Terror Attacks: Holidays to Go Ahead After Foreign Office Advice

Several British travel firms offering holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh are planning business as usual, despite the bombings.

Kuoni Travel, and its subsidiary, Voyages Jules Verne, said: "We are adhering to Foreign Office advice on travel to Egypt, which has been updated following the incidents and is not advising against travel to the destination."

The companies, who had 137 customers staying in the bombed resort, said all were safe and well.

"For those clients who are in [the] resort and wish to return to the UK we will endeavour to bring them home as soon as possible.

"Anyone returning will get a refund for unused accommodation."

Holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh due to start yesterday and today would be going ahead but people who wished to cancel or rearrange them could do so free of charge, Kuoni said.

Holidays in the resort booked to start after July 25 - from tomorrow - will proceed as normal and usual booking conditions apply," the company added.

This means that people who decide to cancel may face penalty charges.

Peltours, which specialises in Egyptian packages, said it was also following Foreign Office advice and continuing as normal.

"All of our clients are accounted for and are well and continuing with their holiday," it said in a statement on its website.

Red Sea specialist Longwood Holidays said it would decide today about its next flight to Sharm el-Sheikh, due on Thursday, but "normal booking conditions apply to all other holiday bookings".

MyTravel, which includes Panorama Holidays and Direct Holidays, had customers staying in the bombed hotels and arranged for survivors to fly home over the weekend.

Other customers due to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday were given the option of an alternative holiday or free cancellation if no suitable alternative could be found.

Normal booking conditions would apply to holidays in Egypt starting after July 24, the company said.

In contrast to the British approach, the Italian Association of Tour Operators said yesterday that all package tours to Sharm el-Sheikh had been suspended after the foreign ministry advised against travelling there.