SHORT HAUL: Tunisia
Another world
TUNISIA
With over 700 miles of sandy beaches and just two-and-a-half hours from the UK, Tunisia has plenty to appeal to UK holidaymakers, says Jan Fuscoe
T
unisia has long been a popular option for sun-starved Brits, but the Jasmine Revolution
From left: Watersports, Amphitheatre ruins in El Jem, Star Wars set in Tataouine, Camel trekking, Ballooning over the Sahara
in 2011 saw a drop in numbers that the Tunisian National Tourist Board is working hard to reverse. “Since tourism started in Tunisia in the early 1960s, the destination has managed to overcome all sorts of crises, but 2013 is looking very positive, said Wahida Jaiet, TNTO Director for the UK and Ireland. In fact there is growing confi dence that the 2010 high of 353,282 visitors from the UK will be equalled as fi gures from March 2013 showed a 1.4 per cent increase (compared to March 2010) and the numbers for the fi rst quarter of 2013 are 20% higher than for the same time last year. In order to encourage
Tunisia’s visitors back again, the 64 June 2013
Tunisian National Tourist Offi ce (TNTO) has launched an advertising campaign to showcase the country’s history, archaeology, white-sand beaches and leisure activities. In particular the TNTO is looking to attract 40- to 50-plus travellers, and a major focus in 2013 is golf. I had the opportunity to visit
Tunisia for the fi rst time, to assess whether the lingering nervousness among some tourists is justifi ed. I fl ew out of Heathrow on Tunisair’s
convenient direct service to Tunis (British Airways fl ies from Gatwick) and after a one-hour domestic Tunisair fl ight to Djerba it was just a short road transfer to Tataouine on the edge of the desert. The roads are excellent and, though it would have been possible to drive all the way from Tunis, most holidaymakers could probably think of better ways to spend eight hours. Bordered by the Atlas Mountains,
Tataouine is the gateway to the Sahara where, according to my guide, Hassen, “no one can live” which explains the nomadic lifestyle of the Berbers.
www.sellinglonghaul.com Star Wars afi cionados know
‘Tatooine’ as the fi ctional desert planet where Anakin and Luke Skywalker were born but it was Tunisia’s ‘Festival of the Ksours Saharien’ that brought me there. This three-day event celebrates the rich culture of the Berbers, the indigenous people of North Africa, and promises the rare opportunity of hearing the music of the Sahara. I stayed at the Sangho Privilège
hotel, which has 80 self-contained bungalows and a fabulous pool that the restaurant looks out onto. The food offers guests a real taste
of Tunisia, with plenty of couscous – a traditional Berber dish. The hotel can organise excursions to Berber villages, prehistoric sites, desert tours and, on our visit, seemed a popular place for wedding parties. The second part of my trip was spent on the tiny island of Djerba, linked to the mainland by a causeway. Most of the hotels on Djerba face out on the limpid aquamarine sea and are thalasso spas. Thanks to a great exchange rate, Djerba is the
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