A Historic Record for Tunisian Tourism
For 2025, Tunisia has exceeded the symbolic threshold of 11 million visitors, across all nationalities and categories. This milestone was reached after several years of gradual recovery following the health crisis, marked by a continuous increase in arrivals since 2023.
According to the authorities, this level surpasses pre-pandemic performance and confirms the resilience of a sector considered strategic for the national economy. Tourist flows were particularly strong between the summer and the end of the year, with the final quarter driven by targeted promotional campaigns and higher occupancy rates.
Significantly Increased Revenue
The rise in arrivals translated into a substantial increase in tourism revenue in 2025. In the first nine to eleven months of the year, sector revenue reached several billion dinars, with growth exceeding 8% compared to 2024, according to official data.
This momentum confirms tourism’s role as a major source of foreign currency and a contributor to the balance of payments, in a still fragile economic context. Authorities emphasize that the upgrading of services, market diversification, and the extended season are all contributing to the increase in average spending per visitor.
Promising Markets, Between Europe and North Africa
Traditional European markets, particularly France, Germany, the UK and Poland, contributed significantly to this record with double-digit growth in some segments. Meanwhile, the Maghreb market, primarily Algerian, remains a cornerstone of the tourism strategy, accounting for several million visitors annually.
This combination of local markets and longer-distance flows reduces dependence on a single region and better mitigates external shocks. Efforts have also been made to attract new visitors from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
A Diversified Tourism Offering
The country is now focusing on a more diversified offering, ranging from classic beach resorts to cultural city breaks, as well as desert, ecotourism, and wellness tourism. Investments have been made to strengthen accommodation capacity in destinations such as Djerba, Sousse, Tozeur, and Tabarka, while also promoting medinas and heritage sites.
The authorities are also highlighting the rise of domestic tourism, supported by campaigns like “Tounes Lik” (Tunisia Likes), which encourage Tunisians to rediscover their own country. This strategy of geographic and product diversification aims to establish more sustainable growth and better distribute the economic benefits across the country.
Towards the Top 3 African Destinations
With more than 11 million tourists projected for 2025, Tunisia is moving closer to its stated goal of becoming a top 3 tourist destination in Africa, alongside Morocco and Egypt. In 2024, the country was already vying for third place with South Africa, both attracting around 10 to 11 million visitors.
For the government, this performance should serve as a springboard to consolidate the quality of services, modernize digital promotion and continue the transition towards more responsible tourism. The coming years will be crucial in transforming this record into a structural trend, in an international environment that remains competitive and vulnerable to crises.
Tags: responsible tourism, 11 million visitors, destination Africa Tunisia
