By now, we’ve all cringed through the videos on our timelines.
Last year, a group of tourists dressed in matching clothes, blasting “Chogada” from a portable speaker and breaking into full Garba circles
on the 124th-floor observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, had the internet split right down the middle: cultural pride or zero civic sense? A few days ago, a clip from a Vietnamese airport tarmac surfaced, showing Indian tourists performing Garba around a parked VietJet Air aircraft in a restricted operational area, with other passengers and airport workers milling about. Then came videos of garba from China’s Great Wall.
And it isn’t just abroad. In India, tourists are at the epicentre of conversations right from Kedarnath to Kochi. Viral videos of devotees dancing in front of Char Dham, throwing litter out of their cars in hill stations, and leaving beer bottles in Meghalaya’s waterfalls are doing rounds on the internet every single day.
Back home or overseas, the headline has started to sound familiar: Indian tourists misbehaving, again. But here’s the question worth actually asking: are Indian travellers genuinely getting worse?
We Travel More Than Ever Before
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Many consider India’s population to be a factor in why we are so (un)popular on social media. Statistically, we are bound to be in every top 10 list, good or bad. India’s domestic tourist visits have more than doubled, and it’s clear: we’re everywhere. In planes, trains, tents, luxury resorts, hostels, and yes, Instagram.
Naturally, with more people comes more visibility. And with that, more chances to go viral, for the right or wrong reasons. We’re under the spotlight not only because we’re uniquely ill-behaved, but because we’re present in large numbers. When a few misstep, the whole group gets branded.
That said, let’s not sweep genuine concerns under the carpet. Cultural expression is beautiful, but context matters. Garba at a Diwali party? Do it twice and more. Garba on the 124th floor of a skyscraper, where other tourists have paid hundreds of dirhams to take in the skyline quietly? Not so much. Dancing on an active airport tarmac? Absolutely not.
There’s a difference between celebrating our culture and forcing it into places where it disturbs, distracts, or damages. The problem isn’t “being Indian” or “being joyful.” The problem is doing so without regard for others’ space, laws, or environment.
And unfortunately, that’s not a one-off. From passengers on Thailand-bound flights standing in the aisles and ignoring cabin crew, to loud and disruptive behaviour that has left even Indian travellers abroad expressing “second-hand shame” over their fellow tourists — we’ve seen too many examples where enthusiasm tips into entitlement. And we are not just harming our reputation abroad; we are doing it right at home too.
How Much Can We Justify In The Name of Self-Expression?
There’s also a larger cultural shift at play. The rise of the influencer mindset (when you travel for content, not context) has blurred the lines between authenticity and performance. If a moment isn’t being filmed, is it even worth having?
Bali officials have proposed banning tourists from visiting sacred temples after several incidents involving Indian vloggers who treated ancient religious sites as backdrops for their next reel. Thailand just went back to Visa on Arrival in order to filter in proper tourists to avoid repeated incidents of misbehaviour. The pattern is hard to ignore.
But tourism isn’t just about getting that perfect reel. It’s about respect. Respect for the place, the people, and the experience. Self-expression cannot come at the cost of someone else’s peace or dignity. Being loud isn’t the same as being proud.
We’re a warm and proud people. That’s what makes Indian travellers so special. But we can also be more mindful. Instead of reacting defensively to every critique (or worse, cheering on the next viral clip as “cultural pride”) maybe it’s time we reflect honestly on how we show up around the world, and in our own backyard.
