Tunisia travel alert: Thousands of Britons to fly home
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10 July 2015
- From the section UK
The first of thousands of British tourists are due to return home from Tunisia after a warning that another terror attack is “highly likely”.
Thirty Britons were killed in an attack in Sousse last month – and the Foreign Office is urging Britons to leave.
Some tourists waiting to fly back to the UK said they felt disappointed – and afraid – after the warning, adding they saw no option but to leave.
Tunisia criticised the UK’s advice, saying it was “what terrorists want”.
Between 2,500 and 3,000 British package holidaymakers are believed to be in Tunisia, as well as about 500 independent travellers.
The Association of British Travel Agents said its members were aiming to bring customers home in the next 48 hours.
Michelle Ayres, from Suffolk, who is among those waiting to leave Sousse, said: “Everyone’s disappointed here – and I speak for many people… but obviously they haven’t got an option.
“We actually feel we’d be safer in the hotel than leaving it at the moment. We’re worried about getting to the airport. Everybody’s thinking ‘What’s going to happen? Is there a threat to us?’ and that’s why they’re getting us out.
“The people who came in two days ago had armed police chaperone their buses… We didn’t have that when we arrived here so something has obviously changed.”
But Heidi Barlow, from Derbyshire, who arrived in Tunisia the day before the advice was issued, said: “I don’t want to leave. I appreciate that if we have to go, we have to go, but I am not worried by the advice… We have seen all the extra security here and we feel very secure.”
Security ‘chaos’
A gunman killed 38 holidaymakers in the 26 June beach attack, prompting Tunisia to declare a state of emergency and increased security at tourist sites.
The UK government said there was no new “specific or imminent” threat but intelligence had led officials to the view that a further terror attack was “highly likely”.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the Tunisian investigation into the Sousse attack – and an attack in March on the Bardo Museum near Tunis which left 22 dead, including one Briton – was continuing and Tunisian authorities had “made clear they want to track down further individuals who they suspect may have links” to the attacks.
He said a security assessment in tourist areas found more work was needed “to effectively protect tourists from the terrorist threat”.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the gunman’s associates were believed to still be at large in Tunisia and, he said, were quite likely to be looking for targets.
He added that at the time of the attack some witnesses, including a former policeman, were convinced they saw a second attacker.
He said the UK’s decision was taken “reluctantly” but the intelligence of a threat was “overwhelming”.
But a former UK ambassador to Libya questioned why the Foreign Office was focusing on Tunisia when there had been other deadly attacks on the same day in Kuwait and France.
“Is it simply because 30 people got killed there two weeks ago? It’s not a good reason,” said Oliver Miles.
Abta said those due to travel to Tunisia should contact the company they had booked through.
Travelling to the country now would be likely to invalidate travel insurance policies, though most policies would provide cover for those already in the country, it added.
How will this affect my summer getaway?
Kevin Peachey, personal finance reporter
Many families will have booked to travel to Tunisia during the school summer holidays. Most should be able to go elsewhere without losing out financially, or get their money back.
Travellers on package deals must be offered an alternative or a full refund by their travel company, for as long as Foreign Office advice suggests no travel to Tunisia.
Those who have booked flights and accommodation separately should find that airlines will offer to reschedule flights.
Cancellation fees may apply for accommodation or car hire. To get that money back, a claim on travel insurance may be needed. Some travel insurance policies, but not all, will cover the cost of cancellation.
Most travel insurance policies can be transferred to new dates if an alternative holiday has been agreed between a holiday company and customer.
Tour operators are prioritising the 3,000 plus people on holiday in Tunisia, and those travelling in the next 48 hours. If you are travelling in a few weeks’ time, it might take a while to get any new holiday plans finalised.
Q&A for holidaymakers from Abta.
BBC North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad, in the capital Tunis, said there was “disbelief and devastation” among hotel workers, who now fear they could lose their jobs as the tourism industry falters.
Nabil Ammar, the Tunisian ambassador to the UK, said: “This is what the terrorists want.
“By damaging the tourism, by having foreigners leaving the country, they damage the whole sector and put so many people out of work and on the streets.”
Tour operator Thomson and First Choice said it had no customers currently in Tunisia, and was repatriating all British staff working there “within the next 24 hours”.
It had already cancelled all flights to the country to the end of the summer season (31 October) and said customers could change their holiday free of charge to any destination on sale.
It is also offering additional flights from airports across the UK to destinations including the Balearic Islands, Spain and Cyprus.
Thomas Cook, which has cancelled all bookings to Tunisia until the October date, said it was putting on an extra flight on Friday to bring customers back to the UK.
A spokesman said customers would be flown back to the UK “as soon as we can using third-party carriers and on our 10 scheduled flights over the weekend”.
Meanwhile, Monarch Airlines said it was arranging to repatriate all customers in resorts back to the UK “as soon as possible”.
Tunisia’s tourism industry
6.1 million
the number of tourist arrivals to Tunisia in 2014
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15.2% the total contribution of travel and tourism to Tunisia’s GDP
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473,000 the number of jobs supported by travel and tourism (13.8% of total employment)
6.1 million
the number of tourist arrivals to Tunisia in 2014
15.2% the total contribution of travel and tourism to Tunisia’s GDP
473,000 the number of jobs supported by travel and tourism (13.8% of total employment)
The UK-issued warning comes as the funeral of two victims of the attack – Jim and Anne McQuire, from Cumbernauld – will be held in their home town later.
The British victims of the Sousse attack
The Tunisian government has increased security in tourist areas, and announced plans for a wall along the border with Libya, to counter the terror threat.
Tunisia believes the beach attack gunman, Seifeddine Rezgui, trained with the Ansar al-Sharia group in the neighbouring country, though the Islamic State group has claimed the attack.
Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Rezgui, who was killed after the shooting spree.
Background and analysis
- What we know so far
- Special report on the Tunisia attack
- Who was the gunman?
- Why was Tunisia targeted?
- How do terrorist attacks affect tourism
- What can UK police do?
Are you a British national in Tunisia? Are you following the FCO’s travel advice? Send your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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