Opinion | Chinese tourists and Swedish hostel staff could have avoided an ugly incident by thinking globally
Wei Yen says a little tolerance would have gone a long way in the saga. The tourists who were booted out of a Swedish hostel behaved hysterically, but the staff and police could have diffused the situation by understanding the Chinese mindset and customs
So far, the Swedes are becoming more defensive and Chinese are getting angry. No one is willing to yield and conspiracy theories abound. A minor matter that could have been easily resolved has grown to become an international incident. However, if both sides understand each other’s culture better, the outcome could be very different.
The trio arrived at their pre-booked hostel at midnight. He claimed the bus they had intended to take was cancelled. They had to take a later one and that was why they arrived at such an awkward hour.
This all sounds vaguely familiar to those who travel a lot and are frustrated by missed connections, lost luggage and accommodation bookings. Nothing unusual, so why did it deteriorate in such a fashion?
In principle, the hostel staff could tell them to come back the next day, and if they created a public nuisance, the police would be called. This was what happened and it was done by the book. But doing things by the book is not always the best policy in a multicultural world.
Watch: Chinese tourists claim mistreatment by Swedish police
