Tourism in Tunisia
Encyclopedia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
's tourist attractions are its cosmopolitan capital city of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, the ancient ruins of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, the Muslim and Jewish quarters of Jerba, and coastal resorts outside of Monastir
Monastir, Tunisia
-Areas within Monastir:Monastir's north-eastern territories lead into a place called Route de la Falaise, through which you will reach its most notable suburb, Skanes, which is 6 miles from Monastir's town centre...
. According to The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Tunisia is "known for its golden beaches, sunny weather and affordable luxuries."
History
According to Garrett Nagle in his book Advanced Geography, Tunisia's tourist industry "benefits from its Mediterranean location and its tradition of low cost package holidayPackage holiday
A package holiday or package tour consists of transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided like a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday. Transport can be via charter airline to a foreign country...
s from Western Europe." The development of tourism dates back to 1960 through the joint efforts of government and private groups. In 1962, tourism, with 52,000 entries and 4,000 beds, had a revenue of two million dollars and becomes the main source of foreign exchange in the country. However, it is not popular with American tourists who are wary of Middle East destinations since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Until recently, Tunisia's main attraction was on its northeast coastline around Tunis; however, the Seventh National Development Plan of 1989 created several new tourist areas including the resort at Port-el-Kantaoui. The tourism sector now represents 6.5% of Tunisia's GDP and provides 340,000 jobs of which 85,000 are direct jobs, or 11.5% of the working population with a high share of seasonal employment.
France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are the four traditional tourist markets, though Tunisia lost roughly 500,000 tourists from Germany after 9/11. From 2003-2004, it regained tourists, and 2007 saw arrivals increasing by 3 percent over that of 2006.
Resorts
This sector is popular mainly on the east coast, totaling more than 95% of beds. The following is a list of the largest resorts and the percentge of nights out of the total:- SousseSousseSousse is a city in Tunisia. Located 140 km south of the capital Tunis, the city has 173,047 inhabitants . Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf of Hammamet, which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea. The name may be of Berber origin: similar names are found in Libya and in...
-MonastirMonastir, Tunisia-Areas within Monastir:Monastir's north-eastern territories lead into a place called Route de la Falaise, through which you will reach its most notable suburb, Skanes, which is 6 miles from Monastir's town centre...
-MahdiaMahdiaMahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as weaving. It is the capital of Mahdia Governorate.- History :...
(36%) - NabeulNabeulNabeul is a coastal town in northeastern Tunisia, on the south coast near to the Cap Bon peninsula. It is located at around and is the capital of the Nabeul Governorate...
-HammametHammametHammamet is a town in Tunisia. Due to its beaches it is a popular destination for swimming and water sports. It was the first tourist destination in Tunisia...
(24%) - DjerbaDjerbaDjerba , also transliterated as Jerba or Jarbah, is, at 514 km², the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia.-Description:...
-ZarzisZarzisZarzis is a commune and coastal town in southeastern Tunisia, on the coast of Mediterranean Sea. The climate is mainly dry and sunny, making it a popular tourist destination mixing the old and the traditional...
(24%) - TunisTunisTunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
-ZaghouanZaghouanZaghwan is a town in the northern half of Tunisia. Situated on a low ridge of the Dorsale Mountains, the town has a mild climate and presents a green aspect. Cold water from here was taken by aqueduct to Carthage. The town is famous for its roses, originally cultivated by Muslim refugees from...
(10%) - TabarkaTabarkaTabarka is a coastal town located in north-western Tunisia, at about , close to the border with Algeria. It has been famous for its coral fishing, the Coral Festival of underwater photography and the annual jazz festival. Tabarka's history is a colorful mosaic of Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and...
-Aïn DrahamAïn DrahamAïn Draham is a city in northwestern Tunisia in the Jendouba Governorate situated 25 kilometers south of Tabarka. Historically a military outpost, summer resort and souq, today it is a regional economic hub....
(2%)
New developments
In recent years, ecotourism, spa and medical tourism are emerging onto Tunisia's tourist scene and growing very fast. According to the former Minister of Tourism thanks to the sahel (sousse monastir mahdia) Ahmed Smaou, "The medical tourism has a great future ahead of us." Tourists must have a visa.Statistics
In 2000, there were 197,400 hotel beds in roughly 95,977 rooms with an occupancy rate at 56%. 5,057,193 travellers came to Tunisia that year. That year, tourist expenditures were nearly $1.5 billion. According to 2002 US Department of State estimates, the average daily cost of staying in Tunis or Carthage was $146, compared to $114 in other areas of Tunisia.A large number of tourists to Tunisia come from Eastern Europe, and the nationalities of major tourist countries is shown here: Libyans (1 472 411 visitors), French (1 234 735), Algerians (945 324), Germans (547 403), Italians (464 323) and British (350 693). There were 1 251 251 domestic tourists staying across the country for 2.75 million nights in 2006.
See Also
- Tourism in LibyaTourism in LibyaTourism in Libya is an industry still in its infancy but one that is gradually growing. 149,000 tourists visited Libya in 2004, and this went up to 180,000 in 2007 ; there were 1,000,000 day visitors in the same year. The country is best known for its ancient Greek and Roman ruins and Sahara desert...