Lonely Planet snubs U.K.
JEREMY HOBSON: Well the United Kingdom is the number one overseas destination for American travellers. But a new Lonely Planet guide says tourists might want to think twice about visiting. The guide says the U.K. is full of over-priced restaurants and boring tourist attractions.
Marketplace’s Stephen Beard reports from London
STEPHEN BEARD: Over-crowded, over-rated and over-priced. That’s the Lonely Planet Guide’s unflattering assessment of much of Britain. The county of Surrey — it says — is dull and boring. Essex is full of aggressive working class youth. Dover is depressing. And don’t go to Durham unless you only want to visit the Cathedral. The review is sure to be a blow to Britain’s $25 billion a year tourist industry.
But lead author David Else makes no apology for candour.
DAVID ELSE: We don’t take advertising. We’re not in any kind of link with the local tourism promotions people. We travel incognito. We pay our own way. And that gives us the freedom to tell it as it is.
And, he says, that while expensive some parts Britain are still the most fascinating places in the world to explore.
In London I’m Stephen Beard for Marketplace.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
