A study presented at the 9ᵉ Tunisian economic forum reveals that tourism diversification could generate 13 billion dinars in revenue and create 35,000 jobs by 2030. The report insists on the importance of integrating health, rural and cultural tourism to complete the traditional seaside offer.
Diversify beyond the seaside
During the Tunisian Economic Forum organized this Thursday, September 18, 2025 by the Arab Institute of Business Managers (IAECE), a study was revealed on the potential of the tourism sector.
According to its author, Professor and Consultant Safouane Ben Issa, non -traditional sectors – such as health tourism, rural tourism and accommodation in residents – could strongly contribute to the revival and modernization of the sector.
The objective set by 2030: reaching 13 billion direct revenue dinars and generating around 35,000 new jobs, well beyond the current annual capacity of the State to create positions.
Taxation and informal economy
The study also highlights the importance of integrating whole sections of tourist activity into the formal sector still operating in the informal. According to estimates, nearly one billion additional dinars could be collected by the public treasury by 2030 via VAT, the tax on local profits and taxes, especially those related to tourism accommodation.
Ben Issa stresses that the current tourist concentration on coastal areas limits the economic impact. The valuation of interior – cultural, historical and natural resources – would not only enrich the offer but also to create jobs in the Western and South regions, promoting the maintenance of young people in their localities and stimulating local development dynamics.
The study insists on the need to update a regulatory framework that has been frozen since 1973, unable to support global trends. It pleads for an integrated national strategy, based on innovation, vocational training and the quality of services, in order to ensure a sustainable tourist activity throughout the year and no longer concentrated on the summer season.
Recall that on September 10, 2025, tourist revenues reached 5.7 billion dinars, up 8.7% compared to the same period of 2024.
