The UN tourism chief today urged holiday makers to express solidarity with France by visiting the country to defy "terrorists" after a truck attack in Nice killed at least 84.
The World Tourism Organisation's Secretary-General Taleb Refai made the call after the deadly Bastille Day assault that left dozens dead, including children, and injured scores of others.
"This is the time to go visit France," Refai told reporters in Sri Lanka after attending a tourism conference in the island's former war zone of Passikudah.
He described yesterday's outrage as a "global disease" and said there was no place on earth that was immune from attack.
"This is something that we need to keep vigilant about. It is not the time to shun people. We cannot punish the victims and reward the aggressors by not travelling to places affected, because that is exactly what these terrorists want us to do," he said.
Despite a string of violent incidents against tourists in Turkey, Bangladesh, France, Belgium and Egypt, he said tourism was expected to grow globally by over 4.5 per cent this year.
He said attacks may affect a particular destination in the short term, but it would bounce back in the medium to long term.
Around 50 people remain in a critical condition after a truck rammed into crowds celebrating France's national day in the Riviera city.
