To ask if you would holiday in Tunisia?

[JimmyJones]

I’m fairly risk-averse but not overly worried about terrorism (as in, it will happen or it won’t, I worry more about putting my seatbelt on and checking my CO2 monitors, that sort of thing).

My lovely DPILs are planning to treat us all to a family holiday and the destination has just been revealed. Tunisia! They have been there before (perhaps 10 years ago) and loved it. I’m apprehensive.

AIBU? I don’t have to go, obviously, but it would be a big thing to then refuse to let the DCs go. I’m just not sure how relaxed I’d be, but that’s the point of what terrorists do I guess? I holidayed in London when the IRA were active. Words of wisdom please?

The area they’re planning on has an “exercise a high degree of caution” advisory.

If you are going for a beach holiday be aware that the weather at that time of year can be cool. I went many years ago end April and it poured with rain on a few of the days. Pool was too cold to swim in.

stars them not being in The EU is irrelevant
It might be that for at least a short while planes can’t take off or land in uK Airports due to Insurance issues post Brexit. It’s only a possibility (I hope) but I’m not booking any flights for after March just yet.

I disagree I think Tunisia do well with bordering Libya and controlling the nightmare of Libya. Libya is lawless and you can buy a gun next to the bread stall, guns firing day and night, Tunisia does not have this problem and the police are seizing guns at that border regularly. I would travel over that side though that would be madness.

DTSMUMBOJO

Apart from feeling uncomfortable as I mentioned in my post above, I was absolutely gobsmacked at the fact that I never saw a Tunisian woman working anywhere facing the locals/public/tourists. All men. In shops, tour offices, buses, trains, hotels you name it. Not a woman in sight.

I said to myself those women are cleaning the toilets/hotels/restaurants early morning or late at night. Invisible. So for that reason alone, NO from me! Sorry it just got to me.

Wouldn’t travel over that side I meant.

Tunisia is lovely , we love it there and look forwards to going back
However we both think it needs more time before we feel safe enough to return to the popular areas
( another adventurer speaking here rather than a holidayer )

No, I've been there before and hated it.

If I hadn't disliked it I still wouldn't go now. There's a whole world to pick from, and that's not safe imo. I'd never forgive myself if one of my DCs got injured (or worse)

I wouldn’t, not because of terrorism but because local attitudes towards women in general and western women in particular are absolutely appalling. A blonde friend of mine went a few years ago and was frequently grabbed, even with her then DP right next to her.

Brexit? Tunisia isn’t in the EU?
What Hopping said

Yes, I'd have no problem going there now at all, though probably wouldn't as I've been before. The main tourist areas aren't to my taste, but if you like white sands beaches, turquoise seas, lots of activities to do, great for water sports etc & easy on the Brit palate, so plenty of foods such as pizza around. It's a good call fir a family holiday.

South Tunisia is far better for my taste & Id happily go back there again

No, everyone I know who has been hated it

No I wouldn't go at than I hated Tunisia and Morocco when we visited both. For the same reasons as other people have said I hated the fact that I didn't see any native women out and about only men leering at me and hassling me in the streets and I hated the horrible conditions that I saw.

Nope.. Been and hated it

@AngeloMysterioso that was the same with us...all blondes and my goodness it was uncomfortable going out! Then, when we DID finally get them to leave us alone, all we got was filthy language shouted at us down the streets. It was really awful. Horrible place.

I went with my DDs many years ago and would never go back.
As I was a widow with two young girls and no male protector, the locals assumed we were all fair game. Creeps in their 20’s were trying to get off with my NINE year old DD, and leering that she “looked 12” - as if that made it ok! I was even propositioned by the waiters in our hotel, so there was no peace even inside the private compound.
Strolling and peaceful window shopping was impossible in the souks and markets - traders grabbed you by the sleeve and bodily dragged you into shops to try and sell you stuff.
The food was poor quality even in a 4 star hotel - endless gritty couscous with sparse tough meat and the inevitable harissa paste. My kids virtually lived on ice cream and pancakes for a fortnight.
The only highlights were the cultural ones- the Roman mosaics at the Bardo museum and the ruins of Carthage. Although there was a terrorist shooting of tourists at the Bardo a while ago, so I’d be cautious even recommending that.

I liked Tunisia when we went back in 2011 and would happily go back again - we've actually been looking at some hotels for this summer. But then we happily go to Egypt every year, and Morocco & Turkey previously.

We've never had any issues on holiday with locals/trips/feeing unsafe - except in Fuetaventura when our room was broken into and in Mallorca when DH was smacked around the head and had his wallet stolen.

Each to their own. Often the safest places to travel to are the ones that have previously had huge problems - the security will be top notch

I was in Tunisia in summer and never felt ill at ease at all. There is security at the entrance to hotels, and plenty of police presence in the streets and on the beach. I found that I wasn’t pestered if I just carried on walking and said a polite but firm “no thank you” when approached by people trying to sell me something.
Tunisian people are for the most part friendly and helpful, and love children. My biggest reservation about going in April would be that the weather will probably still be too cool to enjoy swimming in the sea (unless you’re the hardy type), but the beaches are beautiful.

No. I really hated it. Got hassled non stop because I am blonde and pretty. Was so uncomfortable. And I saw no actual women there at all. Which made me wonder where the local women were. All the men clearly creeping over tourists and being disgusting and keeping their own women subservient.

By the way, I don’t think it’s true of other Islamic countries at all - I’ve had a wonderful holiday in Morocco, staying in Marrakesh, visiting the Atlas Mountains, and a city break in Istanbul, and stays in coastal Turkey, where the locals have been totally charming and I’ve felt very safe.
Tunisia just seemed so much rougher, sexist, cheap and nasty by comparison. And yes, the women were virtually invisible when we were there- even the female toilets were cleaned by men, who would leer unpleasantly whenever we went in.

I went and didn’t like it, the people on the whole were lovely and the food but I just didn’t feel safe and like I could relax. I wouldn’t go back.

Absolutely not.

No. Been before and hated it. And that was before the terrorist attack.

For me, armed security on the hotel door and police all over the beach wouldn't make me feel safe. It would just make me on edge, wondering what might happen. I just don't understand how anyone can find that an enjoyable, relaxing holiday. There are so many nicer places to visit where you don't need armed protection!

No.

Never, ever.