Blundering VisitBritain tourism chiefs apologise after map celebrating UK’s best playwrights, authors and poets is slammed for leaving out literary greats from Wales or Scotland

• The tourism authority only showcased England in their map of ‘British’ greats
• Chiefs ‘sincerely apologised for this mistake’ after publishing the map on Twitter
• Celebrities including Huw Edwards and Cerys Matthews called out the authority 

Dylan Thomas, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns are just some of the great writers to have hailed from Wales and Scotland.

But according to VisitBritain they do not count as British literary all-stars, as the tourism authority’s map of the UK’s best writers only showcased England.

The tourism authority was forced to apologise after its map caused outrage among celebrities and writers across the British Isles.

VisitBritain face a public backlash from writers and celebrities across the British Isles when they released a map of ‘Britain’s’ best playwrights, authors and poets showcasing only England

People in Scotland were angered the map missed Scottish writers including Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns

VisitBritain’s map showed classic British book titles and authors dotted exclusively around England cities and shires.

To add insult to injury, it moved Cardiff-born children’s favourite Roald Dahl to the Home Counties.

Harry Potter was also moved to the Northeast of England despite Gloucestershire-born JK Rowling writing all the books in Edinburgh.

The map put Sherlock Holmes in England even though his statue was erected in Edinburgh, where creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born.

Dracula also fell victim to the blunder, as author Bram Stoker of the classic horror tale actually hails from Ireland.

Children’s favourite Roald Dahl was placed in Oxfordshire on the map despite being born in Cardiff

More bizarrely, Gloucestershire-born JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series were placed in the northeast of England, despite being written in Edinburgh and set in Scotland in large parts

Musician and radio host Cerys Matthews tweeted: ‘You confuse Britain with England.’

BBC newsreader Huw Edwards wrote: ‘Erm some rather important things missing from this “British’ list”.’

The map decorates Wales with trees, bushes and a squirrels, while Scotland is cut off entirely below Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Scottish playwright Kieran Hurley wrote on Twitter: ‘It’s absolutely fine to do things that are about England rather than about the UK or about Britain – just call it that.’

BBC newsreader Huw Edwards wrote: ‘Erm some rather important things missing from this “British’ list”.’

Writer Alexander McCall Smith said: ‘It demonstrates a certain anglocentrism and, I’m sorry to say, sheer ignorance.

‘Have they never heard of Burns or Scott? Literary maps should perhaps be compiled by proper literary cartographers, rather than left to the office junior.’

Plaid Cymru Welsh Assembly Member Delyth Jewell said: ‘You appear to have confused Britain and England and have ignored Welsh literature entirely, even though Wales is on that map.

‘I rather think the land of the Mabinogion and RS Thomas deserves more than bushes and trees. Don’t you?’

VisitBritain was forced to apologise after Tweeting the map which it says was originally intended for its @VisitEngland account

VisitBritain apologised for Tweeting the picture initially intended for its VisitEngland page on their main Twitter account. 

The tourism authority said: ‘The VisitEngland literary heroes map was tweeted from VisitBritain’s consumer channel in error and the tweet has since been removed.

‘VisitBritain sincerely apologises for this mistake.

‘VisitEngland’s literary heroes map of English literary locations was created to inspire domestic visitors to explore the destinations and literary attractions across the country brought to life through books.’

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