In the archaeological museum in Sousse city in east Tunisia, a colorful one-square-meter mosaic of a Chinese Taijitu attracts many visitors.
The Taijitu, evenly divided into two halves by a central curve, represents the Chinese philosophy of “Yin and Yang”.
According to archaeologists, this mosaic artwork was introduced to Africa through the ancient Silk Road, and is being hailed as a testament to the long history of China-Tunisia exchanges.
Chinese tourists are showing more interest in new routes than traditional destinations these days. In February 2017, Tunisia decided to offer visa-free entry to Chinese tourists for no more than 90 days stay in the country.
Lying at the north point of the African continent, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia is rich in tourist attractions, especially the beautiful beaches along the coast. The peak season for seaside holidays in Tunisia is from June to October.
Tunisia is showing great importance to boosting its tourist sector, which accounts for about eight percent of the country’s GDP. Resorts have been established along the eastern coastal areas, among which Sousse and Hammamet are the most popular destinations.
With a history of thousands of years, Sousse was once a military and commercial hub, as well as a typical Islamic city.
Tunisia witnessed a decline in visiting tourists since 2015 when the country was hit by three major terrorist attacks, including a deadly attack at a hotel in Sousse which claimed the lives of over 30 people, most of whom were foreign tourists.
With the visitors’ showing confidence in the country’s security situation, tourism in Tunisia started to look up in 2017.
