The Tunisian tourism sector continues to surprise. The progress it is showing, which is unanimously observed, can be explained by several factors. The regained 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, while remaining cautious about the future. Challenges remain numerous, particularly the intensified competition from rival tourist destinations and global economic uncertainty. However, medium-term prospects appear fairly favorable.
In this context, Houssem Ben Azzouz, president of the Tunisian Inter-professional Federation of Tourism, stated, during a telephone interview on the Midi Mag show, that the indicators for the current tourist season are extremely encouraging.
He described the recorded figures as “very positive,” despite the doubts expressed about them.
He expressed surprise at the circulation of inaccurate data, questioning the reliability of sector statistics, and clarified that the figures come from official sources, namely the Ministry of the Interior for foreign visitors and the Central Bank as a second reference.
Ben Azzouz reminded that the goal for this season is to reach 11 million tourists, highlighting the richness and diversity of Tunisia’s tourism offering.
He also emphasized the need to allocate a specific budget for the promotion of the destination in order to strengthen its visibility in international markets.
Among the potential obstacles to the full success of the season, he also mentioned the significant rise in air transport prices recorded in April and May, as well as accommodation rates in tourism establishments.
Finally, he regretted that Tunisia had not fully taken advantage of the tense geopolitical context between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
According to him, competing countries such as Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan reacted more quickly, returning strongly to the market with enticing promotional offers aimed at attracting as many tourists as possible.
Large promotion program in 2025
Efforts are being made to maintain this momentum. Promotion operations for Tunisia’s tourist destination, to be launched by the Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT) abroad in 2025, were the focus of a recent working session held at the Tourism Department headquarters.
Tourism industry professionals, on this occasion, discussed the importance of Tunisia’s participation in international exhibitions and fairs to promote the country as a destination, boost investments in the tourism sector, and publicize new tourism programs aimed at developing sustainable and responsible tourism.
These include the Culinary Route, the Cinematic Route, and the UNESCO Route.
Furthermore, they called for better coordination with all stakeholders, including diplomatic delegations and Tunisian structures abroad, to ensure the international visibility of Tunisia’s image.
