The ugly Indian tourist
INDIAN SMALL TOWN MONEY POWER IS DRIVING TRAVEL
In the late ‘90s and beginning of the 21st century, the Indian was a valued guest in the West. Liberalisation opened up a new alternate job universe, new businesses and multi-crore startups creating overnight millionaires. Those were the halcyon days of the Indian economy and the Indian traveller was on a global shopping spree. Indians were a common sight in Paris and Milan designer boutiques, eating in tony restaurants, buying pricey real estate in Mayfair, Dubai and California and flying First or Business Class. Travel re-profiled the penurious Socialist-era bharatiya. The picture is different today, with more Indians from small cities going shopping and partying in South Asian countries. As India’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns experience comparatively high economic growth, two distinct generations of travellers are shaping the travel industry. According to a report by capital markets advisory firm EY, “Gen ACE and Gen LUX. Gen ACE, under 40, are adventurous, celebratory, and exploratory, often travelling with peers and influenced by social media. Gen LUX, over 40, seek luxury, uniqueness, and experience, travelling with family and influenced by offers and vacation schedules.”
According to a report jointly prepared by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and Expedia group, The number of Indian holidaymakers could treble by 2025, of which 40 per cent will be international air trips; Gen ACE makes up the majority. This boom in foreign vacations will be driven by people in Tier-2 cities, which has been experiencing an economic boom. A review of visa trends indicate Tier-2 city tourists prefer going abroad—40 per cent of the total— to domestic travel which the Tier-3 cities traveller likes.
On July 22, 2019 business magnate Harsh Goenka tweeted a picture of a notice put up by the manager of the expensive Hotel Arc-en-ciel, in Gstaad, Switzerland to “guests from India”. Among his instructions were, Indians must talk quietly in the corridor and on balconies since there are other guests who like silence, and that items in the breakfast buffet should not be taken away, and if they do, the tourist will have to pay for it. Goenka confessed to feeling “angry, humiliated and wanted to protest” after reading the note, but said,“With India becoming an international power, our tourists are our best global ambassadors …Let’s work on changing our image!”
Harjit Singh, Founder and Chief of Guest Experience at Travel Twist, says, “Social media and travel influencers have contributed to the overtourism of many destinations by promoting the idea of cheap, budget-friendly travel. As a result, many travellers now choose Vietnam or Thailand over traditional hotspots like Goa or Kerala attracted by the online buzz. Unfortunately, this trend often leads to travel without regard for local culture or knowledge, with many travelling purely for the status symbol of going abroad.” India’s economic boom has enriched its smaller cities and towns, encouraging the new middle class to spend on branded clothes, even if they are knockoffs, alcohol, clubbing and eating.
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