Irish Travel Agents Association issue advice to Irish people travelling to Barcelona in wake of attacks

Two vehicle attacks in Spain on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning left 13 people dead and over 100 people injured.

Irish people travelling to Barcelona have been urged to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all the advice of the local authorities in the wake of two terror attacks on Thursday and Friday. 13 people were killed and over 100 injured when a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of people on Las Ramblas, one of Barcelona’s busiest streets, on Thursday afternoon, while a further seven people were injured following another vehicle attack in the resort town of Cambrils, a short distance south of Barcelona, in the early hours of Thursday morning. An Irish family were amongst the injured in Barcelona; a husband and wife, originally from the Philippines but now naturalised Irish citizens, and their two children suffered injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Spain has always been a popular destination for Irish holidaymakers and in the wake of the attacks, the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) is working with its members across Ireland to support holidaymakers in Barcelona and the surrounding areas. The ITAA urged Irish holidaymakers to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all the advice of the local authorities and advised that passengers are likely to experience disruption and delays. Responding to news of the attacks in Spain, Cormac Meehan, President of the ITAA said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the terror attack in Barcelona yesterday. On behalf of the ITAA, I wish to convey our sincere condolences and solidarity with people of Barcelona and Spain. Spain and Ireland have been important tourist partners for many years. This year, almost two million Irish citizens will visit Spain making it Ireland’s most popular holiday destination.” “Our advice to Irish holidaymakers in Barcelona or intending to travel to Barcelona is to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all the advice of the local authorities,” O’Malley added. “Passengers are likely to experience disruption and delays and are advised to stay in touch with their travel agent, carrier airline or tour operator.” Anyone with concerns for the safety of loved ones in Barcelona can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Assistance team on +353 1 4082000.