Extreme Delays, Unpredictable Cancellations, and Territorial Disruption
The Tunisian air transport sector is experiencing severe turbulence. Within a span of 48 hours, two major statements, one from the Presidency of the Republic and the other from the Tunisian Hotel Federation, have highlighted a crisis that goes beyond mere inconvenience for travelers and is now heavily impacting tourism and the national economy.
The Situation
The framework was set on December 29 at the Carthage Palace. During a meeting with the Minister of Transport, the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, described the situation of air transport as "unacceptable," citing delays of up to five days on certain international routes. He emphasized the intolerable nature of these dysfunctions, whether in Tunisian airports or abroad, calling for a direct accountability of responsibilities. According to the President, ensuring reliable air transport is a fundamental human right, similar to access to essential public services.
Alarm Sounded by the Tunisian Hotel Federation
A day earlier, on December 28, the Tunisian Hotel Federation sounded the alarm. In a firm-toned statement, it denounced a "structural" crisis in domestic air transport, particularly on routes connecting Tunis to Djerba and Tozeur. Delays, sometimes exceeding ten hours, and last-minute cancellations are no longer perceived as isolated incidents but as a factor of lasting disorganization. The Federation even speaks of a forced isolation of certain regions, with direct impacts on citizens and tourism professionals.
Concrete Consequences
On the ground, the consequences are tangible. The lack of reliability of air links disrupts travel agency programs, undermines contractual commitments with tour operators, and weakens the promotion of strategic niches such as Saharan tourism or island tourism. Terrestrial alternatives, which are long and inadequately equipped, cannot compensate for these failures, exacerbating the feeling of marginalization of interior regions.
Urgent Need for Reform
This dual observation, both political and professional, converges towards the same urgency: to deeply reform Tunisian air transport. The Presidency mentions a global reconstruction of public services, while tourism stakeholders call for courageous and immediate decisions. Beyond the country's image, it is the competitiveness of the Tunisian destination that is at stake, in an international context where the reliability of transport has become a decisive criterion for travelers.
In clear terms, without a stable sky, it is difficult to sustainably take off Tunisian tourism.
