Cruises return to Tunisia after pandemic hiatus

Tourism is a major source of foreign currency and contributes about 10% of GDP, so its stagnation during the two-year COVID-19 crisis exacerbated Tunisia's financial squeeze. The cruise ship "Spirit of Discovery" docked in La Goulette port from Italy with 724 tourists, mostly German, British and French, aboard.

Tunisia greeted the first cruise ship since 2019 on Wednesday and expects 40 this year in a revival of tourism after the coronavirus pandemic. Tourism is a major source of foreign currency and contributes about 10% of GDP, so its stagnation during the two-year COVID-19 crisis exacerbated Tunisia's financial squeeze.

The cruise ship "Spirit of Discovery" docked in La Goulette port from Italy with 724 tourists, mostly German, British and French, aboard. Tunisia hopes to receive about 4.7 million visitors in 2022, half of its record number in 2019.

Most hotels have been closed for two years. "Today, cruises return after an absence of three years, and they are very important for several sectors such as transport, traditional industries and markets," Tourism Minister Moez bel Hassin told reporters in La Goulette to receive the cruise. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)