British tourists in Tunisia are escorted to airports

British tourists on holiday in Tunisia are being escorted by armed police to and from the airport.

Officers are also patrolling beaches on foot, quad bikes and even horseback in a bid to thwart terror attacks.

It comes after the first wave of British holidaymakers returned to the county following the 2015 Sousse massacre that killed 30 Brits.

Luxury hotels have also ramped up security with guards on patrol and watching CCTV cameras round the clock, according to holidaymakers.

Police officers in Tunisia are patrolling beaches on foot, quad bikes and even horseback. Pictured, an officer patrols a beach in Sousse following the 2015 massacre

Police have also increased their presence at sites that are popular with holidaymakers from the UK.

‘Police on horses as well as the quad bikes and police patrols on foot along the beaches are all part of the new security changes that have taken place in Tunisia since 2015,’ Sophie Griffiths, from London, wrote on Twitter, alongside pictures of the officers.

‘As proof of how Tunisia has boosted its security, a police quad bike passes us as we walk on the beach outside Les Orangers hotel in Hammamet,’ she added.

Brits who have visited Tunisia in recent weeks have taken to TripAdvisor to give positive reviews about their stay.

Steve, from Redruth, who stayed at Les Orangers Beach Resort and Bungalows in Hammamet for a week in February, wrote: ‘Security is high and the beach has patrols by armed police on quad bikes, horses and on foot but it is not intrusive or even makes you feel uneasy.

‘The coach was escorted by police and the gate checks are thorough on entry for vehicles and people who are not guests.’

And now the cavalry has quite literally arrived…! Police on horses as well as the quad bikes and police patrols on foot along the beaches are all part of the new security changes that have taken place in #Tunisia since 2015 pic.twitter.com/gknFQptGcg

— Sophie Griffiths (@TTGTravelQueen) 14 February 2018

Another Brit, from Bristol, said they felt completely safe during the trip.

‘In terms of the travel ban, we have felt completely safe – there has been reassuring police presence at the hotel and during our excursion to the desert,’ they wrote.

Johnny, from Birmingham, who also stayed at Les Orangers, said security at hotels has been ramped up.

‘We drove around few different towns, the security in every hotel is high and made you comfortable and secure to see them,’ he wrote.

He added: ‘The security at the hotel is 24 hours as we walked out to the beach at 1am and saw security walking up and down the beach and in the hotel, well appreciated and made us feel safe even at night.

Brits who have visited Tunisia in recent weeks have taken to TripAdvisor to give positive reviews about their stay. Above, The Orangers Beach Resort and Bungalows

Another Brit, from Bristol, said they felt completely safe during their stay at The Orangers (above)

Last month, tourists arriving in Tunisia on the first package holiday from the UK since the 2015 massacre were greeted with flowers, music and dancing.

The Thomas Cook flight carried 220 passengers from Birmingham to Enfidha, which is approximately 30 miles from the site of the 2015 terror attacks.

The tour operator resumed package holidays to the country after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) relaxed travel advice.

The FCO advised against all but essential visits following the June 2015 beach attack in which 30 Britons were killed, but this guidance was withdrawn for the majority of the North African country last year.

It is still warning that terrorists are very likely to attempt to carry out attacks in Tunisia.

‘Since the terrorist attack in Sousse in June 2015, which targeted tourists, the UK government has been working closely with the Tunisian authorities to investigate the attack and the wider threat from terrorist groups,’ the website says.

‘The Tunisian government has improved protective security in major cities and tourist resorts.

‘But terrorists are still very likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia. Security forces remain on a high state of alert in Tunis and other places.’

It adds: ‘You should be vigilant at all times, including around religious sites and festivals.

‘Follow the advice of the Tunisian security authorities and your travel company if you have one.’

Some 440,000 people from the UK visited Tunisia in 2014, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Demand was reportedly even higher during the following year, until the Sousse attack in which gunman Seifeddine Rezgui killed a total of 38 tourists in an attack on a hotel and at a beach,

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk