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TUNISIA TRAGEDY
Tributes: Industry pays respect to colleagues and loved ones
Juliet Dennis and Hollie-Rae Merrick
The deliberate targeting of tourists by a terrorist gunman in Tunisia has shocked the travel industry and brought personal grief to members of the trade. By Tuesday, 24 Brits were confirmed among the 38 fatalities in the terrorist attack at the Tui-owned Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel in Port El Kantaoui. The death toll of Brits is expected to reach 30. The dead include the brother, father and son of Suzy Evans, a lecturer at Walsall College and former branch manager for West Midlands Co-operative Travel. Sue Reid, deputy group general manager at Midcounties Co-operative Travel, who knows Suzy, said: “Suzy has many friends still at the Co-op and we will help and support her when she needs us.” Other victims included former Birmingham City footballer Denis Thwaites and his wife Elaine, whose son- in-law Daniel Clifford works for Travel Counsellors and previously worked for Gold Medal. Travel Counsellors managing director
Steve Byrne said the firm was “doing all it can to support Danny and his family
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travelweekly.co.uk — 2 July 2015
through this extremely difficult time”. Clifford paid tribute to his in-laws on social media: “There is now a void in our lives that will never be filled. Rest in peace now, my angels.”
It is thought that most of those killed
or injured travelled to Tunisia with Tui brands Thomson and First Choice. Tui has flown about 5,900 customers back to the UK on 40 repatriation flights. Jet2holidays and Thomas Cook also flew clients home early, while Monarch maintained scheduled flights. Peter Long, joint chief executive of Tui, said: “Our whole organisation is reeling with pain to see the suffering that is taking place in Tunisia. We are doing our very best to look after our guests.” Tui is offering either a full refund or destination change for customers booked to Tunisia up to July 9. Thomas Cook is offering the same to July 12 and Monarch/Cosmos “for the next 21 days”. Cook and Tui have said customers can amend holidays to Tunisia due to start by October 31 without charge. Nick Longman, Tui managing director
for the UK and Ireland, said it was “too early to say” what the operator’s future plans would be with regard to Tunisia. ❯ Operator cuts capacity, page 6
5 HOT STORIES NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
The massacre of tourists in Port El Kantaoui threatens to have long-lasting repercussions for Tunisia and for the UK holiday market as a whole.
Three-page special report
PICTURE: REUTERS
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