Following the terrorist attack in the tourist area of Sousse, all trips to Tunisia this summer was canceled from tour operators in Scandinavia.
Now detur in Scandinavia and Bravo Tours, Denmark, also have canceled this winters travel to Tunisia.
This is done because the Foreign Offices in Scandinavia discourages in their travel guides all non-essential journeys.
Since the terrorist attack , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tunisia has tried to increase security and influence governments in Western Europe and Scandinavia to lift this travel ban. It has now failed after the government extended the state of emergency in Tunisia preliminary to 1 October.
The situation in Tunisia has not improved by the fact, that two Islamist terrorists Wednesday, August 19 shot a Tunisian police officer dead in the tourist beach resort of Sousse.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In Denmark the same day sharpened its travel guide to Tunisia.
“There is a high risk of terrorist attacks against Western targets in Tunisia and at tourist attractions. There is also the risk of kidnappings of Westerners. The assessment of the terrorist threat includes both the risk of terrorist acts and the authorities’ ability to address these. It is therefore estimated, that there is a need to enhance the travel advice,“ says the Foreign Ministry in Denmark.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UK and Thomas Cook says:
“The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has updated its advice, which counsels against all but essential travel to the country.”
Given that we have no clear indication as to when the FCO travel advice may change, Thomas Cook can confirm that it has taken the decision to cancel all bookings to Tunisia up until 13 February 2016.”
In Sweden, detur has as the only major tour operator planned winter travel to Tunisia. Now it is cancelled:
“As the Swedish ministry still advice against all necessary travels to Tunisia, we have cancelled out autumn/winter flights to Tunisia as well. Our aim is to start a new season in mid-February,” says Orhan Ögütgen, Managing Director, detur, Sweden to TTO Scandinavia.
Deturs next flight to Tunisia was scheduled to depart on 2/10.
“We had Tunisia in the summer of 2014, but jumped over in 2015. We have not Tunisia in the pipeline for summer 2016,” says Glenn Bisgaard, Communications, Apollo Denmark. “Tunisia has a strong position in the audience and have good prices. But we cannot plan anything as long as the Foreign Ministry gives the red card. Therefore, we have so far canceled the summer of 2016 to Tunisia from Denmark. If the situation changes significantly, we can begin to fly”, says Carlos Cebrian, Product Manager, Spies, Denmark.
“We should have made winter travel to Tunisia. As it is now, we have canceled. It really is a shame, that the country in North Africa that may have done the most for democracy shall bear the work of a lunatic.
We know Tunisia has a great audience, and that we very much want to make trips to Tunisia. But as it looks now winter trips has be canceled, but we hope to make trips to Tunisia next summer”, says Peder Hornshøj, CEO, Bravo Tours, Denmark.
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