'Dear Guests From India'; why a Swiss hotel's notice shared by Harsh Goenka is sparking a bigger conversation about travel etiquette

Ace industrialist Harsh Goenka recently shared a picture of a notice he said he had personally seen at a hotel in Gstaad, Switzerland. If you read the notice displayed at Hotel Arc-en-Ciel in the Swiss resort town of Gstaad, it shares a list of must-follow set of rules specifically meant for their “Dear guests from India.” The post has reignited an uncomfortable but very crucial debate about how Indian travellers are perceived overseas. Some of the instructions are quite weird and to some extent, offensive. Like “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 staff and pay for it.”“Please note that other guests also want an appetizing buffet. Only use the cutlery provided.”What Goenka wrote:Goenka took to his X profile and shared the image with a note which reads:“A Swiss hotel once displayed a list of special rules exclusively for Indian guests which I personally saw and was appalled.Today, videos of garba in restaurants, loud conversations in airports, and turning aircraft cabins into picnic spots keep doing the rounds. Even in Davos, an Indian businessman blasted Punjabi music in a club so the whole town could hear it, calling it “soft power” but to everyone’s annoyance.Singling out Indian guestsThe hotel rule singled out Indian guests which only reflects a stereotype that no traveller wants associated with their nationality. The post struck a chord only because it is true. It is a reality that the behaviour of a few travellers shapes perceptions of millions and that’s why one should be extremely careful of their conduct when travelling overseas as they are representing a nation.The other side: India is among the fastest-growing outbound travel markets As per industry reports, tens of millions of Indians travel overseas every year. This surge in travel has brought huge economic benefits. In fact, industry reports also suggest that Indian tourists are among the highest spenders in many international destinations, and their growing numbers have encouraged airlines, hotels, and tourism boards so heavily that they create products specifically tailored to Indians.DrawbacksBut every good thing comes with its drawbacks. Hospitality professionals worldwide often note that cultural expectations vary dramatically between countries. Large family groups dining together, speaking loudly in public spaces, carrying food from buffets, or treating hotel common areas as social zones is not appreciated everywhere. Such behaviour may not attract attention in many parts of India but abroad, yes. Whether one agrees or not, the Swiss hotel notice shows the cultural disconnect between countries.Japan; the benchmarkGoenka in his post gives an example of Japan. People who have been to Japan, often give Japan's civic sense as one of the country's best and praise-worthy characteristics. Visitors notice orderly queues, clean public spaces, low noise levels, and a strong sense of empathy for others. But it is not that Indians should imitate Japanese society. The example shows how travellers’ behaviour contributes to how a country is perceived globally.And that’s the reason why the notice on Gstaad hotel attracts so much attention. Such incidents raise questions about whether the travel industry, schools, and even families should do more to promote travel etiquette.A moment for reflection and acceptanceIt’s not like pin-pointing someone. But the picture shared by Goenka is a reminder that every traveller is an ambassador for their country the moment they step off an international plane. As Indians explore the world in record numbers, the debate is not any longer about how much money you are spending or where to travel. It is more about how to travel and how you as an Indian tourist are representing your nation in a foreign land.