Travelore News: Thousands Of European Tourists Being Evacuated From Tunisia

A Jetairfly aircraft flying yesterday from Germany to Tunis turned around midair after news emerged on the terror attack.

The UK Foreign Office has warned travelers that some attackers may still be at large in Tunisia and has urged people to stay indoors and not disclose information on social media.

Ten bodies have been identified out of 38 -- eight Britons, a Belgian and a German, said senior ministry official Naoufel Somrani.
Another 39 people were wounded including British, German and Belgian nationals.

The Tunisian ministry said more time was needed to identify the other victims because most of them were in beachwear at the time of the attack and were not carrying identification.

Ten Thomson Airways flights are travelling to Tunisia from Britaomto bring approximately 2,500 Thomson and First Choice customers home.

All Thomson and First Choice packages to Tunisia will be cancelled for the next week. Amendments can be made to bookings on holidays to Tunisia until 24th July. Instead passengers booked on a holiday to Tunisia can will be offered trips to Cape Verde, Rhodes and Gran Canaria. Additional flights are already scheduled.

Also German tour operators allow free cancellation and are sending planes to Tunisia to pick up travelers.

Tourism is a key component of Tunisia's economy, generating around 15 per cent of its GDP.

TUI joint chief executive Peter Long said: "Our whole organisation is reeling with pain to see the suffering that is taking place in Tunisia with our customers...We are doing our very, very best to look after our guests who are still in Tunisia."

Thomson had hundreds of customers at hotels in the Sousse area, and confirmed several of the victims were its customers, but was unable to confirm how many had been killed or injured.

Itaka Polska, a Polish tour operator is also cancelling all trips to this North African country.

Travelore Alert: Downtown Copenhagen Not Currently Safe

Tourists in Copenhagen and locals are asked to stay indoors According to Copenhagen Police central downtown Copenhagen is not safe at this time .

Saturday afternoon at around 3.30 pm Copenhagen was shaken by a shooting at the 'Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression' meeting that was attended by controversial artist Lars Vilks and the French ambassador to Denmark, François Zimeray. Both were unharmed. The gunman fatally shot one civilian and injured three police officers.

At 3.30 pm European Time a gunman in Copenhagen opened fire at a cafe hosting controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks. 1 civilian was killed, and 3 police officers were wounded.

A little over 9 hours later, a gunman opened fire at a nearby synagogue. 1 civilian was killed and 2 police officers were wounded in that attack. Then, at approximately 5 am Sunday, police say a man they were investigating near a train station opened fire on police. Police say they returned fire, killing the man. No police were reported injured in that exchange.

Militarized police have reportedly been deployed to the area.

Conflicting reports in local media said there were two attackers in the synagogue, with one of them possibly arrested in the ongoing police operation. Police helicopters have been circling above the city’s central streets.

US Travel Alert: Al Qaeda Terrorists Are Celebrating Victory Over The Global Travel And Tourism Industry

What are global travel alerts doing or what are they accomplishing? The only sure answer is they most likely will hurt millions of businesses and families relying on income related to travel and tourism.

Terror attacks are tragic. Those attacking the civilized world understand their weapon is not only the bomb or the machine gun, but the economic effect on creating chaos and hurting the largest industry on the planet.

No specific threats are mentioned in today's US State Department travel alert. Global warnings are too general and many tourism professionals think un-effective and un-necessary. Travelers getting hit by lightning twice in a day may be a better chance than getting hurt in a terror attack.

However, in the wake of recent attacks in France, Australia, and Canada, the United States just issued a worldwide travel alert.

The US State Department website explains: We issue a Travel Alert for short-term events we think you should know about when planning travel to a country. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Alert might include an election season that is bound to have many strikes, demonstrations, or disturbances; a health alert like an outbreak of H1N1; or evidence of an elevated risk of terrorist attacks. When these short-term events are over, we cancel the Travel Alert.

Issued by the State Department, the warning states that violent attacks involving Americans are becoming more common.

"Recent terrorist attacks, whether by those affiliated with terrorist entities, copycats, or individual perpetrators, serve as a reminder that US citizens need to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness," the alert reads.

Terror Warning: Reconsider Your Travel And Tourism Plans To Indonesia

Travel and Tourism to Indonesia is a major industry for this prominently Moslem country. Visitors from Australia top tourists to Bali and other regions. Travel warnings against the Republic of Indonesia can have serious effects against travel and tourism stakeholders.

The United States recently warned of a potential threat against US-linked hotels and banks in East Java, Indonesia

Now the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has updated its travel advice to Indonesia of a possible threat against US-linked hotels and banks in Surabaya.

The Australian warning against travel to Indonesia states.
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the high threat of terrorist attack. You should also be aware of the severe penalties for narcotics offences, including the death penalty; some specific health risks; and risks associated with natural disasters.

Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
We continue to receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in Indonesia, which could take place at any time.
On 3 January 2015, the US Government warned of a potential threat against US-associated hotels and banks in Surabaya.

Gatherings at places of worship over Christmas and New Year have been targeted in the past, particularly in places like Poso and Solo, and could be attacked again

Gatherings of Westerners over this period could also be appealing targets for terrorists. Terrorists have previously attacked or planned to attack such places, including nightclubs, bars, restaurants, international hotels, airports and places of worship in Bali, Jakarta and elsewhere in Indonesia. These types of venues could be attacked again.

Terrorist groups remain active throughout Indonesia despite police disruptions. Police continue to conduct operations against these groups and have stated publicly that terrorist suspects remaining at large may seek to attack Western targets.

You should exercise particular caution around locations that have a low level of protective security and avoid places known to be possible terrorist targets.

Australians should avoid all protests, demonstrations and rallies as they can turn violent without warning.

Indonesia is subject to a range of natural disasters including volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods. You should pay close attention to emergency procedures and monitor local warnings.
Visitors to Indonesia, particularly to tourist locations such as Bali and Lombok, should be aware of the specific risks from crime, and from drink-spiking and consumption of alcohol adulterated with harmful substances such as methanol. Tourists may also be exposed to scams and credit card/ATM fraud. There has been an increase in reports of violent crime in Bali, including muggings in the Kuta area. Be aware of your surroundings and conscious of the potential risks of crime (see under Safety and security for more information).

Petty crime, such as opportunistic theft, is common in Indonesia. Thieves on motorcycles may snatch handbags and backpacks from pedestrians. Tourists may be exposed to scams and confidence tricks in Indonesia. Legal disputes are common regarding the purchase of real estate including land, houses, holiday clubs and time share schemes.
You should exercise normal beach safety behaviour and consider carefully the risks involved in using motorcycles, including licence and insurance issues (See under Local travel for more information).

Visitors should be aware that there is a risk of rabies throughout Indonesia, in particular Bali and Nias. See under Health for more information.

We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Central Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua and West Papua provinces where additional safety and security risks exist. Since October 2012, a number of violent incidents have been reported in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

Since July 2009, there has been a series of violent attacks in the area around the Freeport Mine in Papua province. A number of these incidents have resulted in deaths, including of one Australian. Attacks were reported in the area in December 2013 and January 2014. Further such attacks could occur. Information indicates that attacks may be planned near the area of operation of the Freeport mine.

Ongoing violence in Puncak Jaya District in Papua Province has led to a number of deaths in recent years. There is a possibility of further attacks in Papua and West Papua provinces, including attacks on infrastructure and national institutions.