The Ministry of Tourism is currently preparing an integrated plan for the revival of the tourism sector which will soon be submitted to the Cabinet meeting for review and approval, according to president of the Tunisian federation of travel agencies, Jabeur Ben Attouch.
In an interview with African Manager, he explained that this device will carry the will and the concerns of the professionals and provides for drawing up an urgent action plan to revitalize the activity. The recovery of the Tunisian economy and its return to its previous growth remain linked to that of the tourism sector to its previous activity, he stressed.
He has also indicated that the tourism sector provides about 20% of the resources in foreign currency and contributes to a percentage which varies between 0.7 and 1% of the total growth rate.
Ben Attouch pointed to the existence of positive indicators for the tourism sector, notably with the end of the COVID-19 crisis.
Algeria and Libya… Tunisia’s strategic depth
In the same context, he stressed that many travel agencies have been affected, calling on the government to facilitate the procedures for obtaining loans and to decide special measures for them, whether in their relations with the social funds or with the finance revenue, so that they can overcome the crisis that has lasted for two long years and therefore discharge their debts to the banks.
The president of the federation also stressed the need to open the borders with Algeria, saying “Algeria and Libya represent the strategic depth of Tunisia”.
“The current conditions are favorable for the return of the national and world tourist activity, and the travel agent must today be strongly present on the international scene and attract customers,” he went on saying.
It should be noted that tourist receipts amounted to 2.1 billion dinars until December 2021.
Indeed, the sector has experienced an unprecedented crisis, since the beginning of the year 2020, following the Coronavirus pandemic and its strict measures that led to the closure of a number of hotels.
As regards Tunisia’s cumulative tourist receipts, they have recorded a 60% decrease, from the beginning of 2020 until August 20, 2020.
The cost of the Umrah will rise to 6 thousand dinars
Jabeur Ben Attouch said the Tunisian tourist is an important link and an essential pillar in the country’s economy: “The Tunisian tourist is the “hidden soldier” who saved the sector in several crises, and he is also more profitable than the foreign tourist”.
Regarding the cost of the Umrah, Ben Attouch indicated that prices have increased and will range from 3500 to 4000 thousand dinars during the ordinary months and will exceed 6 thousand dinars during the month of Ramadan, because of high prices due to the lack of competition between professionals since the contracts for the distribution of Umrah trips are monopolized by 3 or 4 parties. “A lively competition translates into a wide range of choices and preferential tariffs,” he pointed out.
Structural reforms
Moreover, the government of Najla Boden confirms the existence of a political will to improve the tourist sector in Tunisia, following the fall in indicators during the last tourist seasons.
For his part, the Minister of Tourism has recently reviewed the strategic action plan drawing up by the Ministry and the Tunisian National Tourist Office to relaunch the post-COVID-19 tourist activity in the short and medium term, in coordination and consultation with the professionals of the sector and the concerned structures.
It is imperative to combine efforts to map out a clear long-term vision by 2035, with a view to the development of Tunisian tourism, according to him.
Moreover, the ministry is working on structural reforms, as well as on the revision of the various legislative and legal texts regulating the sector in order to facilitate and simplify the procedures as well as to stimulate more investments in this field
