THE first package holidays to Tunisia from Scotland after the Sousse massacre are due to begin in April.
Thomas Cook will be flying from Glasgow on April 3 after it began flights from south of the border to Enfidha on Tuesday as the tour operator resumes its flight and holiday programme in the North African country after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) eased its travel advice.
The first such holidays sold to customers in Scotland since the 2015 atrocity are already sold out.
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The FCO advised against all but essential visits following beach attack in which 30 Britons were killed, but this guidance was withdrawn for the majority of the North African country last year.
Demand was reportedly even higher during the following year, until the Sousse attack in which gunman Seifeddine Rezgui killed a total of 38 tourists, including four Scots.
The victims included Jim McQuire, 66, and his wife Ann, 63, from Cumbernauld, who had only booked their break two weeks beforehand, and Billy Graham, 51, and his wife Lisa, 50, who were on a belated 50th birthday celebration from their home in Bankfoot, Perthshire.
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Terror group Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Thomas Cook began sales to UK customers in August.
It said the decision was taken to put the destination back on sale after the UK government changed its advice for Tunisia meaning that British holidaymakers can now travel to the majority of the country.
Re-launching holidays to Tunisia as a destination also "reflects customer demand" and when bookings went on sale again the first three flights sold out, the holiday firm said.
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The company did not stop selling trips to French, German and Belgian holidaymakers after the Sousse attack as their governments did not recommend that their citizens should not visit Tunisia.
Some 440,000 people from the UK visited Tunisia in 2014, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, which represents all of Scotland's major travel agents, welcomed the move.
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Jimmy Martin, of Jimmy Martin Travel and SPAA spokesman, said: "'It is great news that it is back as it is a destination that offers great value for money especially for families and couples particularly offering hotels on half board basis."
Chris Mottershead, managing director at Thomas Cook UK, said that "Tunisia has been a popular tourist destination for decades and with our first three flights sold out, there is an appetite from our customers".
"Tunisia is once again proving to be a popular choice for a value for money holiday.”
Thomson, now TUI, is reintroducing flights from England but said no announcement re Scots packages is planned as yet.
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An ABTA spokesman said: "Tunisia has long been a popular holiday destination for British tourists - offering beach breaks, diverse countryside and the chance to visit Roman ruins, all at good value - so it’s no surprise that it is proving popular once again following the change in advice from Foreign and Commonwealth Office last July.
"The Foreign Office no longer advises against all but essential travel to certain parts of Tunisia, as a result some UK travel companies are now offering holidays to destinations in Tunisia.
"Whichever part of the world holidaymakers are planning to visit, they should always check foreign office advice before booking and travelling to a destination."
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