TUNISIA has a key opportunity to promote the destination directly to independent agents when it hosts the National Association of Independent Travel Agents’ annual conference in the resort of Hammamet in mid-May.
The event is being organised by Marketeer, whose chief executive Keith Searby spelled out the reasons for NAITA’s choice of venue for 2000.
He said: “We wanted to give agents the chance to see somewhere apart from Spain, and Tunisia is one of a growing number of new destinations for the UK market. It is within 2hrs 30mins flying time – the same as the Algarve, where last year’s conference was staged.”
The event will be held over a long weekend, from May 19-22, at Hammamet’s Azur complex, which comprises a 700-seat conference room and three hotels – a five, four and three-star, with 350 twin rooms between them. These can easily accommodate the NAITA delegates, who are expected to total 500-600.
“Agents will be able to walk through from their hotel to the conference, and this was a key consideration in choosing Hammamet,” said Searby. “The Azur complex has impressive facilities with a good level of technical support and excellent hotels.”
Tunisian National Tourist Office UK director Houssem Ben Azouz said: “It’s huge exposure for us when a big organisation like NAITA goes there. It will be a good promotion for us with independent agents.”
The tourist office hopes the spin-off from the event will be increased business for Tunisia as both a summer and winter holiday destination.
“Operators reported an increase in bookings from NAITA’S Advantage members after the Vilamoura conference last year, as they had a better awareness of the Algarve following the event,” said Searby.
This year’s attendees will get a chance to see the emerging resort of Yasmine Hammamet, to the south of the existing town. The ambitious development will provide a strip of 40 new hotels, the majority at the top end of the market.
Currently 20 of the properties have been finished, but uptake by UK operators is limited due to the continuing building work on the 20 remaining hotels which are due to be completed by summer 2002. A marina and shopping complex are set to be finished by the end of this year.
Aside from those agents attending the NAITA conference, the TNTO plans to run a series of educational trips this year with tour operator partners. They will take a total of 400 front-line staff to the country in June and September.
On the consumer front, the tourist office plans to spend £1m on a national advertising campaign, using poster sites around the UK.
Aside from flagging up Tunisia’s beaches as a family and couples destination, the posters will also feature the country’s Roman sites to highlight the cultural attractions of the country. Another development that is expected to keep Tunisia in the eye of the consumer is the forthcoming filming of Star Wars Episode Two.
The country benefited from extensive media coverage last year when Episode One hit the screens and Ben Azouz hopes for more exposure this year.
He said: “Shooting for Episode Two will take place in the south in September. We have a good relationship with the director and hope to run trade and consumer competitions in order for people to win a trip to the set.”