Holidays in Tunisia are on the up in 2018 as holiday provider Thomas Cook resumes flights to the country with TUI close behind with their flights scheduled to start in May.

But is it safe for tourists?

In recent years there has been a higher demand for holidays to Spain and other European destinations, which is thought to be driven by safety concerns surrounding the Middle East.

Since the terror attack which killed 38 people, 30 of them British, in 2015 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website announced a state of emergency in Tunisia. This has since been extended several times following other attacks against the government and authorities.

It was recently extended on 12th March 2018 by 7 months – despite this, travel companies are continuing to fly to the destination.

Should I book my holiday?

Despite the safety concerns of many holidaymakers, the FCO has declared the majority of tourist spots safe – in particular Hammamet, a popular holiday destination – but advise tourists to stay vigilant and away from the Tunisian borders with Algeria and Libya.

It’s advisable if you do decide to travel to Tunisia, as with any holiday destination, you should ensure you take out a travel insurance policy that will suit your individual needs.

It is worth bearing in mind, there are only a few travel insurance providers that will offer cover for cancellation if a terror attack was to occur before your trip; look for ‘cancellation due to any cause which you could not have been expected to foresee or avoid’.

Most policies will not cover for curtailment following a terror attack unless it is medically necessary. For more information on terrorism click here.

Tunisia are expecting to welcome in the region of 85,000 British holiday makers in 2018, with the numbers expected to increase over the coming years.

With UK sun seekers turning their back on Spain, as well as Tunisia, they are also expected to start returning to Egypt and Turkey this year too.