The film is a remake of one made in 2015 following the attacks in Paris. The original was set in an office block, but the new version shows the events taking place in a hotel.
The four-minute film centres on how a tour operator rep, hotel staff and guests react during an attack on a typical hotel. The central message is ’run, hide, tell’; with running away being the central advice and hiding the option only if you cannot flee.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has already trained 23,000 staff on how to spot suspicious items and activities and what to do in the event of a major incident.
The FCO said: “While there is no specific intelligence that British holidaymakers will be targeted this summer, the launch of the film and supporting information is part of a general campaign to raise awareness among the public.
“It highlights the steps people can take to minimise the impact of an attack – including knowing the local emergency services number.”
The key messages are:
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 only when it is safe to do so.
Tell – the authorities by calling the emergency number – 112 for the EU.
Detective chief superintendent Scott Wilson, national coordinator for Protect and Prepare, said: “The chances of being caught up in a terrorist incident are still low, but sadly we have seen atrocities take place in the UK and abroad. So it is important everyone - staff and customers - stays alert and knows what to do if the worst was to happen.”
Nikki White, Abta’s director of destinations and sustainability said: “Representatives of the travel industry, taking part in the training, have responded positively.
“We will continue to work closely with the police to make sure we are doing all we can to help raise awareness of these messages.”
