Figures recently published by CETO (The Association of French Tour Operators) and FRAM travel agency appeared to paint a rosy picture of the Tunisian tourism sector in 2007. CETO’s figures showed an increase in French tourists of 3.8% for Tunisia, compared to a decline for Morocco by 2.8%. By comparison, FRAM’s figures had French tourism to Tunisia up 5%, and Morocco down between 2% and 3%. However, all is not well in Tunisian tourism. Behind these apparently impressive figures lie some worrying trends. Arrivals from other European countries were down — Germany by 6% to 514,000; Italy by 4.3% to 440,000; and the UK by 11% to 312,000. Moreover, average spending per head in Tunisia is only $333, well under half of Egypt’s $850 and less than a third of Morocco’s $1,040. Growth in the sector is down to just 3% annually. Tunisia’s problems are primarily structural. The poor level
