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TERROR ATTACKS AFFECTING popular tourist destinations in the last few weeks have created turmoil in the travel industry, with widespread cancellations affecting airlines, tour operators and travel agents.
It started with the downing of a Metrojet airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport in Egypt on 31 October. All 244 people on board, mostly returning Russian holidaymakers, were killed.
It is believed that a homemade bomb planted aboard the plane was responsible for it going down. Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility.
As well as this, an international manhunt is still ongoing for the architect of the Paris attacks that took place on 13 November and left 130 people dead.
France has been in a state of emergency since the attacks and Brussels in Belgium is on high-alert since last week.
News this week that Irish tour operators have cancelled all trips to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt will have been expected.
The popular tourist destination, famed for its pristine beaches, clear water and beautiful landscapes has become a no-go destination, with British Airways, EasyJet and other airliners cancelling all flights to the area until at least January.
The United States issued a worldwide travel alert for its citizens on Monday, warning them about the dangers of travelling to other countries.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs updated its travel advice for Irish citizens travelling to Belgium or France this week, reminding people to ‘exercise extreme caution’ if they are planning a trip to France.
With governments on high alert and cities in lockdown, Irish holidaymakers are becoming more reluctant to travel.
Reluctant to travel
“What’s happened so far is that the people that had bookings made are a bit anxious,” says Martin Skelly, president of the Irish Travel Agents Association.
“It has had some effect on forward bookings – but short term forward bookings really. People are reluctant to travel.”
Skelly says that Irish holidaymakers are concerned about travelling to Paris and Brussels, with a number of people cancelling their trips on short notice. But mostly people are contacting their agents to discuss their options.
“What we have found over the last few days – we’re in the middle of it – people have decided not to travel.
“But it’s getting back to normal now… What we have found is that there’s more talk about it rather than actual cancellation which is understandable as you can see people’s concerns.
“So that’s what’s happening so far – there’s been a few cancellations, but mostly lots of talk.”
Advice
Data released this week from travel data company ForwardKeys showed that reservations for Paris-bound flights around the world fell by a quarter in the weeks following the attacks in the city, compared with the previous year.
“After November 13 there have been dramatic drops in bookings to Paris,” ForwardKeys said.
The company also said that bookings were not growing at a normal pace, with Christmas and New Year trips to Paris down 13% on last year. The biggest reductions are coming from the US, Japan and Germany.
However, according to Martin Skelly, long-term bookings to France and Belgium from Ireland have not been affected.
It’s early days yet… but there has been no effect on long-term bookings.”
“It’s to some extent a topic of conversation. People are talking about it and considering their options. It’s wait and see for now.”
While Skelly believes that travel to Belgium and France will bounce back quickly, it will be impossible to know how trips to Sharm el-Sheikh will fare until April.
“There’s no massive changes to trips to Europe – people are being cautious,” he explains.
However, with an increase in terror activity being reported in Egypt, and questions raised about the security at Sharm el-Sheikh airport, privately travel agents will be worried that the destination could be a hard sell next summer.
- with reporting from AFP
Libraries are wonderful places and we need to get our kids off their phones and into the library.
I don’t want staff less libraries.
Is is really such a big drain on resources to staff a library?
We are ripping the soul out of our communities in our pursuit of cost saving.
What hyperbole. How does the library staying open a little later without staff ripping the soul of of a community?
Tom’s referring to the pursuit of cost savings, of which staffless libraries are a ludicrous example. If Lenihan hadn’t guaranteed unsecured bonds, and FG upheld his anti-capitalist action (secured bond holders pay a premium) we might have had extended hours with actual Irish workers manning the libraries and paid for their work.
Tailgating? These library’s must be huge.
Big enough to teach you the plural of library
The drunkenness and the children left unsupervised highlight a big flaw in this crazy idea, Health & Safety.
Another big flaw is the countless community events and children learning sessions which will no longer be run.
Well done to the councillors that voted against this.
@Paolo:
How much of this kind of behaviour happens when they are staffed? A comparison would be useful
Why couldn’t communities organise events in libraries regardless? The only blame’s on the stupid parents who drop their child off to use a library after dark with no staff there, as I see it. Why wouldn’t they pay a babysitter to look after their child?
In Fingal, last month FF, FG & so called Independents aligned to both parties came together to vote down my emergency motion to end the scheme.
Oh so staffless libraries are a success? It would be cheaper to hire actual staff than to roll out this nonsense! And destroying my livelihood..
It’s the twenty first century. Time to leave things like libraries, quills and penny farthing bicycles behind.
Seeing as how a person can get a book for free in a library, they’ll always have a certain advantage even over a kindle. Putting them in the same bracket as quills and penny farthings is beyond stupid.
Librarys are without doubt a wonderful amenity. And they do seemto keep up with the times. My only issue is with staff wages. Head librarians are pulling 60k – 70k. The person running the local supermarket is on half that…..
I didn’t say anythimg about switching to Kindles, but there is nothing stopping free book-lending from being done electronically. Personally, paper libraries are useless to be as I am vision impaired, yet I am expected to pay for them throug my taxes.
Ironically, the people tasked with bringing literature into the 21st century have n9 imagination, and continue to tinker around the edges with gimmicks like self-service libraries. Meanwhile, people who don’t live near a library are crying out for broadband services that could benefit everybody.
There’s nothing wrong with my eye sight, but yet in all I have to pay for the “blind persons” tax credit and relief through my taxes.
Libraries are also information and advice centres and are one of the places where citizens can get access to further education, official forms and publications, remedial education, groups and clubs, local announcements, talks etc.
There is usually a librarian and library assistants. The librarian would be qualified at third level in social sciences.
Staffless libraries are book-swap facilities and I’d worry they would excuse councils for continually cutting hours. Libraries in Dublin used to open until 8 every weekday and 5 on Saturdays. That has been cut since the 80s and once cut it doesn’t revert.
My local library still does open until 8 pm, and on Saturdays. In Dublin. Not sure how valid your other points are now.
You’re right about the lack of decent broadband, but where else can people get large print books short of buying them? Libraries have a lot more to offer than books too. A friend of mine got great service there after an eye operation. They have enlargers now for books, large keyboards, online access for people without web access, and DVDs and magazines. I couldn’t subscribe to all the ones I read and am glad to keep up with developments.
@Neal, not Neil.: tell me what library stocks quills and penny farthing bicycles because I’d like to have a look at them. Our library just has books and computers – the computers especially are in great demand and provide a great service.
I’ve been a member of Walkinstown library for 45 years and can honestly say that the staff are the reason that its such a wonderful institution. They brought in a machine a while ago that you can use to take out and return books but I won’t use it. The knowledge that the staff have in recommending authors based on your reading pattern can’t be replaced by machines . Sometimes the old fashioned way just doesn’t need changing and surely with extended opening hours as normal in most areas you don’t need access to an empty library ( unless you’re dropping the kids for free baby sitting ffs)
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