What are your customers asking for this year? The chances are it’s something along the lines of “sun, sea and sand, just a short-haul flight away – oh, and good value for money”.
For many of them, the place to find all these things may well be Tunisia. Tui Travel has increased its capacity in the North African country by 63% this year.
Classic Collection’s summer sales to Tunisia are up by 61.5%. And specialist operator Just Sunshine has launched its first Tunisia brochure, featuring hotels in eight resorts.
Outside the eurozone but just a short flight away – not much farther than the Balearics – Tunisia offers great value for money even compared with the rest of North Africa. And a favourable exchange rate with the dinar means it’s cheap too.
Its 450 miles of clean, white, sandy beaches are lapped by the Mediterranean, and for those who want more than beach-time, there are ancient ruins, desert adventures, golf courses and sumptuous spas. But which resort should your clients pick?
Map: Tunisia’s key resorts
View Tunisia: Key resorts in a larger map
Tunis
The capital is a bustling city with a pretty medina, souks and a wide selection of restaurants and cafes. It is close to the ruins of Carthage and the gorgeous village of Sidi Bou Said. This white-walled, blue-shuttered, flower-filled town was once the haunt of artists but is now popular with tourists, who come to sip mint tea and watch the world go by.
Customers can stay in Tunis or Sidi Bou Said for a city-break type holiday, or can compromise by staying in Gammarth, a beach resort nearby.
Gammarth is home to The Residence, one of Tunisia’s most upmarket hotels. It’s a 15-minute taxi ride (£3) from Sidi Bou Said or a 30-minute ride (£6) from Tunis, so clients can go sightseeing or out for dinner while retaining the best facets of a relaxing beach holiday.
Hammamet and Yasmine Hammamet
Hammamet is where beach tourism in Tunisia began. It has a lovely old medina with a castle by the sea, and a choice of hotels from the top end of the market to the bottom.
The mostly low-rise properties front the big, wide, sandy beaches that are particularly fine, even by Tunisian standards, and the resort is full of lemon trees and bougainvillea. There’s a good range of bars and restaurants, and it has a traditionally Tunisian feel.
Neighbouring Yasmine Hammamet is a newer, purpose-built development with a marina and wide boulevards filled with bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. It has a much more European feel than Old Hammamet. Both resorts have good upmarket options and are great for couples, though families can enjoy the resorts too.
Yasmine Hammamet also has Carthageland, a children’s theme park, as well as a casino.
Sousse and Port el Kantaoui
White beaches stretch down the coast for the six miles between Sousse and Port el Kantaoui, so staying in one of the hotels in between means clients can make the most of both resorts.
Sousse is an old town with a stunning 9th-century fortress, a good museum, and busy souks and cafes, bars and shops.
Port el Kantaoui offers more in terms of entertainment and nightlife than any other Tunisian resort. It was purpose-built 25 years ago as a copy of Puerto Banus on the Costa del Sol for the yachting set.
Nowadays it has a well-rooted feel, with pretty Moorish architecture and lots of facilities in a compact area. These two present one of Tunisia’s livelier options and can suit young couples and families.
Skanes
Catering to the lower end of the family market, this unassuming beach resort is home to some large, good value three-star hotels. There isn’t a great deal to do outside the hotels, but Monastir and Sousse are not far away for a day or two exploring.
Monastir
Monastir has an interesting old town with a large fortress housing a museum and a fishing port. There is also a new marina and the hotels are set away from the centre on the beach.
Djerba
The quietest and most relaxing place in Tunisia – bar the desert! This island is suited to couples and honeymooners looking to kick back in one of the lovely upmarket hotels, surrounded by swaying palm trees.
Visitors can slowly explore the white Moorish buildings and small squares of the town of Houmt Souk, and check out the Berber villages in the island’s interior.
Sample product
Classic Collection Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B at The Residence, Tunis, including flights and transfers, from £1,191. classic-collection.co.uk
0800 008 7288
Wigmore Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B at the five-star Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso on Djerba from £950, including UK and domestic flights.
aspectsoftunisia.co.uk, 020 8994 1011
Thomas Cook offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Les Orangers Beach Resort & Bungalows in Hammamet from £563. thomascookworld.com, 0871 230 2399
