Here is a letter I sent to Foreign Affairs about this situation.
Dear Foreign Minister
As you are fully aware the impact of terrorism is felt throughout the world in so many ways.
In our case,we have planned to take our 2 grandchildren on an 8 week holiday to Singapore,UK,Europe and the UAE.
We took out travel insurance with a 5 star insurance provider,one highly recommended by Choice,which is noted on the Smartraveller website.
When we first planned our trip in Sept,Oct of 2014 there was the threat of ebola and the isil attacks in the middle east.
Now, when we look at the morning news broadcasts Europe appears to be a conflict zone for competing terrorist groups.
This morning ,my wife,woke to the latest news and said I am not going,it is too dangerous,how can we enjoy a holiday with these threats and with the responsibility of 2 children as well.
And so I began the process of undoing our holiday,attempting to cancel airfares,accommodation,even a cruise we had planned in Europe.
Current business practices do not take into account this new global terrorism plague.There are no standard regulations in place that allow travellers to make cancellations because of the threat of terrorism.
On the website,Smartraveller,there is a section on travel insurance.It is ironic that on a government website,alerting people to terrorist threats and the need for travel insurance that insurance is of no value whatsoever and does not allow for terrorism ,or the threat thereof.
This should be addressed URGENTLY,along with regulations for airlines,accommodation providers,tour operators ,etc insisting that people be allowed full refunds across the board where terrorist activity and threats are in place and where the press are presenting news articles expressing the escalation of activity.
At last calculation,before I began writing this email,if we were to cancel our holiday,which is due for departure in March,2015 I would be approximately $7000 out of pocket because of cancellation fees and insurance which cost $1000 and is of no value whatsoever regarding terrorism activity.
Thank You for the opportunity to share my beliefs,but I do think this situation needs to be addressed URGENTLY by the Federal government because it will impact thousands of travellers,now and into the future.Unfortunately the landscape has changed and regulators and businesses world wide need to show their support for innocent people whose pockets are being emptied, albeit ,indirectly by the scourge of terrorism.
