Tunisian Tourism Hits Records, Gears Up for Business Plan

The Tunisia tourism industry has reached a new record in 2007, with over 6.7 million visitors and 1.7 billion Euros in revenues, an official source revealed.

According to the data from the Tourism and Craft industry ministry, the bulk of these tourists come from France and Libya.

The number of visitors to Tunisia has increased by 3.2 percent compared to 2006 while the receipts hit 3% in Euro.

The nights spent by tourists in Tunisian leisure facilities reached 37.4 million and an average bed occupancy rate of 51.6 percent.

“For the first time, the French tourists (1.335 millions) outnumbered the Libyan visitors (1.5 million), followed by Algerian nationals (950.000), Germans (514,000), and Italians (444,000).

“It is the first time we exceed three billion dinars,” Tourism minister Khalil Laajimi said, announcing a business strategy study ahead of 2016 and a 2008-2011 action plan.

“In a short term, a particular budget is disbursed to recapture the country’s waning traditional western tourist clientele,” the tourism minister said, hinting at German visitors (-6% in 2007), English tourists (- 10.8%), Spaniards (-9.2%), and Italians (-4.3%).

Hence, the Tunisian government harps on the attraction of 500,000 additional German tourists who avoided the Tunisian destination after 21 people including 14 German nationals were killed in the 2002 attack in south-eastern Djerba.

In addition, authorities pledged an investment worth € 45 million earmarked for the modernization of 48 hotels equipped with 520,000 beds.

As a seaside destination, Tunisia seeks to “promote the golf tourism with operational nine-hole courses and six others by 2011″, Laajimi averred.

Source African Press Agency

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