My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

UK travel

Do locals actually want tourists at the moment?

126 replies

footprintsintheslow · 26/07/2020 14:06

What's the general consensus about tourists staying in holiday destinations around the UK?

I'd love to go camping in North Wales, keep myself to myself and go to beaches.

Is it selfish to arrive there?

What would make it better if anything?

OP posts:
Report
853690525d · 26/07/2020 14:09

No, sorry.

Report
Jarofflies · 26/07/2020 14:11

In my town we accept that we need the tourist industry or businesses will collapse and half the population will be out of work.

However the town has gone from being quiet and safe with the vast majority of people abiding by the rules, to absolutely packed with no room on the pavements to social distance.

We need the tourists, but we don't want them. That said, I would hope everyone is nice to the people that come. They aren't the ones who made the rules.

Report
Thistly · 26/07/2020 14:11

No, people don’t want visitors.
While they understand that people need a break, it’s frustrating for them that there isn’t enough green spaces in the uk to accommodate everyone holidaying in the uk.
You may come along and respect the country code and generally be lovely, but the fact is that there are just too many people visiting irresponsibly at the moment for you to be welcome.

Report
fairydustandpixies · 26/07/2020 14:12

We're inundated in the tourist area I live in. It's gone from quiet roads to traffic jams, packed beaches and beauty spots. I'm just staying in to keep safe.

Report
footprintsintheslow · 26/07/2020 14:15

I don't blame you all at all. I've not been to a shop since March so the last thing I want to do is be around all those people or to piss locals off.

OP posts:
Report
StillSmallVoice · 26/07/2020 14:15

My DS's job is in tourism. He's really happy to be back at work. Without tourists he would be out of a job.

Report
Ginfordinner · 26/07/2020 14:16

I don't live in a touristy area, but in a pretty, rural area. The constant posts on the local Facebook pages with pictures of litter that people leave lying around is probably one of the main reasons that people don't want visitors.

I don't undeerstand what is wrong with these people who are prepared to carry a picnic to a lovely spot, but not prepared to take their rubbish home with them Sad

Report
BumpkinSpiceBatty · 26/07/2020 14:17

Just been to a very local village to visit a friend. It's a picturesque Cotswold beauty spot that we aren't lucky enough to live in.
Walking through to her house was mobbed. Tourists everywhere, no one social distancing, hardly any masks and on one was following the very basic one way system in place to walk beside the river.
It was hellish, I won't be going back anytime soon.
She has been driving to a larger Tesco in a neighbouring town rather than using her local village shops as it's so busy.

Report
HairyToity · 28/07/2020 18:52

Our area is fine with tourists. Try Ceriog Valley Park. Maybe avoid Snowdon.

We're from North Wales and holidayed in Yorkshire last week. We were never made to feel unwelcome.

Report
HairyToity · 28/07/2020 18:53

It'll be river walks rather than beeches I'm afraid.

Report
Apolloanddaphne · 28/07/2020 18:59

We live in a tourist area and it is currently heaving. We need the visitors for the local economy but it means we are reluctant to go anywhere as it is just too busy.

Report
footprintsintheslow · 28/07/2020 19:04

@Apolloanddaphne I suppose that's how you feel in a normal peak season? My friend lives in Cornwall and she hates August.

OP posts:
Report
footprintsintheslow · 28/07/2020 19:05

@HairyToity what do you mean?

OP posts:
Report
footprintsintheslow · 28/07/2020 19:06

@HairyToity sorry my brain is slow I see you mean Ceriog Valley will be river walks. Sounds great to me.

OP posts:
Report
Sooverthemill · 28/07/2020 19:07

No we don't. I'm sorry to say that because the local economy where I live depends upon it but our small seaside towns population has trekked in the last 3 weeks and I now dare not go out on 1 august for the first time since 23 March because you cannot walk down the pavements without being jostled ( someone I know lives in a flat above a shop). I wish the government had stood firm on this. The second wave will be here before we know it and there's still no vaccine. ordinarily it's an in Benin eve we are prepared to put up with but this is life threatening potentially ( to us and them as our R number is rising)

Report
Sooverthemill · 28/07/2020 19:07

"It's an inconvenience " bloody ipad

Report
Doilooklikeatourist · 28/07/2020 19:10

We live in Wales , yes , please come here
There's loads of space for everyone

Report
Boredbumhead · 28/07/2020 19:11

We are in West Wales. We have gone from peace to being inundated. It's very unpleasant tbh. No masks or distancing taking place at all.

Report
dootball · 28/07/2020 19:13

Most locals don't want tourists ever.

Report
GetUpAgain · 28/07/2020 19:13

I was in Yorkshire last week and felt very welcome. Meanwhile my parents went to Scotland and got abuse!

Report
Mothermorph · 28/07/2020 19:18

We are hoping to go away for a short break. We dont want to eat out or go to crowded places and would probably just go for walks or stay indoors, but have a change of scenery.
Do people that live in tourist areas never go away themselves and thus be tourists?

Report
user1497207191 · 28/07/2020 19:21

There is no single "locals" group. Locals with tourism businesses/jobs will want tourists. Local residents not reliant on tourism don't want tourists. It's as simple as that.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Els1e · 28/07/2020 19:22

Yes. I live in a tourist area and it is good to see people visiting (and spending money). I don’t work in hospitality myself but I know plenty who do. What upsets locals is visitors being disrespectful such as leaving huge amounts of litter, carving their name into rocks, etc

Report
Apolloanddaphne · 28/07/2020 19:31

@footprintsintheslow Yes we tend to avoid the town in the summer. I like to go and do what I need to do early and be home by mid morning before the boards arrive.

Report
Brandaris · 28/07/2020 19:32

Depends.

If you-
park like an arsehole
Walk four abreast blocking the pavement at a snails pace
Ignore social distancing
Drop litter
Feed seagulls
Crowd into tiny streets
And generally behave like an entitled idiot then no you won’t be welcome.

But if you act like a normal person who social distances and doesn’t think that being away means you’ve magically escaped Covid then yep, come and you’ll be welcome!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.