Le Figaro Explores Tunisian Tourism: Encouraging Recovery and Persistent Challenges

Le Figaro Économie published an informative article yesterday on the resumption of tourism in Tunisia after the influences of Covid-19. The article explores how the country is once again welcoming millions of visitors and explores the factors contributing to this resurgence while highlighting the challenges confronting the sector.

The newspaper explained that Tunisia is seeing a resurgence in post-Covid tourist activity, a relief for the country. Almost 5.4 million visitors, similar to 2019, selected Tunisia for its attractions. Reasonable prices are a determining factor for these vacationers.

The varied tourist offer attracts visitors with positive experiences, going from excursions to the pleasure of relaxing by the pool. However, disparities are emerging. Some hotels registered an occupancy rate of 98% in August despite suffering from degraded infrastructure and insufficient services.

Le Figaro indicates that experts emphasise the necessity for Tunisia to diversify its tourist offer. The quality of the hotel is no longer enough. Visitors are looking for a global experience, incorporating environment, activities and competitive prices. Economic factors and finding a balance between quality and cost remain the major challenges.

Some travellers encounter obstacles in local infrastructure, such as neglected sidewalks and poorly developed public transport. Cleanliness ranges between hotel surroundings and areas. A Sales and Marketing Director of a hotel group explained that this is a national issue. He stated that the success of the hotel industry is based on providing a full experience for visitors, and not only on the comfort of the hotel itself. He points to the considerable price difference between Tunisia and other destinations, such as Greece, where costs are significantly higher.

The essential :

In Tunisia, the challenge lies in the fact that despite efforts to develop quality hotel infrastructure, the added value of the offer is restricted if the global environment does not follow. This situation hinders Tunisia’s ability to compete in terms of price with other Mediterranean countries. And La Teste remains a country of Low-Cost tourism with a consequent shortfall (even in shopping).

The future of Tunisian tourism depends on its capacity to innovate and adapt to the changing needs of travellers. The diversification of activities and a personalized approach are vital to attract a new generation of tourists. Despite the obstacles, the sector is essential to the Tunisian economy.