Tunisia's Hotel Industry in Crisis
Key Figures Presented to Parliamentary Tourism Committee
On Thursday, April 2, 2026, the Tunisian Hotel Federation presented alarming figures to the parliamentary tourism committee during a hearing. The numbers reveal a stark reality:
- 164 classified hotels have closed their doors
- The country's hotel capacity has decreased from 235,000 to 175,000 beds, resulting in the loss of nearly one-third of the national capacity
- This trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon
Underlying Reasons
The reasons behind this crisis are well-known, yet rarely addressed. The primary issue is the lack of qualified personnel. Although training centers exist, their programs often fail to meet the real needs of hotels. Moreover, many experienced professionals have left the country in search of better opportunities abroad. Tunisia invests in training them, but other countries reap the benefits.
Air Transport: A Major Obstacle
The second major issue is air transport. The national airline is facing a serious crisis, characterized by:
- Insufficient connections
- High tariffs As a result, tourists are opting for more accessible and better-served destinations. Hoteliers are calling for the Tunisian skies to be opened to foreign airlines, at least on a provisional basis.
Additional Urgent Needs
Beyond these two pressing issues, professionals have identified other concrete needs:
- Digitizing tourist services
- Facilitating access to bank credit
- Renovating tourist areas, whose image has been tarnished and is now affecting the overall product
These challenges must be addressed to revitalize Tunisia's hotel industry and restore its competitiveness in the global tourism market.
