Tunisia will offer financial support to hotels to bring more of them up to the standard UK tour operators require.
It aims to double the number of properties suitable for the British market from 50 to about 100.
Mohamed Mehdi Haloui, Director General of the Tunisian National Tourist Office (TNTO), said the scheme would begin in January or February 2027.
“This is more than a proposal. It is a plan,” he said, speaking at World Travel Market (WTM) in London.
Tunisia attracted a record 450,000 UK visitors in 2025 and is targeting half a million this year. Mohamed said growth now depends on raising hotel quality.
“UK operators are asking for more beds, but they must be of a minimum standard. We need to increase the quality for them,” he said.
“British travellers want the same quality of hotel wherever they go, or they won’t come back.”
He said UK visitors expect higher standards than the French, one of Tunisia’s biggest source markets.
Talks with easyJet, as both airline and tour operator, had shown the need for improvement. Mohamed said the carrier was keen to add flights, but only if enough hotel capacity of the right standard was available.
“We also have a new player, Jet2, in addition to easyJet and TUI, but for us to grow, we need to improve our hotels,” he said.
The first step will be an inventory of hotels that need ‘a little’ renovation. Properties that need only small changes to meet UK standards will be prioritised for support.
Mohamed said the TNTO was in talks with banks and other financiers to set up the funding.
“We have suffered for many years because of the revolution, then COVID and the collapse of Thomas Cook, so we are aware that hotels are struggling,” he said. “Hotels will get support.”
