Industry talks to FCO over terror warnings
Industry leaders will hold talks with the Foreign Office today over government plans to change the way it warns the public against terrorist threats.
Representatives from ABTA, the Federation of Tour Operators and the Association of Independent Tour Operators will meet officials following an exhaustive review of the travel advice policy.
While ABTA and the FTO are said to be happy with the proposed changes – unveiled by foreign secretary Jack Straw earlier this month – AITO will raise concerns over what it claims are yet more “grey areas”.
The review aims to issue warnings against non-essential travel, which covers tourism, only when there is a “severe and imminent” terrorist threat. Currently the advice is considered too arbitrary with blanket bans dragging on for months and devastating tourist industries such as in Bali and Kenya.
When there is general threat, the FCO will inform the public but leave them to make their own judgement on whether to travel.
AITO, which has consistently called for change claiming the advice has been “unnecessarily severe”, said the proposals could create ambiguity. “When there is a general warning, operators, insurers, airlines and the public will put their own interpretation on it,” said AITO council member Mike Sykes.
“Some insurance will say they will cover customers in the event of an incident, others say they won’t. We have spoken to our legal people and insurers and they say our fears are justified.”
Another AITO council member, Derek Moore, said the Foreign Office was regarded as the “independent referee” which the industry and public adhered to. “When there is a general warning and a customer decides he doesn’t want to travel, what does the tour operator do?” said Moore. “Take the hard-nosed approach and say hard luck or give them their money back? It is a grey area.”
ABTA welcomed the change in policy and is not expected to raise objections. The FTO is also said to be comfortable with the proposals. An ABTA spokesman said: “It’s common sense and will get the advice back to how it was before Bali and September 11. We feel the FCO has over-reacted to the threat of terrorism since then.”
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia