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...

min read

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.)

Art Beyond Spaces

Mamta Chitnis-Sen
Mar 5, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Mar 6, 2025

Internationally acclaimed artist Sujata Bajaj’s exhibition of paintings revolving around the cosmos are a treat. The Perfect Voice deciphers the inspiration behind her works.

**Stellar Alchemy 2 Acrylic on canvas with Gold & Silver**

Mumbai is all set to welcome artist Sujata Bajaj back with an exhibition of her works Spacescapes at Jehangir Art Gallery that began on March 4. Taking inspiration from the cosmos, the art show is an ongoing series of abstract paintings that embrace colour in its unrestrained form.

The Europe based artist will be in Mumbai to showcase some brilliant paintings revolving around the cosmos and its beauty.

Seeking escape from the restrictions imposed by the Coronavirus, Bajaj returned to her longstanding childhood fascination with astronomy, when she would be pulled out of her bed before dawn and taken outside and introduced to stargazing.

Between the seen and the unseen, where dreams and constellations collide, Sujata creates worlds that shimmer with the essence of life itself. She is not just an artist; she is a voyager of the infinite, capturing the pulse of creation with a palette of fire, starlight, and cosmic whispers.

Her work flows like a river of memory—carrying fragments of her childhood skies, where her father’s quiet presence guided her eyes to the stars. Those stars became her first teachers, speaking to her of vastness, mystery, and the silent poetry of the universe. Years later, as the world stood still in the echoing silence of a pandemic, those early lessons resurfaced, igniting her soul with a fresh purpose. The stars called her again, and this time, she answered with brushes dipped in light.

“These are not maps of galaxies or scientific renderings of space—they are symphonies of color and movement, where nebulae unfurl like celestial dancers and black holes hum with the secrets of existence. I aim to bring my canvases alive, vibrating with energy, capturing the moment when the universe first dreamed itself into life,” she cites further adding that this is her first major showing of abstract works of 17 years!

“Spacescapes is also the title of my new book which will be launched simultaneously. They mark a significant and exciting departure from my earlier works. I have been completely immersed in this project for the last five years,” she says.

The series wields color like a poet wields words—bold, fearless, and with a sense of rhythm that defies gravity. The fiery blush of a nebula, the electric greens of auroras, the cool blues of infinite horizons—all dissolve into each other, creating a language that speaks directly to the soul. There are no boundaries here, no lines to confine the imagination. Sujata invites us to lose ourselves, to drift into the boundless, where the cosmos whispers secrets to those who dare to listen.

While her earlier works were contained, structured—bold lines harnessing the chaos of her thoughts, in the present paintings the lines have dissolved, and what remains is pure freedom. It is as though she has surrendered to the universe, allowing its vastness to flow through her.

Sujata’s art is not an escape from reality; it is an elevation of it. She reminds us that the universe is not just out there—it is within us. Every burst of light, every swirl of energy on her canvas mirrors the galaxies spinning in our souls. Through her work, we become stargazers again, looking not just at the heavens but into ourselves, rediscovering the infinite that resides in the heart of every being.

The exhibition opens at the Jehangir Art gallery on March 4, 2025 and will remain open till March 10.

Indian Tourists Need a Reputation Reset

Art Beyond Spaces

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