One beloved British seaside city was once in contrast to holidaying in Syria or North Korea and voted among the ten worst vacation locations in the world. According to the journey web site Destination Tips, the iconic northern seaside city ranked ninth worst in the world, behind Damascus in Syria, which had confronted years of conflict since 2011 at the time of the report.
The iconic northern seaside resort was also positioned behind Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which has one of the world’s highest homicide charges, and Kyiv in Ukraine. The controversial rating slammed Skegness in 2017, writing: “Once thought of as a quaint seaside town in northern England, Skegness is now a pile of dirt bordering the North Sea with a run-down amusement park idly resting on the land.”
However, the rating sparked backlash from residents and the city’s mayor, Dick Edginton, who described it as “absolutely offensive”.
Speaking to the Skegness Standard at the time, he said: “There seems to be certain people who seem to do nothing but denigrate British seaside resorts. Skegness is one of the best resorts in the country with the highest visitor numbers.
“There are record levels of investment in the resort at the moment which shows confidence in business, both from local and national companies.
“How anyone can compare Skegness to North Korea – one of the most oppressive regimes – is absolutely offensive. These comments should be held up to ridicule and contempt.”
Skegness, Lincolnshire, is well known as one of the UK’s most popular seaside towns, and welcomes around four million visitors annually.
The seaside town is famous for its golden sandy beach, amusement arcades, pier, and Butlins holiday resort, having been a popular holiday spot since the railway arrived in 1873.
Youtuber Neil Richardson, who lives in Collingham in Nottinghamshire and has made videos about Skegness, also defended the town.
In March, he informed The Express: “A few years in the past, it struggled and confronted unfair criticism from tabloids and people who had never even visited. Yes, it went through a tough patch, but in the previous six years, issues have remodeled.
“Now, when you stroll through Skegness, you’ll find thriving shops, clean streets, and a vibrant atmosphere—unlike some other towns where boarded-up shops create a desolate feel.”
Destination Tips’ worst locations to go to were:
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Port au Prince, Haiti
- Damascus, Syria
- Mogadishu, Somalia
- Pyongyang, North Korea
- Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
- Bogota, Colombia
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Skegness, Lincolnshire
- Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
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