I doubt Simon Calder had a malign intent in recommending Wales as a tourist destination, but instead of taking one on the chin and acknowledging his misstep, he's come out with a defensive, entitled response then inflamed things further by shopping the reaction as news.

1/4

The story here, if any, ought to be that a respected travel journalist has gone on national television encouraging viewers to visit areas currently under lockdown that cannot accommodate tourists right now.

Instead, the narrative is "poor me, aren't Welsh people nasty".

2/4

Don't forget this is the same guy who at the start of the pandemic was doing the media rounds saying - completely unchallenged - what a fantastic time it is to be a tourist and recommending bargain deals to Venice at a time when northern Italy was Europe's Covid epicentre.

3/4

He cites 3 reactions as evidence of widespread abuse, but the majority of reactions were polite but firm. As the genteel voice of British tourism he's probably not used to having his views confronted.

In summary: he's been phoning it in for years and he's been found out.

4/4