In case you wanted to feel insignificant today, Georgia Love and Lee Elliott went to Saudi Arabia for a trip, and Saudi Arabian Tourism is fronting the bill.
The Bachelorette‘s top couple, Georgia Love and Lee Elliott, are under fire after arriving in Saudi Arabia.
The couple had posted some interesting photos to their Instagram accounts that have now been deleted, and fans began to question the nature of their holiday.
“After only opening to tourists in 2019, we can’t state how excited we are to be among the first Aussies to tour Saudi,” Love wrote in a now-deleted Insta post. “To us, it is important to see, experience and learn about all cultures around us and to see how much and how fast our world is changing. We can’t wait to bring you along on this incredible experience with us.”
She then finished the post with #VisitSaudi.
Sounds a bit like an ad, right?
Here’s the thing with Instagram’s ad policy. If you don’t use #ad anywhere in your post, the post violates the policy, and Instagram can take it down.
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While the couple denied they were being paid to go on the trip, the Herald Sun revealed that Saudi Arabian Tourism approached Love and would be “footing the bill for all airfares, accommodation and expenses”.
People were quick to criticise the couple, including journalist Peter Ford, who tweeted that Saudi Arabia has “executed 81 convicts in a single day”.
“Did you really need a freebie trip that badly Georgia?” Ford wrote.
This is the country Georgia Love accepted a free trip to visit. Of the 81 you can be sure there is a disproportionate number of women, gays & possibly journalists. Did you really need a freebie trip that badly Georgia? https://t.co/ghqIyKD72s
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) March 17, 2022
On March 17, Lee Elliot took to his Insta stories to say he understood fans’ concerns.
“We thought long and hard about coming and we decided to come as the world is changing along for the better and Saudi along with it.
“We strongly believe by Saudi opening up to the rest of the world and by tourists being here it has to be more accountable.”
Peter Ford responded to Elliot’s Insta stories on Twitter.
Lee did they take you watch the executions? 81 just last Friday.
I know you say it’s ‘changing for the better’ but they must have been terribly bad way back when. pic.twitter.com/tvx0hfaVwc— Peter Ford (@mrpford) March 17, 2022
He then posted about Georgia once more, saying: “I’d get out of there real quick … Run Georgia run.”
Georgia Love has deleted everything about her lovely trip to Saudi Arabia from Instagram.
Can’t imagine why.
I’d get out of there real quick.
Not playing by the rules (especially as a woman) can result in a visit to Chop Chop Square!
Run Georgia run.— Peter Ford (@mrpford) March 17, 2022
In September last year, Georgia Love had been under fire for posting racist content on her Instagram, with Channel 7 eventually deciding to drop her as a journalist following an investigation.
“We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken,” a Channel Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail.
“Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.”
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