Why does anyone get excited about anything.

Internationally it has to do with history. What may be acceptable in one country may not be in another, for historical reasons.

Everyone talks about "Ireland of the welcomes" but a perennial controversy here in Ireland is about access to land for walkers etc. Landowners, usually farmers, often object to people walking accross their land either to transit or to view some historic ruin or archeological site. They claim that they could be liable if some person injures themself on say a piece of discarded barbed-wire.

In Scotland I believe free access is enshrined in law but nobody talks about "Scotland of the welcomes" except maybe the Scottish Tourist Board.