I want to talk about a tricky truth in travel – the double standard of cultural behaviour.
How often have we, as travellers, cringed at another tourist’s “inappropriate” act, yet celebrated the exact same thing when done by a local? It’s one of those paradoxes that sits quietly beneath the surface of global tourism: the tension between admiration and offence, authenticity and appropriation.
Imagine a tourist in India photographing women drawing rangoli on their doorstep at sunrise.
Through one lens, it’s curiosity, appreciation even, because to us, this is a spectacle. It’s foreign, it’s exotic.
Through another person’s lens, it’s intrusion. But when a local captures that same moment and shares it online, it’s cultural pride.
So what changes? Context, permission, and power.
When travellers document or mimic cultural practices, it can be seen as extraction, taking without truly understanding. Yet when locals do it, it’s an act of expression, identity, or preservation. The same gesture with two very different meanings.
Tourism often turns culture into performance. Locals are expected to be “authentic” to play the part we came to see. But when we, as outsiders, participate in those customs, we risk making caricatures of what they represent.
Think of traditional dress. A Maasai man wearing his shuka is seen as proud and dignified. A foreign visitor wearing it for a photo op? Suddenly, it’s costume, not culture. One instance stems from belonging; the other from novelty.
At the heart of this double standard is privilege, but who gets to decide what’s “respectful” or “offensive”?
Tourists often hold the camera, the buying power, and the global microphone. Locals, on the other hand, are expected to smile politely through missteps that would never be tolerated in reverse.
The irony is that many travellers genuinely mean well. They are curious, open, and wanting to connect and capture what they find intriguing. But good intentions do not erase impact.
This is where the travel industry – agents, operators and guides, – play a vital role. We have the power to shape understanding before travellers even step foot in a destination.
Education should not just be about where to go and what to pack, it’s about how to show up – ensure you are respectful whilst learning. From pre-departure briefings on cultural etiquette to storytelling that centres local voices, we can empower travellers to engage with culture consciously, not carelessly.
The next time you travel, notice the small moments where this double standard appears. Ask yourself:
- Would this act feel acceptable if someone did it to me in my home?
- Am I appreciating or imitating?
- Am I participating with permission or simply assuming access?
Respect in travel is not about following a checklist, it is about self-awareness. When we slow down enough to question our presence, we shift from consumer to participant, from outsider to ally.
Cultural connection isn’t built on mimicry, it’s built on humility. When we learn to recognise the double standards embedded in our behaviour, we travel not just more respectfully, but more deeply.
Because the most meaningful journeys aren’t about what we take home in photos, they’re about what we leave behind in understanding.
