It is a vintage year, certainly within expectations, but one that took a long time to materialize. Tunisia is now in a position to announce that it has finally succeeded in attracting 11 million tourists in 2026.
“It is a positive figure, but it needs to be examined from several angles and analyzed objectively,” insists Jalel Henchiri, Vice President of the Tunisian Federation of Hoteliers.
Speaking on the program “Midi Eco,” he addressed the alternative accommodation sector, noting that despite its importance in supporting the national economy and creating jobs, it remains insufficiently regulated.
He emphasized the need to move forward with a deep and rapid revision of laws, considering that the main problem hindering the tourism sector lies in legislation that slows down its development.
He also mentioned the air transport system, describing it as a “real headache,” adding that people book online to come to Tunisia but cannot find available flights.
Moreover, Jalel Henchiri pointed out that domestic tourism recorded growth of between 7% and 8% after the Coronavirus pandemic, compared with global forecasts of 15%.
A “Turning Point”
Last Monday, Minister of Tourism, Sofiene Tekaya, stated that Tunisian tourism is going through a pivotal phase, representing an opportunity for all stakeholders in the sector. He announced the launch of a new phase aimed at strengthening the role of tourism as a strategic sector.
“It is a sector that interacts with many vital areas and whose impacts are directly reflected in employment and development,” he said.
The minister naturally welcomed the fact that Tunisia, for the first time in its history, surpassed the threshold of 11 million tourists in 2025, an achievement that reflects a genuine recovery of the sector, despite regional and global challenges.
He stressed that these results are the outcome of an approach based on both qualitative and quantitative development of the tourism product.
Tourism revenues up 6.3% to 7.8 billion dinars
It is recalled that tourism revenues reached 7.8 billion dinars as of December 25, 2025, an increase of 6.3% compared to the same period in 2024, according to indicators from the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT).
The number of tourists who visited Tunisia from the beginning of 2025 until December 22 exceeded 11 million, the Minister of Tourism, Sofiene Tekaya, had declared during a ceremony recently held on the occasion of the “Tounes Lik” campaign to promote domestic tourism and the launch of preparations for the program “Tunis, Capital of Arab Tourism in 2027.”
According to him, this figure surpassed the level recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, which stood at around 9.4 million tourists.
He stated that Tunisian tourism has moved beyond the “recovery phase” and is progressing toward establishing high-end tourism and diversifying the tourism offering.
He emphasized that this recovery proves the sector’s ability to boost tourist flows and revenues despite international challenges.
