Tunisia guarantees visitors’ safety

Tunisian Tourism Minister Jamel Ghamra has asserted that recent “terrorist attacks” in the western Kasserine region that borders Algeria will not impact the 2013 tourist season. Ghamra confirmed that while extremist militants continued to operate in the mountainous border area, they would not affect the tourism industry. He emphasised that the current Tunisian government, led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, was capable of overcoming the current crisis and countering violent extremism in the country. The tourism minister reported that a plan has been drafted to guarantee visitors’ safety. He explained that security and military forces will cordon off the area in which jihadists are allegedly hiding. He described the tourism industry, which constitutes Tunisia’s primary source of income, as a “red line” that the government is committed to protecting. Ghamra confirmed that his ministry is collaborating with regional tourism councils and interior ministry representatives. The tourism minister noted that hotel bookings were on the rise, suggesting recent figures might augur a lucrative season. A transport ministry official confirmed that tourist numbers had increased by 59 percent this year, with a 32 percent hike in airport arrivals. The official underlined that Islamic preachers will not been denied entry to the country provided that their visits do not conflict with “Tunisian national interests.”