With the cash reserves on the low-end after the pick-pocketing, I’ve been a bit more choosy as to which sites I see in India. With the two-tier price system — one for Indians and one for foreigners — there are some I just can’t really bring myself to pay to see. I mean, why would I pay the same price as the entrance fee to the Grand Canyon for something definitely not as cool as the Grand Canyon or that I’d never heard of? Interestingly, I’m not the only one. The American girl I met in Delhi and hung out with in Jaipur (small world that we wound up in the same guesthouse!) and I only saw about half of Jaipur’s sites because the prices were a bit too much for something too little.
So, although I’d previously quietly payed the foreigners’ price, I have to admit I’m getting a bit more annoyed by it. I mean, before I told myself that the publicly owned sites were (theoretically) payed for by taxpayers’ money, so charging non-tax-payers a different price is excusable.
Now, though, I’m not so sure. I mean, a small difference would be OK. But more than 15 times the Indian price? No thanks. And the worst is when I get the SAME exact service as the Indian tourists and then the guide (which was mandatory and included in the ticket I payed five times the amount for) ends the tour and still asks for a tip because I’m American. Uh, no thanks, champ.
Then, in Bikaner, I met a Spanish couple who refused to visit any of the sites that charged two separate prices. “We miss out on a lot,” the woman says, adding that there are plenty of Indians that make more than she. They’re happier that they stick to their morals.
That got me thinking…how do you all feel about the foreigners’ prices? Clearly, this would never fly in America, but what about when you’re traveling? Fair or not??? Hmmm…
Jayna, they do it here in the US too. They have specials at Disney World and Universal studios that are only for Florida residents. The difference can be hundreds of dollars for a family of 4. It costs 10 times more for a fishing license for a nonresident, and it lasts 5 or 10 days instead of a year.
Just a few examples I thought of off the top of my head.
JAY!!! great to come back to reading your site, i’ve been out of it for a while — the king of the two-tiered price system is CUBA…in havana, not only are tourist attractions at different prices (about 25x the price for foreigners) but everything is, even food etc.
I dont’ have a real problem with charging more at tourist sites as long as they’re not shady about it…i guess the rationale is that they couldn’t survive without the income, and a one-tier price system would shut out 80% of the local population from visiting their historical landmarks. but beyond the main tourist sites, i definitely do not support the two-tiered system…rather than discriminating against all foreigners, i think they should have a two-tiered focus where you get more amenities for what you pay for if you want to (for the rich retirees) and where you get the basic service, etc (for students like us)…much like the hostel vs hotel system.
Regardless, we’re no longer the “rich folks” from the west as we were in the 80s and 90s so i think 10 year from now the two-tiered system in india will be obsolete.
You need to add another answer: “I don’t like paying the foreigner price at all so I find ways to get in/sneak in with the residence admission.” Although, I haven’t been to enough places to really come up with any elaborate plans.
This happened to me at the Taj Mahal in India. My brother and I got “busted” as foreigners because he was wearing shorts and I was carrying an American-style purse. They even started hounding my uncle–who actually was born and raised and still lives in India–for proof that he’s an Indian citizen. My brother, mom, and I wound up paying the wayyy higher price; I think they finally believed my uncle and gave him the resident’s price.
Hmmm…I forgot about Disneyland’s price difference. But isn’t it a “discount” there? And fishing/hunting licenses I can understand…I mean it goes back to the whole state tax payers pay for the officers that have to regulate the area. But American vs. non-American? Hopefully, though, this two-tiered system is on its way out…I mean I think it also breeds a bit of an inferiority complex within the nation as well.
And, I guess I should have added the one about the sneaking around the prices. I’ve tried it a few times. Sometimes successfully, other times, not so much. That was usually when I was caring my American-style purse or wearing my Nike kicks. Hehehe.
Aaaand, what about people who are U.S. citizens but live in a third world country and make their living in a third world country like me. India can try to charge me as much as they want, but the truth is, they’ll probably shut me out of a lot of places since I literally cannot afford it. Being American doesn’t mean you have a money tree growing in your back yard. My nationality might be one thing, but it’s not really fair to judge based on that because my reality is another thing.
I should add, even if I did live in the U.S. and make a boatload of money I still probably wouldn’t go to any sites that charge people from the U.S. more, just on principle.
When I was living/working in Russia, I got away with paying local prices to get into the Hermitage museum and some other places too. I dressed down on purpose and made sure my Russian was impeccable. I also just walked up with the exact amount of the local price and slapped it down. Didn’t really give them a chance to size me up. Ha.