The United States Injects USD $50 Million into Tunisia’s Tourism Sector with the Visit Tunisia Project.
By the editorial staff
The $50 million Visit Tunisia project funded by the U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Generating 15,000 new sustainable tourism-related jobs
This five-year project designed to help Tunisia’s vital tourism sector rebound through public-private sector partnerships and digital innovations that will capitalize on the country’s rich natural, cultural, and historical heritage. This USG investment has the potential of generating 15,000 new sustainable tourism-related jobs in underserved communities across Tunisia.
Through Visit Tunisia, the U.S. government will work with the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts to design and promote experience-based tourism activities beyond the coast, with goal of drawing new international tourists to areas of Tunisia that are often overlooked. Activities will integrate the perspectives of women and youth as local tourism strategies are developed and broad access to small business support will be available.
Visit Tunisia will place a special focus on year-round experiences to encourage tourism arrivals beyond the narrow summer season. Expanding tourism offerings will lead to an increase in the number of tour operators selling Tunisia as a destination, and an increase in visitor spending by 20 percent. Targets include an increase in arrivals to 11.5 million by 2026.
« The project will allow the Government of Tunisia to welcome 11.5 million tourists by 2026, increase investment and revenues by 20 percent and facilitate 15,000 new jobs in Tunisia’s alternative tourism sector »
« The project will allow the Government of Tunisia to welcome 11.5 million tourists by 2026, increase investment and revenues by 20 percent and facilitate 15,000 new jobs in Tunisia’s alternative tourism sector » says The American Ambassador. The U.S. Government is committed to driving economic growth and creating jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the tourism sector. Visit Tunisia is a visible commitment from the U.S. Government to assist in the recovery and long-term growth of this critical sector of the economy which employs more than 400,000 Tunisians across the country. Forward leaning projects, such as Visit Tunisia, capitalize on the country’s rich and unique natural, cultural, and historical endowments. »
The travel and tourism industry in Tunisia contributed around 260 thousand jobs in 2020. The number of jobs decreased compared to the previous year, when it stood at nearly 379 thousand. As of 2020, the tourism and travel industry accounted for 7.7 percent of the total employment in the country.
If the security situation has greatly improved since the terrorist attacks in 2015__the sector had been bouncing back to levels not seen since before the 2011 revolution_, the coronavirus pandemic has led to a shortfall in tourism revenues of six billion dinars (over $2 billion), the country’s national tourism office has estimated.
