Sousse attack coroner calls for clearer security advice
The coroner in the case of the Sousse attack which killed 30 British holidaymakers has called on travel companies to properly display logos and links to security advice.
In his report following the inquest into the deaths earlier this year, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said he is concerned travel companies are still not doing enough to share security information with their customers.
He said TUI, whose customers were killed in the terror attack at the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel, has now taken steps to change the Thomson and First Choice websites and promotional literature to make these logos and links more prominent.
But he added: "I remain concerned that other companies which sell holidays, or sell flights and hotel accommodation separately, may not have taken such steps, as a result of which members of the public receive insufficient information about the risks of terrorist attacks in destination countries."
The coroner also said he was concerned that before the attack in June 2015, neither TUI nor other travel companies had security advisors on their boards.
"The evidence of a TUI witness was that ‘security was a matter for the accommodation hoteliers and providers’. I am informed that TUI now have such an advisor," he said in the report, published this week.
"However I remain concerned that if other companies do not have similar security advisors at board level then hotels which they use will not be adequately protected," he said.
A statement from ABTA in response to the report said: "Holidaymakers’ safety is absolutely critical to our members. Since the attack in Sousse in 2015 there has been much greater public awareness of the global and indiscriminate nature of terrorist attacks and the role of travel advice is now more important than ever.
"ABTA has taken steps that address the coroner’s concern that not all companies take steps to ensure that links to travel advice are prominently displayed. We have been working, and will continue to work, with our members to make sure that links to travel advice are visible on members’ websites and that customers are directed to travel advice before they book.
"ABTA and our members have also undertaken a number of initiatives with the aim of minimising the impact of terrorism. We are working with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office to provide our members with industry training, customer advice and support, both here and overseas.
"This includes helping our members understand the threat, advising on what they should do if involved in a terrorist incident, and enabling people to recognize and report suspicious activity. We have also promoted the police’s Run Hide Tell consumer advice video."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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