NEWS — TUNISIA TRAGEDY
OPINION
Crisis highlights operators’ worth
By Andy Cooper, industry consultant and former director-general of the Federation of Tour Operators
Tourists pay respects at a makeshift memorial
on the beach outside the Imperial Marhaba resort
Media: ‘Risk’ map branded
scaremongering News reports that highlighted destinations said to be at high-risk of terror attacks were described as “scaremongering” by the trade. A map which showed France, Spain, Turkey and Egypt, as well as Tunisia, as having “high” threat levels based on Foreign Office advice appeared in national newspapers and on Sky News following Friday’s attack. Jet2holidays and
Jet2.com commercial director Steve Lee said: “This is scaremongering. They have omitted the UK: it’s just as dangerous in Bridlington as it is in Benidorm.” Aito chairman Derek Moore
called the reports “unhelpful”. Abta chief executive Mark
Tanzer said reports like this were “to be expected”. He said: “A terrorist attack of this scale is very unusual. Having said that, it is clear we are living with the threat of terrorism and as an industry, it is a situation we have to manage.”
Operator: Just Sunshine cuts capacity by over half Hollie Rae-Merrick
Specialist Tunisia operator Just Sunshine has been forced to slash its programme to the country by more than half. The niche operator had 250 passengers in Tunisia at the time of the attack and voluntarily opted to repatriate every one. Just two guests wanted to stay. Just Sunshine
has cancelled all departures up to July 11 and is giving full refunds. It is also offering free amendments to bookings to July 17. Managing director Can Deniz said: “What has happened is tragic and our initial priority was those who were in Tunisia at the time. We used charter flights to get people out of there. “We are getting lots of calls for cancellations and we are
“We’re getting calls for cancellations
and are switching some over to Turkey”
switching some over to Turkey, but not a lot.” Confirming that Just Sunshine had had to cut its Tunisia capacity by “more than 50%”, he said: “We have had to withdraw our Bristol and Newcastle programmes for this summer and we have downscaled our operation from Gatwick. “We are talking with Jet2 about what we will do from Manchester. “We aren’t
completely pulling out of Tunisia because we’re
committed to the destination; however, we are being very cautious. “I believe that Tunisia will come back at some point, but we have to do the right thing because it won’t come back for some time.” Just Sunshine has specialised in
Tunisia since 2002; before that it had focused on Turkey.
Response: Abta and Advantage laud industry’s reaction His comments were echoed by Advantage Travel
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer praised the industry for its response to the atrocity in Tunisia. Tanzer said the industry responded “swiftly,
decisively and with compassion”. “The safety of customers is, and will remain, the highest priority for Abta, for our members and for the UK government, and we shall continue to coordinate closely to minimise potential risk.”
6 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 2 July 2015
Partnership managing director Julia Lo Bue-Said. In a communication to members she said: “We
have witnessed agents and operators joining together to repatriate clients on emergency flights . . . and supporting desperate holidaymakers wishing to return home. The operational complexity is immense, and all concerned must be applauded.”
It is only when a tragedy occurs like the shootings in Tunisia that what makes tour operators different is so clearly recognised. Luckily, it remains rare that tourists are targeted in terrorist attacks. What impressed me was the speed and competence of the operators’ response, particularly by Tui. Great customer care in situations like this isn’t the result of chance, but of hard work in developing and implementing effective crisis management procedures. The operators themselves
have a relatively simple set of priorities – although the implementation of these can be challenging. When an operator gets it right, they will be praised for their response; and you realise very quickly where an operator has got it wrong. But what about those who
have travelled independently? This brings me back to my opening point. Responding well to crises is,
unfortunately, a key part of the tour operators’ role. Most of the time customers don’t see it, but simply expect it. So it becomes difficult to
market this strength. But we do need to find a way to sell this service. I would urge
all in travel to take a long look at their crises systems, and see how they would have coped.
TUNISIA TRAGEDY
PICTURE: REUTERS/ZOHRA BENSEMRA
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