As images of the rampage by Tunisian Seifeddine Rezgui, which left 30 British and 8 other tourists dead in Sousse in 2015, filled the courts, the key question for many was: who else, if anyone, should be held responsible for the atrocities?
The families of the 20 victims were finally hoping for answers. Their questions: why the local security forces failed to protect their loved ones from being killed; whether the victims’ tour operator, Tui, should have done more to warn them of the risks; and if they should even have been holidaying in Tunisia in the first place?
The first point was answered with the worrying suggestion that failings by local police may have prolonged the attack. The idea was alarming, but as TTG has reported, it’s an issue the country has endeavoured to rectify, working with British authorities since the attack in June 2015 to strengthen security.
Of most concern for our industry were the second and third points. Could a tour operator really be to blame for not doing more to protect its customers from terrorism? If the courts decide the answer is yes, the ramifications could be huge. Not just for operators, but for agencies that dynamically package, especially smaller companies without public liability funds.
By that token, should city break specialists have done more to warn customers about the November 2015 Paris attacks?
The Sousse attack was abhorrent, but terrorist acts are impossible to predict. France suffered an alleged 12 terror attacks in 2016 alone. Should British tourists be warned – or even prevented – from travelling there? Shouldn’t travellers themselves accept some risk and responsibility?
If we start to hold the industry liable for customers injured in such acts, it would set a worrying precedent. The victims’ families are right to demand answers.
The worry is the many more questions these will raise.
