Rostourism warning. Tourists have been warned of a terrorist threat in Tunisia and Thailand. Where did all these traditions come from and why are they needed

Rostourism warned Russians about the terrorist threat in Tunisia and Thailand. This is stated in the message on the website of the department.

The threat warning in Tunisia is in effect due to the fact that the country borders on states "where ISIS (Islamic State, has been recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia) is active." Rostourism advised to be especially careful in the resort towns of the country - Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir and on the island of Djerba.

The ministry emphasized that tourists should "refrain from unorganized, especially single, trips to the south of Tunisia," as well as "completely exclude visits to the border areas with Libya and Algeria, and avoid crowded places."

According to the agency, the Russians need to be careful while on holiday in Thailand. The country has a "high level of terrorist threat" against Russians from "radical Islamist groups operating in the country," Rostourism explained.

Terrorist attacks can be carried out by local residents who work in the local tourism industry. Attacks on Russians can be carried out under the guise of accidents involving tourist vehicles. Therefore, Rostourism called on tour operators who work in Thailand to check the attendants and be careful in case of proposals from employees to change excursion routes.

Tourists have been advised to avoid "spontaneous excursions" and recreational trips around the country, which are offered by local staff of tour operators. It is worth attending "only the events originally planned during the design of the tour," the report says.

Be careful at resorts in Thailand Rostourism also urged Russians in mid-April, after visiting the country in the south. According to Reuters, the explosions occurred in the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkla. A spokesman for the military told the agency that two people were killed in the attacks. The attacks, he said, targeted security forces, including police and military personnel, as well as civilians.

At the end of 2016, Thailand and Tunisia were visited by 866.6 and 624 thousand Russian tourists, according to the statistics of the Federal Tourism Agency. Thus, among all directions of outbound tourism, these countries took the 6th and 13th places, respectively. At the same time, the tourist flow to Thailand increased by 28%, and to Tunisia by an impressive 1185%, which is associated with the low base effect. In 2015, only 48.6 thousand Russians visited the Arab country, again because of the high terrorist threat. In June 2015, a terrorist attack occurred in the resort town of Sousse, killing 39 people.

With the beginning of the summer season, Russian tourists planning holidays abroad are traditionally warned about the dangers that threaten them there. On June 1, Rospotrebnadzor published a "Health Guide for Travelers Traveling", which urges people not to consume raw water and food, wash their hands before eating, and, if possible, avoid local catering establishments. A more specialized department - the Federal Agency for Tourism - spoke on the topic of safety a day later, and this statement made a lot of noise.

Rostourism, citing "information from the competent authorities," reported that terrorist groups associated with ISIS (banned in Russia) are preparing a series of actions against tourists, including those from Russia. And the most dangerous from this point of view are the objects on the island of Djerba and in the city of Zarzis, the department noted.

The press service of the Federal Tourism Agency explained to Izvestia that there is no talk of closing the destination or calling not to go to Tunisia yet: these are recommendations for tour operators who should warn their customers about the dangers. The department did not specify which competent authorities that provided such information are in question.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) stated on this occasion that tourists are informed about the warnings of Rostourism, but since no recommendations and warnings have been received from the Russian Foreign Ministry, they do not plan to change flight programs. ATOR noted that the Tunisian tour operators, according to them, did not receive any official information about the terrorist threat.

Last year, there were two terrorist attacks against tourists in Tunisia, reminds ATOR First Vice-President Vladimir Kantorovich. - How the situation has changed since then, what they will do there, I do not know. But in general, we have a practice: when there is a terrorist threat in a particular country, the state does not warn, but takes more effective measures, such as a ban on flights (to Egypt) or a ban on the sale of tours (to Turkey).

This week, Izvestia reported that after the closure of the most popular destinations for outbound tourism - Turkey and Egypt - the flow of vacationers reoriented to a number of other countries, and a large proportion of tourists falls on Tunisia. According to ATOR, if last year 80 thousand Russian citizens visited this country, which is 80% less than in 2014 (obviously, the situation in the economy affected), now the number of flights has increased several times.

Tunisia has recently been positioned as a destination that, quite possibly, will replace Turkey and Egypt, and a huge number of flights from 20 cities of Russia, in addition to Moscow, were organized there during May, ”Irina Tyurina, representative of the Russian Union of Tourism Industry, tells Izvestia. - Sales were very good. Tunisia now ranks third in terms of activity after Greece and Cyprus.

She noted that the statement of Rostourism will alert everyone, and many of those who are planning a vacation in the near future, especially with children, will be afraid to go.

In general, everyone was in limbo, - said Tyurina. - Particularly suspicious can try to pass the vouchers. People are already calling and asking questions: is it dangerous or not dangerous? Tour operators are required to say that there is such a warning. They can’t say anything more, then the person decides for himself. But if someone wants to cancel the ticket, then this warning is not a reason for the tour operator to return the cost of the tour. And if the trip is soon, it's a 100% penalty. There are tour operators who will offer another direction without penalty. But according to the law you can't find fault with them, they will act according to the contract.

An expert of the Public Chamber of Russia on the protection of the rights of tourists and passengers, Roman Bobylev, told Izvestia that he and his colleagues perceived the warning from Rostourism with bewilderment and it raises a number of questions.

The Federal Agency for Tourism does not deal with issues of combating terrorism, therefore, the FSB, the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Intelligence Service are the primary source of this information and the authorized authority that could voice it, - said Bobylev. - It looks strange to me that there is a statement from the Federal Tourism Agency, but there are no statements from the mentioned structures. This has never happened before: the Security Council and law enforcement agencies have been and are making statements about the situation in Egypt. I think that in the near future we will see a reaction from the Foreign Ministry. I won't be surprised if our ambassador in Tunisia is called in and asked to share this information with the country's authorities.

The expert found it difficult to name the reasons that prompted the department to publish such a warning.

It is unlikely that the head of Rostourism, Oleg Safonov, aims to fill Russian destinations in this way. Knowing him personally, I am sure that there is no interest in closing the Tunisian direction. Perhaps this is an unnecessary initiative of certain officials in the Federal Tourism Agency, Bobylev said.

He also drew attention to the fact that Russian tourists have recently become much more wary and vigilant: they show more interest in the warnings of Russian government agencies, go on excursions less, spend more time on the territory of the hotel (however, this is also due to economy considerations). Tourists call the "hot lines", asking if it is calm in the country where they are thinking of going, if there are any warnings from the Foreign Ministry.

Tour operators are asking more questions. If earlier the guide was broadcasting something on the bus and often there was no feedback - everyone wanted to get to the hotel faster, now everyone is keenly interested in what is happening in a country where it is unsafe, where to go in case of emergency, - said Bobylev, according to estimates which the flow of Russian tourists traveling abroad on tours this year has decreased by 4–5 times.

Recently, there have been many terrorist attacks in various places - both in Europe and in Asia. Involuntarily, we are all immersed in this, ”ATOR representative Vladimir Kantorovich tells Izvestia. - Tunisia, Paris, Brussels, Egypt, Turkey, Israel - all the time there are terrorist attacks by Islamic radicals. Too often to forget about it. Don't let us forget.

Bars in beach hotels serve alcohol even on Friday, All Inclusive does not recognize sacred days.

The rest of the shops that sell alcohol in Tunisia (there are few of them) also close the alcohol departments on Friday. Some bars and restaurants do not serve alcohol to customers.

Friday has its benefits.

As in most Islamic countries, Friday is "market day". Each city has a special market, which is attended by farmers and traders on Friday.

Such markets are located far from tourist areas. They are usually open until lunch, that is, before the Juma prayer, although some are open after lunch. Some are open until Monday, you can say "weekend markets".

These are markets for Tunisians, so prices are much lower here. you can buy the freshest (last harvest) and at a price 1.5-2 times cheaper than in stores. Here you can buy special varieties and very cheap. But you have to bargain! And hide money and documents in your inner pockets, beware of pickpockets!

If you want to get to such a market, then ask the hotel staff at the reception about its location, they usually know. Or get in a taxi and say the phrase "friday market", taxi drivers usually understand.

The most famous market among tourists is located in Nabeul, not far from Martyrs "Square (Martyrs' Square). Tourists from resort hotels come here,.

Many hotels have an Oriental Night dinner on Friday. On this day, musicians are invited to play in a restaurant, they prepare an extended set of dishes, sometimes they arrange an additional show in a restaurant or a master class in cooking one of the national dishes.

Where did all these traditions come from and why are they needed?

Any traditions or customs have their own function. In our world, nothing just happens.

Before the advent of Islam, the Arabs were mostly nomadic tribes. They roamed in small groups, often families. Naturally, many problems had to be solved outside of one's family or group. For example, buying or selling something, agreeing on the marriage of a son or daughter, just talking to distant relatives, asking for advice, and the like.

To solve these issues, it was convenient for all the surrounding nomads to gather somewhere in one place and at one time. With the advent of Islam, the mosque became such a place, and Friday became the time. If everyone gathers on Friday in the mosque for a common prayer, then after or before the prayer it is convenient to settle matters, since everyone has gathered. In Arabic, the word "Juma" is translated both as "Friday" and as "meeting".

And where there are many people, there is an ideal place for trade and exchange. Hence the tradition of holding a market on Friday. For the authorities, such a meeting has always been extremely convenient, it is possible to bring new decrees and laws to everyone.

All these traditions have successfully survived to this day, which means they have retained their functions.

Have a good rest in Tunisia, and read our useful and informative articles about this country for tourists ( links below).

A warning about protests in Tunisia was announced by Friday in the Federal Tourism Agency. According to him, the country should be wary of unrest "against the background of socio-economic problems," and terrorist threats remain relevant. Note that Rostourism published a similar warning in 2016, then the tourist authorities of Tunisia had to take measures, refuting the allegations of Rostourism and proving that holidays in Tunisia had long become completely safe.

“According to the information at the disposal of the Federal Agency for Tourism, against the background of socio-economic problems in Tunisia, protest actions of the population and student unrest are possible, especially in the capital and southern regions of the country. In addition, terrorist threats from militants of the ISIS organization banned in the Russian Federation, operating from the territory of Libya and Algeria, remain relevant. Currently, the administrative-legal regime of the state of emergency continues to operate in Tunisia,” Rostourism said in its warning. Accordingly, the department calls on tour operators selling tours to Tunisia to warn their customers about the situation in the country.

“Rostourism recommends that Russian tourists planning trips to Tunisia take personal safety measures, exercise discretion and caution while staying at the resorts of the cities of Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir,” the statement also says. In addition, tourists are advised to comply with “behavioral restrictions specific to Muslim countries, especially during the holy month of Ramadan that began on May 16” and “refrain from unorganized, especially single visits to the south of the country, territories bordering Libya and Algeria.”

Recall that in early July 2016, Rostourism and possible terrorist attacks in tourist areas At the same time, Tunisia was considered by many, including Russian officials, as one of the main alternatives to Turkey and Egypt. As a result, the country needed urgent high-level meetings between the Tunisian ambassador, Mr. Ali Gutali, and the head of Rostourism, Oleg Safonov, as well as organizing press tours to reassure tourists that the country was safe. As a result, by the way, Tunisia received a record for attendance - over the past 2017, it was visited by 800 thousand Russian tourists. In March, Tunisia declared its determination to break this record this season.

And this time, tour operators also adopted the method of refutation in practice. " This season, this direction is in high demand among Russian guests. To date, the host office in Tunisia reports that the situation in the resorts is calm. We also do not observe any complaints from tourists or cancellations. Nevertheless, the recommendation of Rostourism is posted on our website, the partners will be informed about it," the press service of the tour operator Anex Tour told the correspondent of the TURPROM infogroup. The experts also noted that at the moment a group of journalists and bloggers are together in Tunisia, so it is possible to quickly inform about the situation - and the situation in the resorts is calm.

Israeli tourists warned of the danger of terrorist attacks

On the official website of Rostourism, a warning about the growth of the terrorist threat in Tunisia appeared. With reference to the competent authorities, it is reported that extremists are preparing a series of actions against tourists. And the most likely places for terrorist attacks could be tourist sites on the island of Djerba and in the city of Zarzis. So Russian tourists are advised to be vigilant and take precautions when visiting Tunisia.

The problem of Tunisia is not only the presence in the country of a certain number of people who hold extremist views (it is worth mentioning that among the foreigners who come to “jihad” in Syria, immigrants from Tunisia are in one of the first places). The problem lies in the neighbors - this is Algeria, where Islamist militants were very active at one time, and Libya, torn apart by the civil war. The authorities of the republic even had to build a 200-kilometer wall on the Libyan border to protect against extremists.

Just over a week ago, Tunisian officials urged the UK government to ease a warning against tourists visiting the North African country unnecessarily.

The Foreign Office of the United Kingdom also does not recommend visiting several zones (the Shaambi National Park area, a number of points on the border with Algeria and Libya).

In the first half of this year, the number of visitors from Britain to Tunisia fell by 90% compared to the same period in 2015. It's hard to say what has more affected the decline in tourist flow - the recommendations of the British authorities or the fact that 31 tourists from the United Kingdom were killed in two terrorist attacks in Tunisia last year.

Recall that in June 2015, a terrorist armed with a machine gun staged a massacre on a beach full of tourists, near the famous resort of Sousse - then 39 people died, most of them British. The terrorist group ISIS, banned in the Russian Federation and other countries, claimed responsibility for the attack. And before that, there was a complete attack of militants on tourists in the capital of the country - in the Bardo Museum. In both terrorist attacks, there were victims among the citizens of Russia ...

After the Foreign Office stated that there was a high possibility of new terrorist attacks, British tour operators stopped selling tours to Tunisia.

Naturally, the fall in demand for tours to Tunisian resorts is hitting hard on the economy of the Arab country, which once enjoyed the reputation of being the safest and most Westernized in the region. And economic weakness, growing unemployment (when the beaches and hotels are empty, where to go for those who worked in the resort areas?) - all this plays into the hands of extremists of all stripes. It is no coincidence that terrorists hit the tourism sector.

Tunisian Ambassador to London Nabil Ammar said that the authorities of his country are doing a great job to ensure security. “Terrorist cells are exposed every week,” the BBC quoted the diplomat as saying. “Terrorists are arrested or neutralized. This should create a positive, not a negative image. If you look at the statistics, you are far less likely to be killed or injured in any way in Tunisia than in many countries around us.”

According to the representative of the Association of British Travel Agents, the benefits from the development of the Tunisian tourism sector are clear, but the safety of holidaymakers from Britain should be the No. 1 priority for both the Foreign Office and the British tourism industry.

Not in favor of British holidaymakers and the beaches of Egypt (following the terrorist attack on board the Russian airliner, flights from Britain to Sharm el-Sheikh were canceled), but the demand for holidays in Spain, Portugal and Cyprus is growing.

The Israeli authorities issued a warning to Tunisian travelers last month, saying that terrorist elements continue to operate in Tunisia and carry out attacks, posing a high level of danger to Jews on their way to the traditional festive procession at the El Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba. By the way, in 2002, terrorists tried to blow up this oldest synagogue in North Africa - then about 20 people died from the explosion of a car bomb.

However, as practice shows, terrorism knows no boundaries - and Paris and Brussels, which seemed so stable, can sometimes turn out to be no less dangerous than the countries of the Arab East...

Meanwhile, Russian tourists vacationing in Tunisia told MK that everything was fine with them.

The editor of MK in Kuban, Nina Shilonosova, who is in Tunisia, says: “Everything is calm. There are a lot of police - everywhere, where necessary. At the same time, they do not stick to anyone. Tunisians are very friendly, the attitude towards Russians is excellent, there is no neglect - as in Egypt, for example. Many shop windows even display Russian flags (I have not seen Ukrainian ones). A lot of Germans, French, Poles, Ukrainians.”

Ivan Kadochnikov from Yekaterinburg arrived in Tunisia in a cap with the emblem of Ramzan Kadyrov: “I am in Hammamet, right now at the Phrygia Zoo. Regarding security: yesterday we walked around Hammamet all day with my family, no problems at all. Here is a 100% tourist city - 35 thousand locals, the rest are tourists. There is a police station next to us. Everything is calm there. All hotels are screened cars. We were at the market yesterday in New Medina - there, at the entrance to the market, an examination is carried out. On Saturday-Sunday we are going on a tour of the Sahara.