Agents say it’s time for a change of advice on Tunisia

It’s about time the Foreign Office lifted its advice against non-essential travel to Tunisia, say travel agents, although they don’t all agree that the country is safe for foreigners.

The Tunisia tourist office has embarked on its first major marketing campaign in the UK since a terror attack on holidaymakers in the resort of Sousse last year, and the majority of agents want the Foreign Office to give the go-ahead for tour operators to put their programmes back on sale.

The Foreign Office travel advisory doesn’t actually prevent tourists from visiting Tunisia, but it makes it extremely difficult for holidaymakers to take out insurance to cover their trips. Also, tour operators pulled out of Tunisia on the Foreign Office advice and won’t return until it says it’s safe to do so.

TUI’s UK and Ireland marketing director Jeremy Ellis said last week that the operator would resume its programme to Tunisia as soon as it gets the go ahead from the FCO and a TravelMole industry poll revealed agents are marginally in favour of the FCO changing its advice.

Of those agents who responded to the TravelMole poll, 54% said they wanted to see the country back on sale, but 46% thought the FCO should continue to advise against non-essential travel to Tunisia.

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