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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Jess Staufenberg

The most dangerous popular holiday destinations for Britons

2015 saw a number of cases of tourists being killed or injured while overseas.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued advice at the time detailing the countries which should be partially or entirely avoided.

While the new year has seen relations increase in places unlikely to become tourist traps - such as Iran and Saudi Arabia - countries such as Turkey often draw thousands of visitors.

Infographic: The most dangerous countries for Britons to visit | Statista
You will find more statistics at Statista

The below are four key tourist destinations where dangerous incidents have occured with the current Foreign Office advice for those countries:

1. Turkey

The current FCO advice for Turkey showing in orange where not to travel unless essential, and in red where not to travel at all

On January 12, a bomb exploded near the Blue Mosque in Turkey's capital, Istanbul. 

At least 10 people are reported to have died, with citizens and foreign tourists among the injured.

The incident followed two suicide blasts in nearby Ankara in October which killed more than 100 people.

The Foreign Office says there is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey, and demonstrations are also frequent.

It advises against all travel to the 10km border with Syria.

It adds, however, that most trips by the 2.5 million British nationals who visit the country every year are trouble-free.

2. Egypt

Much are the non-coastal areas of Egypt are advised against travelling to by the FCO

In January this year, a knife attack near pyramids on the country's Red Sea coast injured three foreign nationals who were on holiday. 

And on 31 October 2015, all 224 civilians aboard a flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to St Petersburg in Russia were killed when it crashed in north Sinai, seemingly because of an explosive device on board.

The Foreign Office again advises travellers to be aware of a high threat from terrorism, advising against all travel to north Sinai because of ongoing attacks on police and security forces in that area.

It also warns against anything but essential travel to the governorate of south Sinai, and a significant swathe of Egypt's inner land.

Around 900,000 Britons make the trip to the Egyptian sunshine each year.

3. Tunisia

All of Tunisia is advised against for all but essential travel, the FCO says

All of this hospitality-reliant nation is advised as off limits except for essential travel by the Foreign Office.

This is following serious unrest in the country, and a massacre of predominantly British nationals at a hotel at the beach resort of Sousse in June 2015.

Unlike Egypt and Turkey, the advice states that more attacks are very likely, including against foreigners.

4. France

This European nation is considered at a high threat from terrorism by the FCO - more than other European countries.

Two terrorist attacks on the capital this year, first at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo's offices and a Jewish supermarket in January, and then a series of co-ordinated attacks in November 2015, have increased security in the country.

The FCO also warns against approaching the camps holding refugees and immigrants in Calais, saying if people wish to help they should donate only.

Yet there are no areas which are marked as advised against to travel to, with pickpocketing, rather than terrorism, still the biggest complaint.

Many of the countries which the Foreign Office advises against all travel are not popular holiday destinations for Britons. These include Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Mauritiana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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