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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think we should cancel our holiday to Tunisia?

282 replies

googlenut · 26/06/2015 22:26

So holiday booked to Sousse with Thomas Cooke. Member of the party include two 84 year olds and a child with autism. Not due to go to the end July but reckon we should just persuade TC to refund or reallocate to different country.

OP posts:
FarFromAnyRoad · 26/06/2015 22:28

Is there any advice online at FCO yet? I'd probably wait and see what the official advice is - because if they don't advise cancellation I'm not sure how far you'll get with Thomas Cook.
If it was me I wouldn't go but it's possible that that view is unreasonable!

Roobo · 26/06/2015 22:29

I would.

Even if it is deemed to be 'safe' you'll never be able to relax and enjoy a holiday there.

Stopandlook · 26/06/2015 22:29

I couldn't go. How could you relax? Tourism is gone from there for a long time I think.

QuintShhhhhh · 26/06/2015 22:29

Well, they are unlikely to target the same place twice, so statistically, it can happen anywhere....

EllaBella1 · 26/06/2015 22:30

Yes. I am not one for jumping on the band wagon but two men shot 37 tourists dead today on a beach. I would not put my family in that situation. Thomas Cook will let you change. I would doubt you would get insured now.
I actually stayed at the hotel next door a few years ago. It's not worth the risk

Original poster
googlenut · 26/06/2015 22:30

TC have said that they will refund or reallocate holidays up to 24th July but we fall outside that. Am not phoning the helpline at the moment to leave it free for those traveling immediately

OP posts:
EllaBella1 · 26/06/2015 22:31

Terror alert is severe for Tunisia now

QuintShhhhhh · 26/06/2015 22:31

I just would not personally holiday in any middle eastern or north african country, parade semi naked on the beach when the locals dont...

Wherediditallgoright · 26/06/2015 22:32

I could not relax on the beach there so no I wouldn't go.

I feel for all the people there now confined to their hotel rooms, scared to death.

MrsTerryPratchett · 26/06/2015 22:32

Wait for the official advice. I have rescheduled one holiday due to bombing (based on FCO advice). I have also gone on a couple of others to areas that had recent bombs and a mass killing. The travel advice is normally very good and hasn't steered me wrong so far.

Original poster
googlenut · 26/06/2015 22:32

Think they will have to refund - what kind of holiday could we have after all that?

OP posts:
Notasinglefuckwasgiven · 26/06/2015 22:33

Wait and see. We came back from there end of may. It was wonderful. Government have been amazing with safety.

Wherediditallgoright · 26/06/2015 22:33

Mind you I didn't feel comfortable in Tunisia when I went there about 20 years ago.

Myfoofneedspruning · 26/06/2015 22:33

Yes yes yes cancel

cozietoesie · 26/06/2015 22:34

Here is the current FCO advice.

geezpeace · 26/06/2015 22:36

we were due to fly to Port el Kantoui a week on sunday. Jet2 have said we can change destination, so now going to north of Ibiza on Thursday (not first choice but it came in at around the same price, anywhere else would habe been an extra £500+)

I'm 95% sure that the foreign office have declared it unsafe. I am so sad about this, those poor innocents Sad and the tunisians whose livelihoods depend on tourism Sad but I wouldn't be able to look.forward to it, nor would I be able to relax when there. And I am in desperate need of relaxation, any more stress would fimish me off at this rateWine

you should be able to change destination or get your money back. contact your travel provider asap

Notasinglefuckwasgiven · 26/06/2015 22:36

Honestly it's a big country. Check how far from the incident you will be. We booked in advance and went despite the threat. We were hundreds of miles away.

FarFromAnyRoad · 26/06/2015 22:37

As of a couple of days ago Greece was ridiculously cheap - DH got a week self catering in Zante for £200 all in. Perhaps you could find something there instead of Tunisia?

GrumpyOldBiddy2 · 26/06/2015 22:38

I'm with Quint.

Original poster
googlenut · 26/06/2015 22:39

We were due to stay in the hotel opposite the beach where it all happened

OP posts:
Alice1983 · 26/06/2015 22:40

OP said they were staying in Sousse

FarFromAnyRoad · 26/06/2015 22:40

I'm not convinced that distance from the incident is any indicator of safety really - was there an advisory out for Sousse before this?

EllaBella1 · 26/06/2015 22:41

This shooting happened outside thomsons biggest hotel. It's at the riu imperial marhaba, the royal Kenz and the Bellevue. It's literally the tourist hot spot in the purpose made tourist area. This hasn't happened in some remote area where no tourists go. It was an attack on tourists

FadedRed · 26/06/2015 22:41

Not an expert here, but think you won't get any refund unless FCO advise against travel, so maybe best you wait to see what happens over the next few days to see if the date changes to include your planned holiday time.
Having said that, when you look at risk vs hazard, you are statistically many times more likely to have a road traffic accident if you drive to the airport than become involved in a terrorist atrocity.
But statistics aside, Tunisia depends very greatly on tourism, so security will be heightened to minimise recurrence, so likely to be safer.
None of the above really helps in regard to how you will feel/can you still enjoy your holiday, however.
Difficult situation.

Original poster
googlenut · 26/06/2015 22:41

No checked before we booked and travel advice was all ok

OP posts: