I’m a Cornish native and drunk ‘zombie tourists’ arrive like a tsunami every summer – one even pooped in my grandmother’s garden

Making sure her grandmother is tucked into the passenger seat, Kerrie Goodwin checks to see if her son is content in the backseat of the car.

The family trio are about to set off for a nearby beach, but as they walk away from their bungalow in Tintagel, Cornwall, Kerrie, 43, feels a familiar sense of dread.

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That’s because it’s only 10am and the roads are already gridlocked, meaning Kerrie cancels her day trip – and her plans are ruined.

His frustration is due to the large number of tourists and “holiday hooligans” who, according to Kerrie, flock to the region for their summer holidays and invade this idyllic part of the country.

And it’s not just the traffic that’s disconcerting – Kerrie, who was raised in Wadebridge and whose grandmother lives in pretty Tintagel – says visitors vomit in the streets, leave bodily excrement in gardens and riot.

Tourist zombies even poop and pee in the front yard. They leave trash everywhere. It’s a nightmare…Many tourists treat us like stupid people because they bring money for the holidays.

Kerrie Goodwin

She says: “I was born and raised in Cornwall, it’s paradise. But in summer it is invaded by many tourists, traffic jams and holiday hooligans. Unruly tourists take over and the holiday season is a hellish zone.

“People park wherever they want. Groups of stag parties vomit in the street and stagger around drunk. Zombie tourists even poop and pee in the front yard and leave trash everywhere. It’s a nightmare.

“Some arrive and think that because they come from London or outside the county they can do whatever they want. They are inconsiderate and rude – many tourists think locals are stupid. They park wherever they want. They do what they want. They treat us like idiots.”

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According to business consultant Kerrie, who is mum to 22-month-old Riley-Coyote and now lives in Wales, Friday and Saturday nights often become “no-go zones” in town and city centers.

She says the place is full of visitors who have no regard for the locals who live there and that the smaller villages cannot handle the influx.

“People need to have fun on vacation,” she explains. “I don’t envy that. But many people turn to tourists from hell.

“They park campervans wherever they want for free. Private campsites are overflowing. The noise from all the night parties is terrible.

“Some tourists get so drunk that they vomit in the streets. It’s noisy and rowdy and the locals can’t do anything about it. Many tourists treat us like stupid people because they bring money for vacation.

“I spend most of the summer with my grandmother. She needs me to go shopping and fight the crowds, because that becomes impossible for her when the tourist season arrives.”

“All I want is for visitors to remember the people who live in the area and be respectful.

Kerrie

While Kerrie accepts that tourism is essential to helping Britain’s coastal towns and places of natural beauty thrive, she says the influx is compounded by those cashing in on their second homes in the area.

“People rent them for more than £2,000 a week in peak season. But many turn into pop-up rave sites,” she says.

“Huge groups gather there. They fill them with friends and this causes big problems.

“Towns and towns simply do not have enough facilities, such as toilets, parking and police, to meet demand.

“Tourism is important for regional economies – it is fundamental for many companies. All I want is for visitors to remember the people who live in the area and be respectful.”

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Kerrie says she regularly has to clean up after tourists who treat her grandmother’s garden like a toilet.

“I don’t understand why people think it’s okay to use other people’s gardens as a bathroom,” she adds.

“Stepping in poop or vomit is disgusting. It happens regularly during the summer.

Local natural spots are often invaded, which causes traffic jams, pollution and destroys natural habitat.

Kerrie

Kerrie also says that so-called influencers are also causing chaos with their ‘glam squads’ and seeking excitement to get the perfect selfie, even if it means putting their lives in danger.

“Influencer tourists stop traffic as they preen and pose,” she says.

“They ignore ‘stay off the grass’ signs or, even worse, signs meant to keep people safe!

I love the fact that more people are converting vans and buses for a living. The problem is that summer is where people spend the hottest months by the sea.

Kerrie

“Lifeguards and coast guards have to spend money rescuing thoughtless people while getting the perfect selfie.

“I love the fact that more people are converting vans and buses for a living. The problem is that summer is where people spend the hottest months by the sea.”

“I have seen unofficial camps spring up. There is no electricity, water or toilets and it is a mess with overflowing rubbish that is not collected.

“Local natural spots are often invaded and this causes traffic jams, pollution and destroys the natural habitat.”

More than four million people visit Cornwall for holidays every year, according to a local committee report.

The county’s tourism chief warned tourists he “could certainly imagine” implementing a tax on tourists. Also known as a tourist tax, the change would see visitors charged a fee to stay in a certain area.

Kerrie agrees that action is needed: “Something needs to be done. I think there should be a tourist tax. I don’t hate tourists, I go on vacation too, but the difference is that I’m always respectful and follow the rules,” she argues.