(Ecofin Agency) - Tunisia expects 9 million visitors by the end of the ongoing tourism season, the ministry of tourism indicated last weekend, according to many local media.  

According to René Trabelsi (photo), the tourism ministry, this forecast is based on the good performances in the sector despite challenges experienced by national airline company Tunisair. The performances were mainly due to the improvement of the security environment (after the 2015 terrorist attacks that slowed the sector).

In the first four months of 2019, Tunisia welcomed more than 2.2 million tourists, representing an 18% increase year on year. European tourists made the bulk of those arrivals (a 22% YoY increase). The British led the way (+140%) followed by French (+23%) and Dutch (+13%).

This year, the country expects close to 1 million French tourists, 390,000 German and 640,000 Russians.

In 2018, it reached a record number of 8 million tourists, representing a 14.28% year on year rise.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou