Tunisia’s Minister for Tourism said in a press conference on Wednesday that tourism revenues increased to 3,349 million dinars in 2009. Mr. Khelil Laajimi said a 2% decrease in the number of European tourists will be offset by the number of Libyan and Algerian tourists, expected to reach 3 million this year. The drop in number of European visitors is due mainly to the combined effect of the economic crisis and H1N1 virus.
Mr. Laajimi said the German tourist market is very important to Tunisia and there will be “a significant growth” in this market over the next few years. Tunisair will begin new direct flights between Tozeur and Milan, and between Tozeur and Madrid in order to promote Saharan tourism this winter season.
