Risk & Crisis Management in Tourism Sector:
Recovery from Crisis
in the OIC Member Countries
93
The authorities are now working to diversify the country’s product offer by expanding on
heritage tourism, desert tourism, ecotourism, senior citizen and health and wellness tourism,
with an emphasis on individual travellers and closer partnership with local communities and
stakeholders in various regions. The aim is to shift the focus away from the coast in favour of
more regional promotion, in order to send a clear message that Tunisia has a more diversified
product to offer besides sun and sea and beach resorts.
Meanwhile, the authorities are continuing their extensive marketing efforts. Besides the
traditional markets in Europe, marketing campaigns are being extended to the emerging
markets in Russia, eastern Europe and neighbouring countries of North Africa as well as
exploring new markets such as China, Middle Eastern countries and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Overall, the Tunisian tourism system has demonstrated some of the key factors of resilience, in
that the government has been proactive in leading on an inclusive approach to stakeholders and
funded promotional campaigns aimed not just at restoring the country’s tourism offer to its pre-
existing situation but at encouraging evolution towards a renewed and more diversified
product. Thus, the official tourism websit shows images of heritage
sites, gastronomy and desert landscapes as well as the more familiar beaches and resort hotels.
At the same time, the government has addressed the specific concerns of tourists and the
tourism industry by improving security at locations most likely to be frequented by tourists. It
is too early to draw firm conclusions about the success of these measures, but the signs for 2017
are positive.