To holiday in Tunisia

[PinkyU]

Finances have been very tight this year for unavoidable reasons which lead us to thinking that we wouldn’t be able to afford a family holiday this year. However thanks to some jiggery pokery with our outgoings we have around £2000 for a holiday abroad for 2 adults and 2 children.

Whilst this saving was quite a feat for us, it’s pretty flimsy in terms of a holiday budget that meets our small yet non negotiable criteria:

• within 3 hour flight from UK
• within 30 minute airport transfer to hotel
• all inclusive/full board (3 meals, not fussed with drinks)

After weeks of searching it seems a strong contender that meets the above criteria is Tunisia. But on reading, the country is under significant terror alert. This in itself, while a concern, isn’t necessarily putting me off, as I don’t see it as being vastly different to living in any large uk city.

Am I being deluded? Would you consider holidaying there? If not, any recommendations greatly appreciated .

I wouldn't personally but I can't offer many reasons other than what you have given, we looked at holidays and there is a lovely and affordable holiday to menorca with Jet2 holidays, although I do think transfer time was 40 minutes. Water park on site for the kids, was it hotel club sur or something like that? We could of gone for £1100 out of school holidays though, can't believe it would nearly double for holiday time? I suppose it might! Have a look at Jet2 though, we went with them last year and I highly recommend them.

I would go. But I’ve lived abroad in some Asian countries well off the tourist trail so my opinion may be swayed

When were you thinking of going and how old and what sex are the DC?
Tunisia reaches 120F inland and well over 90F on the coast during high summer, which is miserable for sightseeing and unbearable on the beach- the sand is too hot to walk on barefoot. The kids would need to be slathered in sun cream and kept in the shade for the worst hours of the day.
If your DC are female and over 8 years, they will be hit on by local males trying to chat them up. When I shouted at one such creep that DD was only 9, he shrugged and said that she “ looked 12”! I was widowed and in my 40’s, but also still got perved at by hotel cleaners and hit on by waiters.
Friends who went the following year said they were besieged by locals the minute they left the hotel compound.
It’s impossible to window shop in the souks and bazaars - the stallholders grab you by the arm and try to drag you into their shops for the hard sell.
I would never go back, and that’s without the terrorism threat.
It’s a shame, because there are some amazing Roman remains and the mosaics at the Bardo museum are stunning.

I wouldn't go to Africa.

If I had to go abroad, I would be looking at a mobile home on a caravan site in France, I think. Totally relaxing, and you have your own car.

Given that 20 British tourists were murdered there 3 years ago, there’s no way I would take the risk personally.

Just seen that you’d be taking dc - that would be a definite no for me. It’s one thing risking your own safety, but quite another putting your dc in a potentially very risky situation.

There’s a reason it’s cheap. I may risk it with just DH and I but there’s no way on earth I’d take my children there.

Exactly what Rosa said.

Just checked - it was 30 British tourists who were murdered there, not 20.

That’s the reason it’s so cheap. The tourist industry has struggled to recover from that attack.

Thanks nolager, unfortunately the 40 minute transfer wouldn’t work for us but I’ll definitely have a look on the jet2 site.

Thanks lastqueen, I’m Scottish myself, so don’t spook too easily 🤣.

Babdoc we’re pretty ham strung with dh’s holidays from work (its on rotation, so really no say on it) so it would need to be some point in the latter part of June. I have 2 girls (9 and 6), though in all honesty we wouldn’t leave the hotel in all likelihood. My lo’s spend a good 8 hours a day in the pool on holiday and we’re not really a beach family. I would have liked to wander around the souk but taking what you’ve said into consideration I’d happily skip that part.

Just bear in mind that the hotel/pool isn’t necessarily 100% safe either - during the 2015 attack, the shooting started in the hotel.

Is the terror threat significantly more than in the UK, does anyone know?

We have a caravan holiday booked (thanks to inlaws for paying) for July. The holiday abroad is really for the benefit of our 9 year old, she deals with a huge amount all year, going on holiday is something she really looks forward to and gets a lot out of. In all honesty, if it weren’t for how much dd gets out of it, we probably wouldn’t be going.

For those saying that it’s be a firm ‘no’, would that change if you knew you wouldn’t be leaving the hotel complex?

It's cheap for a reason. I wouldn't go. Maybe in a few years but not yet. Especially with the foreign office advice.

I don't think I would. I'm not sure if I would be able to relax.

Hmm, perhaps back to the drawing board.

Tunisia is the only place in the whole world I’d never return back to, it was absolutely awful.
Absolutely no way would I risk taking my child there.

Morocco can also be very cheap tui have a water park hotel there?

For those saying that it’s be a firm ‘no’, would that change if you knew you wouldn’t be leaving the hotel complex?

No, because gunmen can easily get past hotel security 🤷‍♀️

No from me, I’ve travelled extensively and Tunisia was the place I hated the most. I felt unsafe and unwelcome and this was before the terrorist attacks. Even if you never leave the hotel then I would still say no

Is the terror threat significantly more than in the UK, does anyone know?

1. Yes, there are many terrorist groups in operation in the country. There are parts of the country that Foreign Office warns against all travel to for that reason.

2. As Tunisia is a much poorer country than the UK, their intelligence services obviously don’t have the same capacity to prevent attacks as ours.

Given that 20 British tourists were murdered there 3 years ago, there’s no way I would take the risk personally

With that logic and given 36 people died in terrorist attacks in the uk just 2 years ago, perhaps we should make plans to move to another country.

Tunisia was always very cheap to travel to. I was there twice before the terrorist attacks and really loved it. And id love to be able to go there again, but now that I'm a mother, it's just not a risk I'm willing to take when I'd have dc with me

Honestly, no I wouldn't.

If I remember correctly, there was a terrorist attack at the museum. People thought it would never happen again so continued to holiday there. Then just a few months later, the beach was attacked.

I know it's been a few years since and nothing else has happened but I just wouldn't take the risk. I know terrorist attacks can happen anywhere, but I do think there's a difference. E.g. I would still go to a busy shopping centre in London, because you have to live your life and can't avoid everywhere with a big crowd. I would not go to somewhere that's been attacked twice and is under a terror alert.

We went before the attack it was a fantastic holiday. Loads of entertainment and food. We stayed in Jasmin Hammamet (sp?). The UK was the only country that stopped travel. The rest of Europe were still flying there.

The uk is under terror threat everyday