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Tunisia attack: defiance mixed with sadness as tourists return to beach Tunisia attack: defiance mixed with sadness as tourists return to beach
(about 7 hours later)
Paragliders sail overhead, children frolic in the shallow waves and a camel train carrying sunburned Europeans ambles down Sousse beach as the sun hits its midday peak.Paragliders sail overhead, children frolic in the shallow waves and a camel train carrying sunburned Europeans ambles down Sousse beach as the sun hits its midday peak.
Only the empty sunloungers and flowers piled into an impromtu memorial outside the Imperial Marhaba hotel would remind a casual visitor that two days ago horror and bloodshed visited this stretch of sand. Only the empty sunloungers and flowers piled into an impromptu memorial outside the Imperial Marhaba hotel would remind a casual visitor that two days ago horror and bloodshed visited this stretch of sand.
After 39 people were killed on their sun loungers, by the pool and in the hotel lobby, the Foreign Office has changed its advice about the country to warn that more attacks are possible. After 38 people were killed on their sun loungers, by the pool and in the hotel lobby, the Foreign Office changed its advice about the country to warn that more attacks are possible.
Thousands of British tourists who had flown to Tunisia expecting a week or two of peace and sunshine by the sea have now been flown home or are awaiting flights, and Tunisians working in the tourist trade are terrified that the industry will collapse.Thousands of British tourists who had flown to Tunisia expecting a week or two of peace and sunshine by the sea have now been flown home or are awaiting flights, and Tunisians working in the tourist trade are terrified that the industry will collapse.
Related: Tunisian police hunt for accomplices to tourist beach attackRelated: Tunisian police hunt for accomplices to tourist beach attack
“If we don’t have any tourists, Tunisia is finished,” said Mario Mssallem, 28, an entertainment co-ordinator at a hotel just along the beach from the shooting. “We are a poor country. All the people who work in hotels, how will they feed their children now? One person destroyed Tunisia.”“If we don’t have any tourists, Tunisia is finished,” said Mario Mssallem, 28, an entertainment co-ordinator at a hotel just along the beach from the shooting. “We are a poor country. All the people who work in hotels, how will they feed their children now? One person destroyed Tunisia.”
But most of the country is still considered safe for travel by the British government, and some of the visitors on Sousse’s beaches on Sunday remained defiant, saying they wouldn’t let a murderous fanatic drive them away from a country they love visiting. But most of the country is still considered safe for travel by the British government, and some of the visitors on Sousse’s beaches on Sunday remained defiant, saying they would not let a murderous fanatic drive them away from a country they love visiting.
“Its just one idiot trying to wreck everything for them [the Tunisians],” said Craig Reed, 42, from Pontypool, Gwent, who was strolling along the beach with his teenage son and daughter, wearing a sunhat printed with the Welsh flag. “Its just one idiot trying to wreck everything for the Tunisians,” said Craig Reed, 42, from Pontypool, Gwent, who was strolling along the beach with his teenage son and daughter, wearing a sunhat printed with the Welsh flag.
“If we were in that hotel, I’d get the kids out as soon as possible, I understand it. But we were four hotels along.” The family cancelled birthday and wedding anniversary celebrations planned for Friday, but were not planning to leave, despite the worries of friends and relatives back home.“If we were in that hotel, I’d get the kids out as soon as possible, I understand it. But we were four hotels along.” The family cancelled birthday and wedding anniversary celebrations planned for Friday, but were not planning to leave, despite the worries of friends and relatives back home.
It’s the family’s third visit to Tunisia, and if anything, the killing has made them more determined to come back. “The staff at the hotel were crying, saying no one will come back,” said 17-year-old Ceejay. “They are scared they won’t be able to feed their families.” It is the family’s third visit to Tunisia, and if anything, the killing has made them more determined to come back. “The staff at the hotel were crying, saying no one will come back,” said 17-year-old Ceejay. “They are scared they won’t be able to feed their families.”
James and Adele Hope Urwin have frightening memories of being herded off the beach as the bloodshed began, but also said Friday’s tragedy wouldn’t change how they felt about Tunisia. James and Adele Hope Urwin said they had frightening memories of being herded off the beach as the bloodshed began, but also said Friday’s tragedy would not change how they felt about Tunisia.
“We thought it would be unfair on Tunisia to just say ‘We are off,’ ” said James. He added that he had been travelling through central London during the 7/7 suicide attacks on buses and tube trains but it hadn’t stopped him returning to the city. “If it was a whole uprising or rebellion, of course we would worry more, but it’s just one prat.” “We thought it would be unfair on Tunisia to just say ‘We are off,’ ” said James. He added that he had been travelling through central London during the 7 July 2005 suicide attacks on buses and tube trains but it had not stopped him returning to the city. “If it was a whole uprising or rebellion, of course we would worry more, but it’s just one prat.”
But for some of those closest to the attack, the deaths have cast an unshakeable pall over their stay. “We’re going home early,” said Shaun Carter, an industrial roofer from Suffolk who was on a break with Claire Clarke. “We don’t have to go, but the general feeling is sadness.” But for some of those closest to the attack, the deaths had cast an unshakeable pall over their stay. “We’re going home early,” said Shaun Carter, an industrial roofer from Suffolk who was on a break with Claire Clarke. “We don’t have to go, but the general feeling is sadness.”
There is also the lingering psychological impact of hearing tragedy unfold at the hotel next door. “Every time you hear an unexpected sound now, you do feel a little nervous,” Clarke said, but she had not ruled out returning to Tunisia. “I’d love to come back, it’s a lovely country, lovely people, if they would have more security.” If the hotels paid for armed guards, she would happily visit again, she said. There is also the lingering psychological impact of hearing tragedy unfold at the hotel next door. “Every time you hear an unexpected sound now, you do feel a little nervous,” Clarke said, but said she had not ruled out returning to Tunisia. “I’d love to come back, it’s a lovely country, lovely people, if they would have more security.” If the hotels paid for armed guards, she would happily visit again, she said.
Many of the tourists caught up in the attacks have praised hotel staff for their bravery. One holidaymaker has said workers at his hotel, who seem to be idly watching the gunman in a photograph of the attack, were actually protecting guests.Many of the tourists caught up in the attacks have praised hotel staff for their bravery. One holidaymaker has said workers at his hotel, who seem to be idly watching the gunman in a photograph of the attack, were actually protecting guests.
Related: Tunisia attack: security officials to brief European ambassadorsRelated: Tunisia attack: security officials to brief European ambassadors
“Those in the background formed a human shield to protect another hotel, they are not watching, they saved many lives,” John Yeoman said in a posting on Twitter. “The staff were in a line and they were shouting at him saying ‘we won’t let you through,’ ” he later told the Mirror. “That’s why [the gunman’s] got his back turned to them. He tried to get in my hotel.” “Those in the background formed a human shield to protect another hotel, they are not watching, they saved many lives,” John Yeoman said in a posting on Twitter.
“The staff were in a line and they were shouting at him saying ‘We won’t let you through,’ ” he later told the Mirror. “That’s why [the gunman’s] got his back turned to them. He tried to get in my hotel.”
Tunisians in Sousse organised a march on Saturday night against terrorism, which ended at the Marhaba hotel, and on Sunday they paraded the Tunisian flag on motor boats and a paraglider in a show of defiance, even as they mourned the dead.Tunisians in Sousse organised a march on Saturday night against terrorism, which ended at the Marhaba hotel, and on Sunday they paraded the Tunisian flag on motor boats and a paraglider in a show of defiance, even as they mourned the dead.
“Most of the people who were killed had come here for a holiday, to relax and then to get killed like this on the beach, it is not fair for them,” said Mssallem. The hotel where he works is now empty of British visitors, apart from a lone couple who flew in on Sunday. The woman is nervous all the time and their children were unhappy they had not cancelled the trip, he said, adding that he could not blame them.“Most of the people who were killed had come here for a holiday, to relax and then to get killed like this on the beach, it is not fair for them,” said Mssallem. The hotel where he works is now empty of British visitors, apart from a lone couple who flew in on Sunday. The woman is nervous all the time and their children were unhappy they had not cancelled the trip, he said, adding that he could not blame them.
There are now regular horseback patrols by armed police, and a string of checkpoints on nearby roads. If government efforts to tighten security can prevent another similar attack though, tourist numbers may yet recover in a country blessed with beautiful beaches and perfect summer weather.There are now regular horseback patrols by armed police, and a string of checkpoints on nearby roads. If government efforts to tighten security can prevent another similar attack though, tourist numbers may yet recover in a country blessed with beautiful beaches and perfect summer weather.
Countries that did not have citizens staying in the hotels that were targeted seemed less disturbed by the attacks. As British and Belgian holidaymakers headed home, Germans, Ukrainians, Serbians and other nationalities continued their holidays across the beach.Countries that did not have citizens staying in the hotels that were targeted seemed less disturbed by the attacks. As British and Belgian holidaymakers headed home, Germans, Ukrainians, Serbians and other nationalities continued their holidays across the beach.
At the Royal Kenz hotel, Rosalind Rowe, a semi-retired chauffeur, says she was finding it hard to sleep at night, but would probably stay to the end of her holiday on Wednesday. “It’s not their fault, the Tunisian people are lovely,” she said, recounting how her Tunisian tour operator hid more than two dozen visitors in his nearby house when the attack as going on. “These are ordinary people who work, who need the money. When there is an attack, do you clear London?” At the Royal Kenz hotel, Rosalind Rowe, a semi-retired chauffeur, said she was finding it hard to sleep at night, but would probably stay to the end of her holiday on Wednesday. “It’s not their fault, the Tunisian people are lovely,” she said, recounting how her Tunisian tour operator hid more than two dozen visitors in his nearby house when the attack as going on.
“These are ordinary people who work, who need the money. When there is an attack, do you clear London?”