The Tunisian government has decided to revise downward the five-Euro linear tax per cruise stopping at the port of La Goulette, North of Tunis. Reductions range from 10% to 90% depending on the season.
Cruise tourism is down 60% in 2011, because of the insecurity that followed the Revolution in the country. The number of cruise passengers went down from 900,000 in 2010 to 295,000 in 2011. This had a negative effect on many activities that take advantage of this niche, including tourist transport, trade in the Tunis medina, crafts, taxis and tourist guiding and visits to archaeological sites …
A special committee was established by the supervising Department to develop a strategy to promote this activity. It has decided to revise downward the five-Euro linear tax per cruise disembarking at the port of La Goulette, North of Tunis, and replace it with a more attractive fee structure, with discounts ranging from 10% to 90%, a total gratuity for the benefit of cruise operators programming a call at La Goulette, until the end of April.
Through these measures, the authorities hope to revive the activity of several cruises and other sectors that benefit of them directly and indirectly, such as local travel agencies, taxis, crafts, and museums and archaeological sites usually very frequented by cruise passengers.
They also hope the return of the largest ship-owners in Tunisia as the forecasts for 2012 bank on the arrival of 500,000 cruise passengers.
Elyes Fakhfakh, Tourism Minister will go Tuesday, April 3, to the port of La Goulette on the occasion of the arrival of a cruise ship boarding over 3,000 cruise passengers to learn about the functioning of the infrastructure and conditions for hosting tourists.
