Summary:

On 23 August 2024, the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts announced the establishment of a new digital communication plan to promote tourism in Tunisia for the period of 2025-2027 and reinforce Tunisia’s position as an international tourist destination.

The plan lays out the government’s intent to leverage digital technology and data analysis to understand trends in the tourism market to inform resource allocation.

The plan indicates the intent to enhance Tunisia’s presence on social media platforms through marketing campaigns. These campaigns would be designed for each region and market various properties by attracting influencers and celebrities who can promote Tunisia’s national brand.

The plan also includes organizing digital marketing days and the creation of a national award for content creators.

Tunisia previously announced visa waiver programs for Iranian and Iraqi tourists and slightly increased the tourist tax in four- and five-stars hotels. The tourism sector has attracted 4.75 million tourists to date in 2024 and is expected to reach 10 million by the Fall.

Outlook: 

The new digital marketing strategy for Tunisian tourism reflects the current administration’s reliance on the tourism sector as a crucial component of the economy. The new plan is a natural evolution that follows previous decisions to aggressively promote this sector.

While the new digital plan is likely to attract more tourists, the focus on digital marketing should be followed by other initiatives to improve tourists’ experience. Waste management and pollution are among the outstanding issues as many tourists complain about the amount of garbage present at historic sites and various tour locations.

Customer experience and service at the Tunis-Carthage International Airport also remain a persistent hurdle for tourism as many arriving tourists have negative experiences immediately upon arriving at the airport.

Observers are also questioning the administration’s rejection of the Open Sky Agreement. The decision to not join the agreement is hindering accessibility for tourists from diverse countries who could benefit from competitive ticket prices from foreign airline companies, However, the government remains motivated to shield the faltering national airline, TunisAir, from competitive market conditions that would only deepen the company’s financial crisis.

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