Are the holiday companies responsible if you choose to travel to countries like Tunisia and are injured or killed ?

I thought most tour operators issued warnings, especially when something happens in one of their destinations. They probably offer alternative bookings, but they very likely have small print that, once the warning is issued, they will not be held responsible for any consequences if someone still decides to travel.

This is all conjecture on my part - it will be interesting to see what the verdict is.

I'm very sorry for what the families of the deceased have had to go through.
But no the holiday companies are not responsible.

We were trawling through holiday destinations this week, becoming a pensioner has gone to my head! There are quite a few countries we wouldn't travel to based on news and media coverage both past and present.
Our choice, not the travel company's.

I can't understand why the travel companies are offering holidays in places where there is the danger of an attack, but it's the customers' choice - there is plenty of information around and if they chose to ignore it, then they have only themselves to blame. People have brains, I wish they'd use them sometimes!

I agree, people choose where they go on holiday and holiday companies cannot be held responsible. The risk of terrorism is everywhere, even in countries closest to ours - France, Belgium, Germany etc. We can't blame the tour operator if something untoward happens.

I also think we shouldn't blame the Tunisian police either for how they managed the situation. Tunisia does not have a police force like our own, they cannot offer the same level of protection or the same swift, organised response to such a situation.

Sorry though I am for the families of the victims of the atrocity in Tunisia, I don't think the holiday company can be held responsible. Where does responsibility end? Did any overseas visitors sue their holiday companies as a result of the 7/7 bombings in London? or while visiting Paris?

But, I do feel that there should be some blame laid at the feet of the Tunisian Police; had they responded more quickly it is possible that the death toll would not have been so high. This is a tricky one to prosecute though, despite the criticism of the judge.

I have every sympathy for the families, but no, the travel companies don't have responsibility. What amazed me was: many of the people knew nothing of the attack at the Bardo museum 3 months earlier where 22 people were murdered.
It's such a shame with what has happened to Tunisia, I have had several holidays there and they are lovely hospitable people ( although not if your a woman/ women on your own)

We all seem in agreement on this. At the time they went, FCO advice did not warn against going and had not raised the level of terror alert following the museum shooting. Some are very critical of this. But none of this meant it was safe. My guess is that maybe some of the tourists may not have been very aware of the political realities of the situation.

I travelled to Tunisia after the Carthage shootings but before the Beach shootings. When the Carthage attack happened I had already booked and paid. I asked about changing my destination but was told as it was not long to the date I would lose my money. I was not offered any alternative holiday. One of my main objectives in visiting was to see Carthage and I told the holiday company this. They still wouldn't change and just insisted that the beach areas were still home office approved. The travel companies do have a responsibility.
I liked Tunisia but was constantly aware of the problems, armed police and road checkpoints everywhere. I do think I was incredibly lucky.

I think the tour companies rely on FCO advice ( as in this case it suited them) and some say that the FCO in this case had diplomatic reasons for not advising agsinst travel. Tourists are then caught in the middle. I'm a very risk averse person - I have two holidays booked for this year to what at the moment seem safe places but if anything changed, I'd give them up immediately without any refund if necessary. But as I said, I am very cautious by nature re physical danger.

On the other hand if we stop travelling to countries like Tunisia we effectively hand the terrorists a victory. I thought Tunisia was fascinating, didn't like the beach resorts but the historical sites were incredible. I stuck to organised tours but as a woman on her own I had no problems whatsoever. I am conscious that the demise of the tourist industry will seriously damage the lives of many people.

If you go on holiday anywhere, it is up to you to research where you are going. If you go abroad and there is a smidgin of uncertainty then consult the FCO site and trawl any information about the country.

With the internet there is no excuse for not doing your homework properly. If yo do not check, then that is your responsibility. You can only blame the travel operator if they deliberately withheld information from you that you could not reasonably be expected to have found out for yourself.

I agree with Monica, you'd have to live under a stone not to know where potential flashpoints are. That said, there could be a terrorist attack in a potentially safe place, I believe ISIS have said they will target countries like Spain. An incident could happen anywhere unfortunately.

You can do as much research as you like, you can ask the travel companies you can look at what the FO say. No one is likely to tell you that there are road checkpoints manned by armed police, that when you visit a famous mosque there will be armed police patrolling and checking under the coach presumably for bombs. I'm still glad I went. Historically it is a fascinating place and a Muslim country looking to the future whilst recognising its past. I remember the IRA bombs in London and nobody suggested we shouldn't go there.

There have been recent serious terrorist atrocities in France and Germany. Is it therefore negligent of travel companies not to warn tourists, and if they did, would it be irresponsible of people to travel there?

As I understand it, at the time of the last atrocity there was no Foreign Office warning in place re travel to Tunisia, even though there had been a previous attack. Surely then, if any body should be sued (and I'm not sure that they should)it should be the Foreign Office.

You cannot protect yourself from the unforeseen and unexpected, but you should use due diligence in researching a holiday. It is then up to you to make a decision based on the information available and be grown up enough to accept that s**t happens if something unexpected and unpleasant happens and not just look for someone to blaim.

If there has been negligence - and it can be argued that both the hotel and the Tunisian were negligent - then follow that up.

Holiday companies are no more responsible for terrorist attacks than women are responsible for being raped.

We all know there are jihadists in the world doing terrible things.

Nobody can give specific warnings about such things.

If you slip or fall because the floor in your hotel is wet or slippery you would consider the hotel and the holiday company were negligent because they failed to keep the floor clean. Is it not the hotel and the holiday companiy's responsibility to also ensure you are protected from other dangers?

I wouldn't expect holiday companies or hotels to have the resources or skill to protect me from terrorist attack. That's what national police and security forces are for.

Anyone who wants hotels and holiday companies to take on such responsibilities should expect MASSIVE increases in the cost of their holidays at the very least. But it's a silly expectation to have—totally unrealistic.

I think you're getting very close to the truth there thatbags. People want cheap holidays, cheap accommodation, but the price they want to pay doesn't cover the necessary security measures to keep them safe. There are hotels which provide camera surveillance, armed guards at the gates etc. but the cost of a stay at these places is 10 times the price.