The price of holidays to Tunisia fell by as much as 30% after a terrorist attack in the capital Tunis, which took place just months before the Sousse atrocity, an inquest has heard.
Travel company TUI's price was almost £240 lower on one particular day in the weeks after the attack at the Bardo National Museum, in which 24 people were killed on March 18 2015.
Just over three months later, on June 26, Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse, killing 38 tourists, including 30 Britons.
The inquest into the deaths of the Britons at the Royal Courts of Justice heard that on March 15 2015, three days before the Bardo attack, TUI's price for one person was £811.
Less than two months later on May 10, the price was £572, Andrew Ritchie QC, counsel to the families of the victims, told the hearing.
Speaking to Andrew Flintham, commercial director for TUI UK & Ireland, Mr Ritchie said: "That's a reduction of 30% after Bardo, isn't it?" Mr Flintham agreed that the 30% calculation was correct.
Samantha Leek QC, counsel to the inquest, said that Mr Flintham explained in his statement that the pricing of package holidays is a "complicated exercise".
The costs may be affected "by any one of a significant number of factors" including the cost of fuel for flying or a drop-off in the number of people going to a particular destination. Mr Flintham explained that an algorithm is used for pricing, adding that airlines use "similar automated yield systems".
Referring to the pricing of the Imperial Marhaba Hotel following the Bardo attack, he said: "There was nothing exceptional about the way we yielded that particular unit."
He also pointed out that the algorithm results in prices changing, even on an "hour-by-hour" basis.
Ms Leek put it to Mr Flintham that there had been some suggestion that specific destinations were "pushed" by the travel company and asked him if he was ever aware of that.
He said holidays are not "pushed in that sense", adding that prices being lowered make holidays more attractive to customers.
"There are many factors that actually influence what the prices of the holidays are," he said.
The inquest heard that prices in brochures are essentially to be "used as a guide".
Ms Leek said that in his statement, Mr Flintham said Tunisia was, until 2015, a "significant market for UK customers" and had grown in the three to four years up to then.
Mr Ritchie put it to Mr Flintham that TUI does not pass on information about a high risk of terrorism at the point of sale.
Mr Flintham said customers are directed to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice.
Putting emphasis on the word "you", Mr Ritchie said: "You do not inform customers that there is a high risk of terrorism."
Mr Flintham replied: "No, we do not."
Mr Ritchie suggested that it was "TUI policy" not to pass on information on its website about a high terror threat, and Mr Flintham said: "It is not information that we currently put on those pages."
Earlier, the inquest heard from Daniel Clifford, son-in-law of former Birmingham City footballer Denis Thwaites and his wife Elaine, who both died in the beach massacre.
Mr Clifford's email address was used in the booking of the couple's Sousse holiday and he helped Elaine during the online booking process.
He said he did not recall seeing any links to Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice during the booking process or in emails received.
But the inquest heard that a "booking confirmation" email received after the atrocity contained FCO travel advice.
"We'd actually just arrived back from Tunisia after identifying Denis and Elaine," he said of the timing of the email.
Discussing terror threat information on the website, Howard Stevens QC, counsel to TUI, pointed out that there were sections called "essential information" and another area headlined in capital letters "important information".
Mr Stevens said: "How much more prominent can it be?"
The inquest continues at 10am on Wednesday.
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