12 MAY: Travel guide publisher Lonely Planet is getting a lot of media coverage in the UK this week with its latest swipe at the country’s tourism infrastructure.
A new edition of the Great Britain guide claims many British hotels, restaurants and attractions are over-priced and lack quality.
Co-ordinating author David Else says some of the tourism industry "just doesn’t deliver", and he suggests that travellers shun over-priced restaurants.
"You’re often better spending £5 on a top-notch curry in Birmingham or a homemade steak-and-ale pie in a country pub in Devon than forking out £30 in a restaurant for a modern European concoction that tastes like it came from a can.
"If you’re on a tight budget, there’s no getting away from it – Britain ain’t cheap. Public transport, admission fees, restaurants and hotel rooms all tend to be expensive compared with their equivalents in many other European countries".
However, Mr Else does have plenty of encouraging comment
"There is no doubt that Great Britain is great", he says.
‘In my opinion its history, scenery and people make it one of the most fascinating places in the world to explore".
He describes Edinburgh as "one of the world’s most fascinating cities" and says Manchester is "truly special".
