Put customer safety first, FCO urged
The ‘right’ advice is essential if the industry is to continue to have confidence in Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidelines.
The warning comes from Multicom managing director John Howell, who says the FCO must put customer safety first when considering their response and advice to the current troubles in Egypt.
He says holidaymakers need to be assured their interests are being put ahead of safeguarding the interests of the market.
Howell said: "The escalation of violence on the streets of Egypt’s large cities and the increasing presence of troops in and around popular resorts such as Sharm el Sheikh highlight just how fragile the situation is.
"It is vital for the integrity of both the industry and the FCO that the right advice and appropriate level of caution is applied when assessing the risk to UK nationals travelling to Red Sea resorts.
"It’s a difficult balance to get right but is essential for maintaining the longer term confidence in the reliability of FCO advice and the best interests of the consumer."
Last month Multicom reported a slump in bookings to Egypt of almost 62% in the immediate aftermath of the unrest.
Multicom had previously reported that Sharm el Sheikh was outselling its closet rival by almost two to one with 17 per cent of sales via Multicom’s FindandBookTM service in the peak post Christmas booking period.
Meanwhile, a report in the Times this weekend says operators have cut Red Sea packages for next year because of rising concern about the violence in Egypt.
On Holiday Group chief executive Steve Endacott said the problems in Egypt would put pressure on the Canary Islands.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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