During a meeting-debate on the theme “Algerian tourism in Tunisia: what prospects for the 2022 season?” “, organized by the tourism promotion association “Tourism Labs 24”, in partnership with Destination Tunisie.info, the president of this association, Hedi Hamdi indicated to the TAP agency that the closure of the Tunisian-Algerian borders presages results not very encouraging, pointing out that of the nine million foreign tourists who visited Tunisia in 2019, three million were Algerians.
The participants in this meeting underlined that Tunisia is ready to welcome Algerians, citing competitive tourist offers. According to them, the Tunisian company Tunisair is predisposed to increase the number of flights from Algeria to Tunisia.
The President of the Tunisian Federation of Hotels (FTH), Dorra Miled emphasized the importance of the Algerian market which represents 3 million tourists, underlining the impacts of their absence, for 2 years, because of the continued closure of land borders.
She stressed the need for the intervention of the authorities to reopen, before the start of the peak of the season, the land border crossings between Tunisia and Algeria, the main entry points for Algerian tourists (93%).
And to add that despite the start of the season, professionals in the sector are still awaiting a decision to reopen and believe that they will see a successful season, following two years of crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The manager noted in this context the possible recovery of the sector and the achievement of 50% of the results for the year 2019.
For his part, the head of the Regional Sections of Travel Agencies “FRAV”, Sobhi Saidi indicated that the exit of the tourism sector from this crisis due to the pandemic, remains dependent on the influx of Algerian tourists and the reopening of the borders. .
He said that regarding 300 Tunisian travel agencies operating in the Algerian market have prepared the tourist season well, made reservations for this market and concluded agreements with hotels, in anticipation of the return of Algerians.
And to add that the travel agencies are in permanent contact with their Algerian counterparts who are in turn awaiting the reopening of the borders.
The central director of promotion at the Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT), Lotfi Mani, stressed that the decision to reopen the borders is a sovereign Algerian decision which must be respected and has no impact on relations. Tunisian-Algerian.
The return of Algerian tourists, whose number is estimated at 1.7 million per year, will contribute to boosting the tourism dynamic in the country.
He also recalled the importance of domestic tourism which has now become a pillar of the success of the tourist season.
