Tunisia’s tourism boom and plans for expansion
Tunisia’s tourism industry continues to exceed expectations, driven by regained political stability and a dynamic global promotion strategy. The country’s cultural heritage, natural beauty, and diverse attractions have drawn growing numbers of international visitors, as reported by African Manager on August 11th.
Houssem Ben Azzouz, president of the Tunisian Inter-professional Federation of Tourism, described the current season’s figures as “very positive” despite some scepticism over their accuracy. As recently as late December 2024, the revenue from Tunisia’s tourism increased by 7.8% to 3.2 billion in within that year.
Ben Azzouz reiterated the target of attracting 11 million visitors this season and underlined the importance of sustained promotional budgets to keep Tunisia prominent in world markets. He rejected claims of unreliable statistics, stressing that data comes directly from the Ministry of the Interior for foreign arrivals and the Central Bank for financial references.
Industry leaders welcome the positive performance indicators, though they remain wary of mounting competition from other destinations and the unpredictability of the global economy. All the while, Tunisia’s own economy has encountered significant challenges due to debt problems. With Tunisia’s recent push for foreign investment and plea to Tunisians abroad to boost local growth, the tourism indicators are a welcomed sight.
Ben Azzouz noted challenges such as the steep rise in flight and accommodation prices earlier in the year, and lamented missed opportunities to capitalise on geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, where rivals like Turkey and Egypt have moved faster with appealing offers to capture tourist flows.
A recent meeting at the Tourism Department highlighted the strategic value of participating in major trade fairs, securing investment, and launching new initiatives in sustainable tourism. Among the flagship projects are the Culinary Route, the Cinematic Route, and the UNESCO Route.
Participants also stressed the need for stronger coordination between domestic stakeholders, diplomatic missions, and overseas Tunisian institutions to enhance the country’s visibility and sustain growth in the global tourism market.
African Manger, Maghrebi.org
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