Tunisia’s tourism sector continues to surprise. The growth observed can be explained by a number of factors. The return to political stability, combined with an aggressive international tourism promotion campaign, has clearly borne fruit. Tourists, attracted by Tunisia’s cultural and natural riches, have responded in increasing numbers.
Industry professionals are pleased with the encouraging tourism indicators, but remain cautious about the future. There are many challenges ahead, including increased competition from rival destinations and global economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, the medium-term outlook seems quite favorable.
Ahmed Bettaïeb: Tourism recovery confirmed
Ahmed Bettaïeb, President of the Tunisian Federation of Travel Agencies (FTAV), has announced that the percentage of hotel discounts granted during the recent New Year holidays ranged from 10 to 45%, noting that many professionals have responded positively to the Ministry of Tourism’s initiative to establish differential prices for Tunisian families.
In an interview with AfricanManager, Bettaieb pointed out that most tourist areas had seen a significant upturn, coinciding in particular with the school holidays and the end of the administrative year.
He assures us that the south of Tunisia is experiencing a large influx of tourists, with hotel units almost 100% full.
In the same context, Bettaieb pointed out that a number of other tourist areas, including Hammamet, Mahdia, Sousse and Monastir, are also seeing an increase in the number of arrivals, confirming the good recovery of the Tunisian tourism sector.
On another front, in a statement to the media, he addressed the problems of payment for Tunisian tourists, particularly following the promulgation of the new law on cheques in Tunisia, while calling on the authorities to find mechanisms to compensate for the introduction of deferred payment tools such as the electronic payment card or bills of exchange for Tunisians with bank accounts, or to identify new mechanisms such as holiday cards or holiday vouchers.
He also highlighted the involvement of various professionals in the sector in the digitization of services. He announced the launch of a digital platform in January 2025.
A major promotional program for 2025
Activities to promote Tunisia as a tourist destination, which the Tunisian National Tourist Office (ONTT) will launch abroad in 2025, were the focus of a recent working session held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Tourism.
On this occasion, tourism professionals spoke of the importance of Tunisia’s participation in international exhibitions and fairs in order to promote Tunisia as a destination, encourage investment in the tourism sector and publicize new tourism programs aimed at developing sustainable and responsible tourism. These include the Culinary Route, the Cinematographic Route and the UNESCO Route.
They also called for the best possible coordination with all stakeholders, including diplomatic delegations and Tunisian structures abroad, to ensure that Tunisia’s image is promoted abroad.
