abeer began to look around. What he saw next was heartbreaking. The water was choked with countless pieces of plastic—bottles, bags, wrappers, nets—all swirling around him in a vast whirlpool.


Then he spotted a family of sea turtles. The father turtle was struggling to breathe, his nostrils blocked by two plastic straws. The mother turtle’s head and neck were entangled in a nylon fishing net, while the baby was trapped inside a sheet of plastic, flapping her tiny flippers helplessly.


Nearby, a shark was gasping for air, plastic pouches jammed in its gills, bleeding and writhing in pain. A little farther away, a whale swam past with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering the water for plankton—but instead of food, it was swallowing bottles, cans, and plastic bags that drifted all around.


When Abeer finished his story, none of us spoke for several minutes. The room was filled with silence, heavy and thoughtful. It was only a dream, yet it had clearly shaken him to the core.


Finally, he looked up and said with quiet determination that he would never throw away plastic carelessly again. He promised to ensure that no plastic waste would be generated in his home—and that he would urge his friends to do the same.


So, dear readers, welcome to The Plastic Planet!


Often, photographs of Earth taken from space look breathtaking—our planet gleaming in magnificent shades of blue. As we all know, about 71 per cent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, which is why it is so aptly called the Blue Planet.


Yet, I sometimes fear that in the coming decades, this beautiful blue may begin to fade from satellite images. Instead, we might one day see our planet shrouded in what looks like a massive plastic bag. A grim image, but one that may not be far from reality if we continue our current ways.


Let us then take a closer look at the world of plastics. The word 'plastic' comes from the Greek word 'plastikos', meaning something that can be moulded or shaped with ease. It is an apt description, for plastics are prized for their ability to take on countless forms—bottles, bags, toys, pipes, and much more.


Over the last century and a half, humankind has mastered the art of creating synthetic polymers—materials built from chains of carbon atoms derived from petroleum and other fossil fuels. These polymers consist of long, repeating units of atoms arranged in complex patterns.


It is the length of these chains and the way they are structured that give plastics their unique properties—strength, lightness, and flexibility. In essence, this remarkable structure is what makes them so plastic in the first place.


Yet, the very qualities that make plastic so versatile for humans have turned it into a threat for the planet. What began as an invention of convenience has quietly become a source of global concern.


Perhaps Abeer’s dream was more than just a child’s fancy — perhaps it was the ocean’s way of asking us to listen.


Plastics may have shaped our modern world, but they should not be allowed to reshape our planet’s destiny. Each small act — a refusal, a reuse, a rethink — adds up to something powerful.


More on this next week. Till then, have a nice weekend!


(The author is an environmentalist. Views personal.)

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