Petrified that yachts will stay away from Tunisia following the terrorist attack, local superyacht businesses are reassuring yachtsmen that security has been increased at Tunisian ports despite numerous cancellations.
The beach massacre left, a total of 38 people dead, gunned down by an extremist near Sousse. The killings followed an attack on Bardo Museum earlier this year where 17 were left dead
Despite the upped security and the government’s involvement, The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn that further terrorist attacks in Tunisia are possible and are urging people to be vigilant.
According to some local yacht businesses, superyacht owners, crew and charter companies are already cancelling their travel plans.
Kim Williams from Yacht Services Tunisia explained, “The management and staff at Yacht Services Tunisia will continue to support yachting tourism by ‘riding out’ this horrific incident, the same way we did during the Tunisian revolution; by re-assuring yachtsmen and their yachts that security has been greatly increased in Port Bizerte and Port Yasmine.
“The Tunisian people are deeply shocked and sickened by what has happened in their country and I want people to understand that the mentality of the attacker is not Tunisian.”
Imed Mzoughi, port director from Port Yasmine also commented, “At this moment in time, we have only had a 3% cancellation rate since the attack. However, we have had very little new reservations, or let’s say, we haven’t had any more at all. The government and the marina have enforced measures to protect the marina and surrounding areas in a bid to save the rest of the season.”
A meeting between Tunisian officials and EU ambassadors is likely to take place in the coming weeks, where it is expected a request for more intelligence-sharing and electronic monitoring equipment will be made.