An American YouTuber has ignited a fierce online debate after claiming he fell seriously ill in India, despite eating only at five-star hotels. Tyler Oliveira, a 25-year-old travel content creator, says his experience highlights a broader issue that many are quick to ignore: India’s ongoing battle with sanitation and public health.
But not everyone’s convinced. And the internet is on fire.
‘White Tourists Come Here to Slum It’, An Indian Woman’s Video Started It All
It all began when an Indian woman posted a now-viral video slamming white travellers for “romanticising poverty” in India. She accused them of living in worse conditions than the country’s poor, just to go back and call India “pathetic.”
The YouTuber fired back with a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying he wasn’t “slumming it.” He was staying in 5-star hotels and still ended up catching four strains of Salmonella. “Only ate in 5-star hotels and still contracted 4 types of Salmonella,” he wrote. The reason? According to him, the hotel likely sourced eggs from a chicken farm next to a literal mountain of trash.
“Not Racist to Talk About Hygiene”
Tyler insisted that criticising India’s sanitation issues isn’t racism, it’s reality. “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 themselves from reality,” he posted.
To back up his claims, he even attached medical reports proving his illness. But that didn’t stop the flood of angry comments calling him out for “defaming India.”
The $100-a-Night Argument
When people accused him of travelling on a budget, Tyler clarified: “The 5-star hotels were about $100 a night. It was budget travel relative to American standards.” He even took a dig at India’s wealth gap: “Ambani has a billion-dollar tower overlooking the slums. Your anger is misplaced,” he said.
The internet remains divided. Some Indians echoed his concerns, saying it’s time India stops being defensive and starts fixing real problems. Others slammed him for reducing an entire country to a bad stomach bug.
Inputs from agencies
But not everyone’s convinced. And the internet is on fire.
‘White Tourists Come Here to Slum It’, An Indian Woman’s Video Started It All
It all began when an Indian woman posted a now-viral video slamming white travellers for “romanticising poverty” in India. She accused them of living in worse conditions than the country’s poor, just to go back and call India “pathetic.”
Delhi, India's Largest Chicken & Egg Market Next to Trash-Infested Landfill... https://t.co/elj1jC9AdZ pic.twitter.com/pxucdNHC8h
— Tyler Oliveira (@tyleraloevera) July 27, 2025
The YouTuber fired back with a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying he wasn’t “slumming it.” He was staying in 5-star hotels and still ended up catching four strains of Salmonella. “Only ate in 5-star hotels and still contracted 4 types of Salmonella,” he wrote. The reason? According to him, the hotel likely sourced eggs from a chicken farm next to a literal mountain of trash.
“Not Racist to Talk About Hygiene”
Tyler insisted that criticising India’s sanitation issues isn’t racism, it’s reality. “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 themselves from reality,” he posted.
To back up his claims, he even attached medical reports proving his illness. But that didn’t stop the flood of angry comments calling him out for “defaming India.”
The $100-a-Night Argument
When people accused him of travelling on a budget, Tyler clarified: “The 5-star hotels were about $100 a night. It was budget travel relative to American standards.” He even took a dig at India’s wealth gap: “Ambani has a billion-dollar tower overlooking the slums. Your anger is misplaced,” he said.
The internet remains divided. Some Indians echoed his concerns, saying it’s time India stops being defensive and starts fixing real problems. Others slammed him for reducing an entire country to a bad stomach bug.
Inputs from agencies
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