India vs Pakistan: Canadian tourist compares India vs. Pakistan hospitality - his response will surprise you

India is renowned for its hospitality, encapsulated in the words ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God). Yet, not everyone finds this to be true. A new viral video with a Canadian tourist has ignited an interesting controversy about the hospitality of India and Pakistan.
Nolan Saumure is not a tourist who travels for fun; he is a vlogger who has traveled to many countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, America, and many more. His wide travel background grants him an extensive viewpoint on how various cultures go about hospitality, and this probably advised his perception.
This viral video highlights the differing perceptions of hospitality in India and Pakistan. While some might agree with Saumure's view of Pakistan's very open and welcoming culture, others will claim that India's tourist industry has commercialized its way of hospitality. In the end, this argument encapsulates how hospitality is affected by such elements as culture, tourism, and individuals' personal experiences and thus is a complex area deserving of further study.

During an Instagram interview with Instagram user @officialnamour, Canadian traveler Nolan Saumure was requested to comment on how hospitable Pakistan and India were. His matter-of-fact response, as prompt as his decision, had sparked online discussion. When directly asked which of the two countries has better hospitality, Saumure answered: "Pakistan, obviously."
Saumure's brief reply paved the way for general discussions and arguments on the various social networking sites, mainly between individuals coming from both the nations and otherwise. When Saumure was asked to expound on his reasoning, he outlined his rationale. Hospitality in India, he said, is very transactional-oriented. He alleged that Indians in general perceive foreign guests more as customers who are likely to bring in money, not as guests to be greeted with hospitality. In contrast, he portrayed Pakistanis as hospitable, inviting guests to share meals and even welcome them to their homes.

"People in India treat you like a walking ATM," Saumure said. "In Pakistan, people invite you over, feed you, and even ask you to stay overnight." His analogy is meant to depict an extreme contrast between how hospitality is thought about and practiced in both nations.

The video soon became viral, receiving more than 4.4 million views and evoking a variety of responses from both sides of the argument.
Various individuals identified with Saumure's view, with one of the Instagram users, an African in Dubai, stating, "Pakistanis are friendlier than Indian people. Pakistan treats you as a friend, Indians treat you as a complete stranger." Another user, an Indian, simply stated: "I agree."
Some viewers provided explanations for the difference in hospitality between India and Pakistan. One commenter posited that India's tourism sector is much bigger and more commercialized, which could result in a more transactional attitude towards foreign guests. Pakistan, on the other hand, has fewer foreign tourists, so each guest feels like a special guest.
In contrast, there were critics of Saumure's viewpoint among certain users. One such comment wondered why Indians expect "princess treatment" from foreigners, citing the historical context of colonial exploitation and wealth looted from India over centuries. Saumure shot back at this criticism by explaining that his preference for not being harassed has nothing to do with expecting "princess treatment," but merely a desire to feel welcome and at ease.
The debate sparked by Nolan Saumure’s comparison of hospitality in India and Pakistan highlights how cultural differences, tourism, and personal experiences shape perceptions. While some agree with his view that Pakistanis are more welcoming, others argue that India's booming tourism industry has made hospitality more commercialized. In the end, hospitality is subjective, varying from person to person and place to place, making it a complex and nuanced discussion.
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