Italian property firm Ernesto Preatoni Group will invest 15 billion euros ($22 billion) in a luxury resort of hotels and holiday homes in northwest Tunisia, it was reported yesterday.
The project includes a high-class tourism complex, hotels, leisure centers and ports in the northwest of Tunisia; Work will start before the end of this year and will last 12 years.
So another outside investment in the tourism sector in Tunisia. Tourism obviously is one of Tunisia’s biggest sources of income, and so investments in this area are always very good news; but I really wish we start seeing big investments like this in other areas as well, mainly service-based and production-based businesses; Tunisia has a well-educated workforce in several industries and the government has put in place many incentives for outside investors that should make it a really great destination for such kinds of investments.
Plus, I think it’s very important for Tunisia to diversify the areas of investment and income for the country, as well as build up and modernize different sectors to absorb the newer generations of Tunisian graduates and job-seekers.
[Source: Reuters]
Tourism for us is what oil is for the middle-east. We keep investing in it knowing full well that it won’t last. The day will come when those “6 million” visitors will have other means of entertaining themselves cheaply.
Research & Development is marginilised in Tunisia and the current policies have resulted in a massive brain drain. It’s really sad.
This is all very well and good but the people who will service the tourists need to be educated in how to give the tourists a good time and feel wanted.
Take Sousse – the taxi drivers try to rip off tourists (usually every one in three taxi trips I take they try to overcharge), the general people seem very ignorant and make tourists feel as though they’re not wanted by the populace, and every shop tries to small change you. Also, in many shops there is not a smile from the staff, especially those serviced by women.
Also, the country is literally covered in plastic bottles and plastic bags. The country’s residents needs to have instilled in them a sense of pride that is very much lacking at the moment – does anyone really think that tourists like the look of a country where its streets are full of litter?
So its no wonder tourists are not coming back to Tunisia in droves, and why many hotels are nearly empty most of the year. Unless something drastically changes nation-wide then this expense of a tremendous amount of money will be wasted and be yet another Tunisian white-elephant.
Well it seems that Tunisia just feels very confident that they don’t need tourists. Passport Control at both Monastir and Tunis are turning back tourists and putting them on the plane they arrived on without any reason given, nor any chance for that person to determine why, nor given a chance to defend any problem that may be. Every court in the world gives a chance for a person to defend themselves, Tunisia seems to want to keep out the world. Are you going to waste money going to Tunisia only to be turned away? And why?