They are bringing a claim for damages against Thomson, part of TUI Group, through law firm Irwin Mitchell, arguing that the company failed to provide adequate security at its hotel. Irwin Mitchell said in a statement that formal claim letters had been sent to Thomson, but no formal response had been received.

Legally responsible

Clive Garner, Irwin Mitchell’s head of international personal injury, said that Thomson is legally responsible for any failure to provide reasonable security precautions and adequate warnings to guests before and during their stays. ‘It is clear that the security measures were not sufficient to prevent a lone gunman from accessing the hotel and its grounds, nor were they robust enough to stop him during a prolonged 30 to 40 minute rampage,’ he added.

Cancellation costs

TUI Group is the largest leisure and tourism company in the world and said in August that cancelled holidays to Tunisia would cost it between €35m and €40m euros in total in its current financial year. Sources: The Telegraph; Irwin Mitchell