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Suicide blast at Tunisian beach resort
Holidaymakers in Tunisia have been warned to be more vigilant following an explosion on the beach next to a hotel in the resort of Sousse.
The blast, near the Riadh Palm Hotel, is being investigated as a suspected suicide bombing.
According to reports, a man carrying explosives tried to get into the hotel, but when he was not allowed in, he ran onto the beach and blew himself up. He was the only reported casualty.
The 650-room Riadh Palms is featured by several UK travel companies including Monarch, Expedia, Travel Republic, On the Beach, Lowcostholidays, and Sunshine.co.uk.
According to reports, police also foiled another attack yesterday in the seaside town of Monastir.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed there were reports of the arrest of two other individuals who were found in possession of explosives at Monastir’s Borguiba Mausoleum.
It said the British Embassy in Tunis is in close contact with the Tunisian authorities and Embassy staff are travelling to Sousse to offer support and advice.
"You should be vigilant, keep up to date with this travel advice, and follow the advice of the local authorities and your tour operator," said the FCO.
It added that 329,619 British nationals visited Tunisia in 2012.
"Most British tourists stay in the coastal resorts and most visits are trouble free," it said.
The incidents will come as a blow to Tunisia’s tourism industry.
Habib Ammar, director general of the National Tourism Office, is due to be in London next week at World Travel Market to meet with the trade and the media.
According to tourism officials, UK visitors to Tunisia this year are up 29% on last year, making this its best year to date.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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