Tunisia – with its year-round warm weather, sandy beaches and UNESCO World Heritage Sites – is a popular spot for holidaymakers, welcoming up to 9.4 million visitors every year.
But the country’s tourism industry has suffered in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks since 2015, with recent political events sparking fresh travel warnings.
According the UK Foreign Office, ‘ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran could escalate quickly and pose security risks.’
Protests held throughout Tunisia in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict have remained peaceful, but the Government agency urged visiting British nationals to be cautious in case demonstrations become violent.
It also highlighted the increased threat of terrorism – particularly in certain areas – stating that ‘terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia’.
Travel advice for Tunisia
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On July 16, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a statement advising ‘against all but essential travel to within 20km of the Tunisia-Algerian border in El Kef and Jendouba Governorates.’
Although the majority of visitors stay in hotspots like Tunis, Djerba and Carthage, the city of El Kef attracts some heritage tourism due to its richhistory, while the wider north-west region – home to the Tell Atlas mountain range – is popular with hikers and climbers.
However, the area has now been added to the FCDO’s Tunisia warning list due to possible terrorist activity and military operations, alongside the southern part of the country along the border with Libya.
A previous no-travel alert for the archaeological site of Chemtou wastaken down by the ministerial body, but it noted that ‘no foreign travel can be guaranteed as safe’ and visitors must ‘take personal responsibility’ for theirsafety while abroad.
This includes keeping an eye on media reports for the latest information on developing situations, staying vigilant of their surroundings, and following the instructions of local authorities.
Areas of Tunisia where the FCDO advises against travel
Western Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Algeria border
According to the government body, British tourists should avoid all travel to:
- The Chaambi Mountains National Park
- The designated military operations zones:
- Mount Salloum
- Mount Sammamma
- Mount Mghila
In addition, it recommends against all but essential travel to:
- Mount Orbata
- Areas north and west of the town of Ghardimaou in Jendouba Governorate, including El Feidja National Park
- Within 20km of the Tunisia-Algeria border in El Kef and Jendouba governorates, south of the town of Jendouba
- Kasserine Governorate, including the town of Sbeitla
- Within 10km of the rest of the Tunisia-Algeria border south of Kasserine Governorate
- Within 10km of Mount Mghila
Southern Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Libya border
In this region, the FCDO warns against all travel to:
- The militarised zone south of the towns of El Borma and Dhehiba
- Within 20km of the rest of the Tunisia-Libya border area north of Dhehiba
- The town of Ben Guerdane and immediate surrounding area
All but essential travel should also be avoided within 75km of the Tunisia-Libya border, including Remada and El Borma.
What to do if you’re caught in an incident abroad
While the chances of being caught up in a terrorist incident are low, the police’s Counter Terrorism unit tells UK travellers: ‘It is important everyone stays alert and knows what to do if the worst was to happen.’
Before a holiday, you should check the latest FCDO travel advice and ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance.
And in the unfortunate event you do find yourself in an emergency while there, you should take the following steps:
- RUN – to a place of safety. This is better than trying to surrender or negotiate.
- HIDE – it is better to hide than confront. Barricade yourself in, turn your phone to silent and use only when it is safe to do so.
- TELL – Make sure you know the local emergency numbers in the country you are travelling to.
Can I get a refund if I cancel my holiday due to the FCDO warning?
If you have a holiday planned in any of the areas on the Tunisia no-travel list, your first port of call should be to get in touch with the company you booked with.
The FCDO explains: ‘Travel companies, including airlines, often take our advice into account but cancelling or rescheduling a flight ticket, holiday, tour or excursion is a decision that can only be taken by the travel company and the customer.’
You should also contact your travel insurance provider, as they may allow you to make a claim if you cancel because of a change in FCDO travel advice.
This is often dependent on the policy; some only pay out if the advice is to avoid all travel rather than ‘all but essential’
Certain insurers also require the local or national authorities to state it’s unsafe to travel there. If your holiday provider or airline is operating there as normal and there are no advisories, you won’t get any cancellation cover.
If your holiday destination is near an affected region, but is still considered to be safe by the FCDO, according to Good To Go Insurance, ‘you are unlikely to be able to cancel or change your trip without losing money.’
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