Tunisia welcomes record number of UK visitors

Tunisia has this year welcomed a record number of UK visitors, according to Tunisia National Tourist Office (TNTO) director, Wahida Jaiet.

She said: ?As of October 20, we were beyond the 369,000 mark which is up by 20% compared to the same time last year, and this has broken the previous record of 320,000 in 2010."

The tourist office?s first European marketing campaign, which aimed to promote the spirit of Tunisia and encourage tourists to rediscover the destination, was launched this year.

Jaiet placed emphasis on the importance of Tunisia?s tourism industry, which generates 7% of the country?s GDP and provides employment for approximately two million people. However, despite the growth in UK tourism, there is still a need to fuel further growth and to target niche markets.

Jaiet said: ?Some 70% of the people who go to Tunisia from the UK are families and they book  package holidays most of the time.
"We are now focusing on and promoting the sense of culture in the country?s lesser-known destinations to encourage a broader range of visitors. As part of the wider cultural experience, traditional Tunisian gastronomy is also becoming increasingly popular and is a strong selling point for the country."

In line with attracting a wider range of visitors, the tourist office is also aiming to promote high-end, tailor-made breaks and says that luxury operators are capitalising on this.

Meanwhile, accessibility to the country is, according to Jaiet, better than ever, with seven chartered flights from the UK to Tunisia each week with a short flight time of approximately three hours from London to Tunis.

For clients who have concerns about visiting Tunisia, Jaiet recommends that agents check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) website (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) for advice.