Tyler Oliveira, a 25-year-old American YouTuber, has sparked controversy after claiming that he fell ill during a visit to India, despite eating at five-star hotels. Mr Oliveira's admission was in response to an Indian influencer who criticised foreign travellers, particularly white visitors, for allegedly perpetuating negative stereotypes about India. In a video, Twinkle Stanly claimed that these travellers often live in poor conditions, visit unhygienic locations, and then return home to complain about India's supposed shortcomings. She also accused white travellers of "romanticising poverty" in India, living in conditions worse than the country's underprivileged, and later disparaging India as "pathetic."
Reacting to her video, Mr Oliveira shared his own experience of falling ill in India, despite staying at five-star hotels. He wrote on X, "During my trip to India, I ONLY ate in 5-star hotels and still contracted 4 types of Salmonella. The hotel sourced their eggs from a filthy chicken farm right next to a literal mountain of trash. There are serious hygiene issues that must be addressed in India. It is NOT racist to address the poor quality of life most Indians are subjected to while the upper caste insulates itself from reality."
Responding to a user, he noted that the five-star hotels he stayed at cost around $100 per night, which, while luxurious by Indian standards, was relatively budget-friendly compared to American prices. He also pointed out the stark contrast in wealth within India.
See the post here:
To back up his claim, Mr Oliveira shared his medical reports as proof of his illness. However, his post sparked backlash from Indians who accused him of "defaming" the country. Many criticised him for reducing India's complexities to a single personal health issue, arguing that his experience doesn't define the entire nation.
Some users pointed out that similar incidents could occur in 5-star restaurants in other countries, while a few attributed his illness to a sensitive stomach, suggesting that he might be more prone to getting sick regardless of the location.
One user wrote, "Look, your salmonella sob story doesn't prove India's got some unique hygiene crisis. Bad eggs can come from anywhere—it happens in the U.S., Europe, you name it. You're acting like five-star hotels in India are uniquely incompetent, but global supply chains are messy everywhere. That "filthy farm" you're whining about? It could just as easily be a shady supplier for a Western hotel. You've got no data, just a grudge."
Another said, "You are a liar. I spent a solid two months in India, didn't eat in five-star hotels all the time, nor did I stay in the, and I never contracted anything. I didn't get a single illness, not even a tummy upset."
A third wrote, "You're blaming India's hygiene issues for your salmonella while ignoring the fact that five-star hotels anywhere can screw up food safety. You think fancy hotels guarantee clean eggs? Please. Those places cut corners just like anywhere else—sourcing from sketchy farms isn't unique to India. You're cherry-picking a single bad experience to dunk on an entire country's hygiene standards."
A fourth added, "Yes, India has hygiene issues, and no one is denying that. But addressing them does not require sweeping generalisations or a tone of superiority. There are respectful ways to talk about a country, especially one as layered and complex as India. Centuries of colonisation not only exploited our resources but also left generations in poverty, stripped basic infrastructure, and forced people into survival over sanitation. We are rebuilding, and there is much more to India than what you saw on your plate."
