Travel expert Simon Calder now has ‘no plans to visit Wales’

Travel expert Simon Calder now has ‘no plans to visit Wales’ after locals called him ‘scum’ for suggesting English people might like to cross the border on holiday

  • Expert Simon Calder received abuse for suggesting Wales as a travel destination
  • The respected travel journalist received significant abuse online for his advice 
  • Following his mauling, Calder said he would no longer book breaks in Wales 

Travel journalist Simon Calder is blacklisting Wales after locals described him as ‘English Scum’ after he suggested people should head to the Principality. 

Celebrating the homeland of Owain Glyndwr, Calder suggested there were many places in Wales where people could take a break. 

Unfortunately, after suggesting people should travel west, he received ‘such intense abuse’ and said he has ‘no further plans’ to stay in the country. 

Travel journalist Simon Calder, pictured, has said he will no longer book a holiday in Wales following the abuse he received for suggesting people should visit the principality during lockdown

The travel writer had been trying to advise readers where to visit while more exotic options were not available

The travel writer had been trying to advise readers where to visit while more exotic options were not available 

The travel writer was trying to provide readers with a list of places where they could have a relaxing break, but received a torrent of abuse by people from social media. 

Writing in the Independent, Mr Calder said: ‘Anyone lucky enough to have a public platform, it’s clearly quite right people respond how they want and I applaud feedback.

‘The intensity of negative comments were of a magnitude I’ve not experienced, completely off the scale. The hundreds of people I inadvertently angered may be glad to hear that I have no further plans to book a stay in Wales.

‘I intended to inspire travellers to enjoy, responsibly, a part of the UK that is rich in wonders, and hoped their visits would in turn support local businesses.’

Earlier, the Welsh government had suggested quarantining English people travelling from areas of the country which have a worrying levels of coronovirus.  

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has even received criticism from the United States over his plan to protect people living under his jurisdiction from the United States president Donald Trump. 

This followed Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham claiming ‘Your future under Biden: ‘Rolling lockdowns’ will become norm in Wales’. 

First Minister Mark Drakeford was asked to comment on Mr Trump’s retweet during the Welsh Government’s coronavirus press conference on Friday.

‘I think the tweet that the president retweeted said that if Joe Biden were to be elected, then the United States could look like Wales,’ Mr Drakeford replied.

‘There are very, very many people in the United States who would be absolutely delighted if they had the levels of coronavirus that we have over there, if they had the sort of health service that we have available here over there, and if they had the sort of government that conducts business on behalf of their population in the orderly and careful way that we do on behalf of the Welsh population.

‘So I think many people will have read that tweet and be thinking to themselves, ‘If only that could be true’.’