The UK seaside town once ranked with Syria and North Korea as ‘worst place to visit’ | Travel News | Travel
One beloved British seaside town was once compared to holidaying in Syria or North Korea and voted among the ten worst holiday destinations in the world. According to the travel website Destination Tips, the iconic northern seaside town ranked ninth worst in the world, behind Damascus in Syria, which had faced years of war since 2011 at the time of the report.
The iconic northern seaside resort was also placed behind Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which has one of the world’s highest murder rates, and Kyiv in Ukraine. The controversial ranking 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 ranking sparked backlash from residents and the town’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 told The Express: “A few years ago, it struggled and faced unfair criticism from tabloids and individuals who had never even visited. Yes, it went through a rough patch, but in the past six years, things have transformed.
“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 places to visit 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
