Tunisia is a country located on the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Africa. Tourism in Tunisia carries an important industry, and the country has many attractions for visitors.
These include ancient ruins, sandy beaches, and vibrant cities. Tunisia also offers a variety of cultural experiences, including music and dance performances and opportunities to learn about the country’s history and culture.
Is Tunisia Safe for Tourists?
In the past, Tunisia saw an increase in terrorist threats and problems with its borders, which led many governments to say that the country was not safe for people to visit.
Over the last few years, many foreign governments have said that Tunisia is safe for tourists to go there again, but not everyone agrees.
Only a few places in Tunisia are not safe for tourists right now, but tourists can follow Tunisia’s travel safety advice to stay safe.
Is it Safe to Travel to Tunisia?
It was thought that Tunisia was dangerous for tourists after two terrorist attacks happened there in 2015. The British Foreign Office told its citizens not to visit any part of the country.
That’s not all: In 2017, the BFO lifted its travel ban on Tunisia. Even though a lot of Tunisia is now safe to visit, there are still parts of Tunisia that are dangerous and should not be visited.
Unsafe Places to Visit in Tunisia
Many parts of Tunisia are now safe for tourists to visit, but some parts of the south and the western border are still dangerous because of terrorism or military operations. The capital, Tunis, and most of the north are safe places to visit now. It’s a good idea not to travel to:
- Between Tunisia’s southern border with Libya and the cities of Ras Jedir and Dehiba. There are a lot of times when the border is closed to all traffic because of dangerous situations.
- Some of Tunisia’s western mountains, such as Mount Salloum, Mount Sammamma, and Mount Mghila, are off-limits to the public.
- The military zone in the desert south of Remanda is in a place that is very hot and dry.
- The city of Ben Guerdan and the rest of the area around it.
- Chaambi Mountains National Park, as well as Mount Salloum, Mount Sammamma, and Mount Mghila, which have been designated as military operations zones, are all in the same place.
- The area south of the towns of El Borma and Dhehiba that has been militarized is called the “militarized zone.”
- North of Dhehiba, the rest of the Libyan border area is less than 20 km away from the city.
- Some areas that are less than 75 kilometres from the Libyan border, like Remada, El Borma, and the town of Zarzis, are in danger.
- The governorate of Kasserine, which includes the city of Sbeitla, is
- At least 10 kilometres from the Algerian border, there are archaeological sites and a Biq region west of Ghardimaou, as well as the archaeological site of Chemtou in El Kef and the Biq region west of Ghardimaou in El Kef.
Some other places are thought to be less dangerous, but all but essential travel should be avoided:
- Sidi Bou Zid is in the middle of Tunisia, in the city of Sidi Bou Zid
- People live in a lot of the western part of Algeria, from the city of Jendouba in the North to the town of Hazoua in the South.
Tunisia Travel Safety Tips
You should follow the following Tunisia safety tips while you are in the country:
- Visit Tunisia’s government’s travel advisory service while they’re there to see if there have been any changes.
- People in Tunisia should keep an eye out for stories about security threats in the local media that are getting better and better.
- Make sure you don’t spend the night outside of Tunisia’s main cities and tourist areas.
- If you use public transportation, be on the lookout for security issues.
- Avoid protests and large crowds.
- Get a medical insurance plan for Tunisia that covers emergencies.
- Make a plan of action for when things go wrong.
Many people are afraid of the security risks, but there are many good reasons to get a Tunisia eVisa and go to the country. In Tunisia, there are long beaches of golden sand.
The capital city, Tunis, and the ruins of Carthage are just a few of the best places to visit. And those who follow the Tunisia travel safety tips can still enjoy them.
Tunisia eVisa to Improve Security
The next time you want to go to Tunisia, you’ll have to fill out an online form for an eVisa. It will only take a few minutes.
Those who qualify will not have to go to an embassy or consulate in person to get a Tunisia visa. They will also be able to apply for a Tunisia visa online and be pre-screened.
People who want to apply will have to give some basic information about themselves and their passports, as well as their travel plans, in order to do so.
As part of the application process for an electronic visa for Tunisia, the applicant will also need to have a valid email address that is up-to-date.
It can then be done to print a copy of the Tunisia tourist visa so that it can be shown with the passport at Tunisian border control, along with the visa.
Why Tunisia is a Good Tourist Destination?
Tunisia is a great place to visit if you want to see everything that’s great about North Africa. It has beautiful sandy beaches, ancient ruins, and huge, rolling desert dunes. On the Mediterranean coast, Tunisia is close to Europe. It’s between the Atlantic and Nile Deltas, and it’s right next to Europe.
Many people I had met before I knew I was going to Tunisia had a lot of fun there. They talked about Djerba a lot, and they talked about it a lot.
It looked like an island paradise and was a must-see as far as I could tell. By chance, I was about to start my first trip to Tunisia from Djerba, which is in the country. Was so excited! The guide to things to do in Djerba that I wrote can be found at this link.
In the end, I saw so much more. It took me about 10 days to get to Tunisia’s main city. I travelled about 600 kilometres all the way up there.
TRAVEL TO TUNISIA
If you want to fly, there are six international airports in Tunisia that you can go to. There is a good chance that you will land at Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN) near the city of Tunis.
The airports are very modern and easy to get to. You can change money right at the airport, and you can get a SIM card with data. The rate is the same in Tunisia.
Make phone calls in Africa, and having a local number can save you money. The roaming rate can be very high there, and having a local number can help you save money (USD 3 per minute with my operator).
Before you leave, you should see if you need a tourist visa for Tunisia. In Tunisia, people from 97 countries don’t need a visa.
They can stay there for up to 90 days without getting a visa. In this group of countries are the United States and Canada, as well as all of the European Union countries (except Cyprus). These countries also include Australia and New Zealand.
THE SECURITY IN TUNISIA
With last year’s terrorist attacks (in the Bardo museum in March and on the beach in Sousse in June), it’s important to be careful in places where there are a lot of people.
Avoid going to the southern border with Libya and a few places on the border with Algeria. Download a map of the places that need to be fixed here.
From my own point of view, I felt safe in Tunisia. Really! Most of all, the resorts are safe and very peaceful. I also went to places in Tunis and Sousse where sad things had happened, like the market. Yes, I would go back to Tunisia again. I’d do that. Definitely!
Because Tunisia is a great place to go on vacation, there are at least seven reasons why it is. It’s time. Let’s see my favourite things:
01 | A Thousand kilometres of stunning beaches
Most people who want to enjoy the sun head to Tunisia to enjoy the sea and beautiful Mediterranean beaches.
They don’t get very crowded because there is enough golden sand for everyone. This is how long Tunisia’s coast is: 1,148 kilometres.
The best beaches are on the Cap Bon peninsula. Djerba is also a great place to go swimming, and you can do it all year round (two famous beaches are Sidi Mahrez and Seguia).
Tunisian beaches are very wide and long. North of Sousse, there’s a beach that’s about 35 km long. In Nabeul, it’s even longer.
The stay at the beach resorts is very relaxing. All but a few hotels are far from the city and have their own private beach for guests only.
There are two places I really liked: Yadis Djerba thalasso, Golf & Spa Hotel is right on the coast of Djerba. Golden Yasmine Mehari Hammamet is the second hotel. It has a beautiful beach just a few steps away. They are, of course, on my list of the best Tunisia resorts.
02 | Towns brimming with historical charm
Tunisia is more than just a place to go to the beach. A hotel in Tunisia isn’t going to scare you if it’s surrounded by nothing but desert all the time. At this place, cities that are worth going to are never too far away.
On my trip, I went to Houmt Souk, Souk, Sfax, Hammament, and Tunis to see what they had to show me. I will write about those cities in a separate article that is coming soon.
A medina, or historic area, used to be inside a city wall, but now it’s just a part of the city. Take a walk through the labyrinth of narrow streets. It’s a real thing to do.
Tunisians are friendly and kind. There aren’t any places where they won’t help or give you advice if you need it. They never seem to be in a hurry.
There always seems to be enough time for everything. The official language is Arabic, but most people in the area speak both Arabic and French. People don’t use English as much as they used to. But for me, it always worked, too.
When it comes to souvenirs, I like to buy things made of olive wood, like decorations and kitchenware. I bought some ladles for just 7 dinars, which was a good deal for me (3 USD).
03 | Experience the Sahara, the world’s largest desert
In the south of Tunisia, you can see the beautiful sands of the Sahara in ten countries. Besides, I can tell you that it’s a great place, and it was the best part of my trip to Tunisia. The next time I think about going back, I might stay there for the night. There must be a lot of stars.
Djerba is the easiest place to plan a trip to the Sahara. In the west, there are salt lakes. In the Sahara, you can see oases.
There is a small town called Matmata, which is known for its underground cave structures (called trylodges).
These structures used to be used by the local Berber people to live. In the past, no one lived there, but now you can go see this architectural wonder for yourself!
04 | Mediterranean climate with lots of sunshine
Tunisia has a lot of sunshine all year long. The coast is full of resorts and has a Mediterranean climate that is warm and sunny most of the time.
When can you go swimming? The season runs from May to October. The sea can get up to 28°C. If you don’t like hot weather, try to avoid July and August, which are the hottest months.
In September and October, the weather is good and the sea is still warm. If you want to go sightseeing in Tunisia, April and May are the best months.
05 | Jaw-dropping archaeological sites
Tunisia has a lot of history. There are a lot of archaeological sites that show how important Tunisia was in the history of the world.
There were Phoenician traders who first came across Tunisia, and they kept coming back. The colony grew into the centre of an empire that ruled the Mediterranean Sea.
If you’re interested in history, you can still see some of the ruins of Cartague. These include Roman baths, a cathedral, and an amphitheatre.
The country has some of the best Roman ruins outside of Italy. The cities of Dougga, Bulla Regea, and Chemtou are all in the northeastern part of the country.
You can see traces of Roman history there. Check out the UNESCO-listed amphitheatre El Jem, which was built in 238 AD and is still used today. It is the third-largest amphitheatre in the world. It can hold 35,000 people.
06 | You can move around the country easily
We wouldn’t want to spend all our time in Tunisia in one place. The roads are in good shape and there are many ways to get around on your own.
Transportation options:
Car: about USD 55 per day. Rentals are a good way to make money. It’s easy to find. At the airport, the price is more.
Long-distance bus: the cheapest way to get around. Buses don’t have schedules, but they come and go all the time.
Shared taxi: a taxi for eight people. There are a lot of regular routes, but they only go when there are enough people on them.
Train: trains that are very comfortable run from Tunis to the cities of Sousse, Sfax, and Monastir, all of which are very close together.
07 | International cuisine with amazing seafood
The food in Tunisia is pretty good. If you like seafood, you’ll enjoy it even more. They have the best shrimp I’ve ever had. People in the area like to eat “Poisson complete,” which is grilled fish. As well, it’s tasty.
Tunisian food comes in a wide range of flavours. It has elements of Turkish, French, and Mediterranean food in it.
They don’t serve pork because it’s a Muslim country, but you’ll like the mutton. Almost every meal has some kind of fruit, vegetable, or olives.
How Important is Tourism in Tunisia?
Tunisia is one of the most popular places to visit in Africa. It has beautiful landscapes, beaches, the Sahara Desert, ruins from the ancient Roman and Phoenician civilizations, and more.
Millions of people visit each year to see these things. There have also been a lot of problems with the tourism industry there in the last 10 years because of the 2011 Revolution, the 2015 terrorist attacks, and the recent coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19).
Some of the biggest drops in visitors came because there was a global health crisis. In April 2020, there were fewer visitors than there was the year before, about 100% less than there were last year.
National security and coronavirus-affected inbound tourism
From 2010 to now, the number of tourists coming to Tunisia has changed for a variety of reasons. As violence and political instability rose during the 2011 revolution, Tunisia had been worried about how the COVID-19 pandemic would affect tourism.
Before that, Tunisia was worried about how the 2011 revolution would affect its tourism industry. Many years after the terrorist attacks that took place in 2015, 22 people died at a tourist resort in Sousse and 38 people died at the Bardo Museum in Tunis.
Whether it was because of national security or the pandemic, those times were marked by general instability, which led to a drop in the number of international tourists coming to the country.
Except for these times, Tunisia has always had between seven and eight million visitors a year, mostly from Africa and Europe. After the COVID-19 pandemic is over, inbound tourism is expected to start to come back.
Main travel destinations and attractions
People from all over the world go on vacation to Tunisia because they can swim in clear water and play on the golden sand. This year, the island of Jerba is one of the most popular places for international tourists to stay in the country.
The coastal areas of Zarzis and Gabes are also popular, with the most overnight stays by foreigners in 2019. Also, tourists go to Tunisia’s old places to learn more about the country’s history.
The Archaeological Site of Carthage, which includes traces of the ancient Phoenician and Roman civilizations, is the most popular thing to see in Tunisia, along with the Amphitheatre of El Jem and the Bardo National Museum in the capital city.
Declining economic contribution
There are many businesses in Tunisia, but tourism is one of the main ones. Most of the time, tourism is a profitable part of the country’s service industry.
As a general rule, the tourism industry has a big impact on the country’s economy and the job market.
For example, in 2019, 94.4 thousand jobs were directly created by tourist sites, attractions, transportation, hotels, and other places to stay.
However, the above times of crisis also hurt tourism revenue. Because of the pandemic, tourism’s share of the GDP dropped from 12% to 6% in 2020, compared to 12% the year before.
What Food is Tunisia Famous for?
I was surprised by the food in Tunisia. A good and tasty mix of flavours from both the Mediterranean (mostly French but also Italian) and North African cuisines.
There have been a lot of different civilizations that have ruled the land, including the Romans, Vandals, Byzantines and the Punics-Berber people.
When you order food in Tunisia, there are two things you’ll notice: they always give you a lot of bread for free, and most of the time they also give you a small snack or starter. Bread is very important in any meal, and it can even be used to eat with instead of cutlery.
Brik
This is probably the most well-known and traditional Tunisian dish. In most restaurants and hotels, you’ll find it on the menu. Some shops on the street have it on the menu as well.
It is a flaky pastry dough called Malsouka that is fried and filled with eggs, parsley, and tuna before it is served. : It is served with lemon, and when you’re nearing the egg, you need to take a few bites and then swallow it so you don’t spill the yolk. Add lemon at any time, too.
Its shape may change a little, but it’s usually a triangle (like a folded pizza, calzone or samosa). You can also get fillings like cheese, potatoes, or shrimp in the same dish. High-quality bricks look like they have more layers and are drier than the rest.
It is usually served as the second course during Ramadan. This is the main reason why it is so well-liked.
Tunisian Salad
This is a simple but good salad that has tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, beans, potatoes, olives, tuna, and eggs in it. Most of the time, it is served with olive oil and lemon on top, but sometimes Harissa is added as well.
People who live in the area told me that this salad is called Tunisian salad, but there isn’t anything in it that comes from Tunisia. There is still a lot to say about how fresh and tasty it is, though.
Mechouia Salad
There is a lot of history behind this “red” salad. It was the first thing I wanted to try when I first arrived in Tunis. Everywhere you go, you’ll be able to find coffee.
Sweet red peppers, tomatoes, and onions are grilled and mixed with oil, a little lemon juice, tuna fish, and hard-boiled eggs to make a salad. It might be spicy, so it’s better to ask first. This food can be very hot. It can also be served either mild or spicy, and sometimes with grilled fish or lamb.
Fricassé
People in Tunisia love this food on the streets, and I’m sure I did too! You can get it with tuna, eggs, olives, harissa and boiled potatoes inside of it.
La Marsa has an open area where we got both Bambalouni and Fricassé, as well as homemade potato crisps, from there. Next to the main mosque in the neighbourhood.
You can really feel like you’re in the Mediterranean in La Marsa, which is where most middle-class Tunisians and people who live there come from. You should go and walk your way around.
Le Lablabi
The one I liked the most was this one. Because not only did it taste good, but also because it was unique and fun to make.
Some of the main ingredients in Lablabi are cumin and garlic. It is a thick soup or stew that is made with chickpeas and a lot of these spices.
Crusty bread should be at least two days old when you serve it. Also, a soft egg is added to the soup. It’s made with extra cumin and olive oil. There are also capers and tuna in the soup.
It was very interesting to learn how to do it. An empty clay pot and a piece of hard bread (2 days old). It starts with cutting the bread into small pieces with your hands.
Then, you need to fill the bowl with the bread. Give this to the cook, and he or she adds everything else. Then, you get it back. Everything is finally mixed together with two spoons and you’re done. You’re ready to eat your soup or stew.
We went to Café-Halfaouine, which is in the Du Lac 1 neighbourhood. There, you can also drink tea, coffee, smoke shisha, and more. Definitely worth it.
Couscous
Couscous is likely to be something you’ve heard of or tried at least once. People in the Maghreb eat steamed balls of durum wheat semolina with a stew on top.
In the United States, there are a lot of different ways to make it. Deep dish: It usually comes with meat or fish on top and some vegetables on the bottom of the dish.
Foods that people like to eat are lamb or chicken, and fish can range from red snapper to grouper to sea bass. Peppers, carrots, pumpkins, and potatoes are some of the most popular vegetables.
Locals seem to agree that Couscous came from Morocco, but they can’t be sure. However, it’s not clear where it came from, and it’s common in North African cuisines from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Libya.
Harissa
As a condiment for meat, fish, or salad, or as a dip or spread. It is made with chili peppers and garlic and is very spicy. This isn’t as hot as it looks. I have had it a few times and it isn’t as hot as it looks Most places serve it with bread and olive oil as a snack, which makes it very tasty.
Harissa is a traditional Tunisian product, and it would be a good gift or souvenir. You can buy it from grocery stores to the airport from grocery stores to gift shops to the airport.
It is also becoming popular in different parts of the world. Everywhere in the UK, you’ll be able to find food and drinks with it (for instance, M&S offers fish and meat with this paste).
For breakfast last week, we had poached eggs with Harissa, which was also a great mix. Buy it on the internet, as well as at the store.
Tajine
Tunisia has a different way to make a frittata, quiche, or tortilla, like this one. Eggs, cheese, meat and vegetables are mixed together and baked into a big cake-like dish. You can get it for free at restaurants before your meal, but you can also buy it as a main dish.
Bambalouni
Sweet, very sweet. Some kind of bread with a Tunisian twist on doughnuts from the United States Round-shaped flour dough that has been fried in oil and then topped with sugar or honey. They are good, but you need to be ready for a sugar rush.
It is very important to eat them hot. So they will make it for you when you want it. It then goes from the frying pan to your hand, with a quick sugar-loading stop.
What about beer?
Celtia is the main beer in the area (81% share). It’s also good for a country that doesn’t drink a lot of alcohol, which makes it even better. You can tell it’s strong because it’s a light lager.
There are a lot of places where you can get it, either in bottles or on the bar. But it isn’t all over. In some parts of the city, you can’t drink alcohol at all.
It’s called the “Du Lac” (1 and 2), and it’s one of them. It looks like most of the investors are from Saudi Arabia, and they would not let it happen, it seems.
Conclusion
Tourism in Tunisia is a vital economic part. It provides jobs and income for Tunisians, and it helps to promote Tunisia as a destination.
In order to preserve the benefits that tourism brings to Tunisia, it is important to manage tourism responsibly. The government and the private sector should work together to ensure that tourism is sustainable and that it benefits all Tunisians.
