Tell us a bit more regarding the startup you run, WildyNess. How did the idea of creating a startup in the tourism sector come to your mind?
I launched the startup “WildyNess” with my wife Rym Bourguiba. We have traveled to many countries around the world. We are lucky because we were able to discover the potential of sustainable tourism in the world. And we were able to detect a trend that is gaining ground in the field of tourism: travelers and tourists are increasingly attracted to local experiences. They are looking for immersive activities and want to get in touch with the local inhabitants. This is the observation that we have been able to draw by visiting more than 40 countries around the world, in particular Vietnam, Myanmar, Brazil… This kind of tourism is all the rage, particularly in the countries of South East Asia. , Latin America and North Africa. We have written many articles on the subject on our “Walk Beside me” blog, where we have logged our travels. The articles were popular and attracted the attention of many readers who began to contact us. But we realized that no article, among the 150 that we published, spoke regarding the destination Tunisia which is our native country. It was then that the idea of creating a platform dedicated to sustainable tourism in Tunisia germinated in our heads. Personally, I have visited several extraordinary regions, breathtaking places and sites in Tunisia. And I realized the potential of our country in terms of sustainable tourism, which potential remains very poorly exploited, unlike other countries which have been able to highlight this new tourist offer. It’s a real mess, given the potential that the Tunisian regions hold. It was the click that pushed us to create “WildyNess”, a platform that offers sustainable and immersive activities in the Tunisian regions.
Can you quote us examples ?
For example, we offer culinary tours in Tataouine. Because the Tataouine region is well known for its very rich culinary heritage. This is a guided tour that includes gourmet visits to locals. This allows you to discover the authentic dishes of the region but also its cultural heritage. Another example: a felucca ride in Kerkennah with fishermen who introduce visitors to “sharia”, a traditional fishing technique listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Tourists can enjoy this unique experience while reveling in the mesmerizing sight of the sunrise in Kerkenah. We also offer activities in Aïn Draham. Indeed, the region is known for its forest landscape but it is also renowned for its cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants such as thyme, juniper… Accompanied by women artisans, tourists can pick aromatic plants, watch the operation distillation in a workshop and then recover the extracted essential oil. Teaching tourists the ancestral know-how of cheese-making in Béja or Jendouba, two regions renowned for their cheese-making, can also be of interest to curious visitors.
Your startup is part of the cinematographic route project. How do you assess the contribution of this project to the Tunisian tourist offer? And how might “WildyNess” be a partner in this project?
The cinematographic route is a very important product. It is part of what are called thematic products. These products drain a category of tourists who choose their destination according to the offer, in particular cultural, and who are attracted by specific activities and wish to live new experiences. They are driven by a passion for particular themes, such as cinema, gastronomy (Currently, we are preparing culinary routes)… This type of product contributes to the diversification of the tourist offer, makes it possible to go out off the beaten track and change the stereotypical image of Tunisian tourism, an image reduced to all inclusive and camel rides.
It’s good to have all that but it’s even better to diversify the offer. Suffice to say that we cannot reduce the image of Tunisia to its beaches, the desert and camel rides. It may be known as a filming location for internationally successful films. Tunisia also has a rich and varied cultural and natural heritage that can be documented via thematic routes and discovered through targeted products like the activities offered by “WildyNess”. Because the cinematographic route is in the same vein as our activities. When the project started, we applied to be part of its management team. We participated in setting up the plan and even the route of the route and we got our hands dirty by enriching it with additional products. In this context, we have supported the development of a thematic hiking project in Bouhlel. It is a region that has hosted several film shoots without it being documented (apart from a few traces found near the canyons). So the idea of creating a hiking circuit that goes through the filming sites came to our mind. It is a circuit through which one can access a panoramic point of view which allows to discover the beauty of the canyons, the oases and the Chott Djerid.
Why is this kind of tourism not experiencing a real boom in Tunisia?
I think this is a new area that people are “just discovering”. There is great potential in this area but, first of all, it takes time for this business segment to gain momentum. And then, the State is not really in tune with this change that is taking place in the tourism sector and does not provide the necessary support and supervision to the actors. Instead of giving a boost to a promising area, the state has remained stuck in a classic model of tourism – which remains important. It is important to create an environment conducive to the development of sustainable tourism actors. This can be done by improving the legal framework but also by providing concrete support to the actors. Let’s take the example of guest houses which are key players in sustainable tourism. It is difficult to obtain approval. Thus, there is no legal status relating to the local guide of the region and only tourist guides who work in partnership with travel agencies within the framework of organized trips are recognized.
In your opinion, which regions have the most potential for alternative tourism?
To tell the truth, I was amazed by the beauty of Tataouine. First time visiting the area, I mightn’t help but go back. I have been there three times in just one month. The region has a lot of potential. Tataouine was once submerged under water, it’s incredible! We have also discovered traces of dinosaurs there and yet this is not highlighted as a tourist product.
It is also known for its culinary heritage. There is also the Center region which has several advantages. For example, in Sidi Bouzid, there is a nature reserve where ostriches live and where plants and trees of the African savannah grow. Too bad that access to this reserve is restricted. There is also Kerkennah. It is a very calm place which conceals a very rich culinary and traditional heritage. The North-West, excluding Tabarka and Ain Draham, is also a region which, in my opinion, has a lot of potential. I’m talking regarding Tajerouine, Dahmani, Sakiet Sidi Youssef, Babouch…
You know by heart the specificities and even the history of each region. How were you able to acquire all this information?
(Laugh). It is thanks to a network that I developed little by little. You know, as I am passionate regarding nature and outdoor activities, I had the chance to travel the country by bike, camping… Which allowed me to know all the nooks and crannies of Tunisia.
