Tunisia sees 1 million fall in tourist numbers

TUNISIA’S foreign visitor numbers from the start of this year to September 10 are down from the same period last year by one million – from five million to four million – says the country’s tourism minister, Mr Salma Loumi. 

The North African country, where #tourism accounts for approximately seven per cent of its gross domestic product – has been under a state of emergency since June, when 38 people, including 30 Britons, were murdered by a gunman at a hotel in Sousse, three months after 21 tourists were attacked by terrorists at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis.

The UK’s Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Tunisia amid fears that it is “highly likely” Britons will be targeted in a fresh terror attack.

Tour operators TUI and Thomas Cook have cancelled their Tunisia programmes from Britain until next year, while tour operators across Europe have shifted some of their routes to other destinations. Some hotels have closed.

Mr Loumi hopes #Tunisia can use the country’s current difficult period to work on reform, including diversifying the country’s tourism options.

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Picture Credit: People with camels 2 by Abir tb - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons