(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Tourist numbers to Tunisia will hit a record high this year, fully reversing the damage inflicted on the sector by attacks on holidaymakers in 2015, the tourism minister said yesterday.
After three years of shunning Tunisia in the wake of a gun attack on a beach in Sousse that killed 39 tourists and one at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis that killed 21, major European tour operators have started to return.
'We aim to receive 8mn tourists this year with strong booking rates from European customers and other new customers, Tourism Minister Salma Loumi said. 'The return of British tourists is a very good signal for us.
Last week, Thomas Cook flew British tourists to Tunisia for the first time since a militant killed 30 Britons in Sousse.
TUI, said last month it too planned to offer holidays in Tunisia again, starting in May.
The 8mn forecast brings tourist numbers above the pre-attack level of 7.1mn in 2014.
Arrivals fell to 5.3mn in 2015.
Loumi said tourism revenues would be up 25% on last year when they reached 2.8bn dinar ($1.2bn). Tourist numbers in 2017 were already up 23% on the previous year to 7mn, as hotels filled beds with Russian and Algerian visitors, but operators say they spend less than European holidaymakers.
Tourism accounts for 8% of Tunisia's gross domestic product.
A return of European visitors would give a strong boost to the struggling economy and raise the country's weak foreign currency reserves.
MENAFN2102201800670000ID1096494245
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.