In Hammamet, Sousse or Djerba, hotel prices are exploding. While the Ministry of Tourism had promised preferential rates for Tunisians, reality on the ground is quite different. Summer holidays now rhyme with sacrifices … or renunciation.
In a 4 -star hotel in Sousse, a stay in July for a Tunisian family (2 adults, 2 children) in a half pension formula is more than 3,500 dinars for 3 nights. In Djerba, the same type of stay exceeds 4000 dinars, not to mention transport.
A simple couple weekend costs between more than 1,500 dinars, the equivalent of the monthly budget of many families. However, the Ministry of Tourism announced preferential rates for Tunisians in a selection of hotels. These offers, supposed to start at 150 dinars at night, are actually almost untraceable.
A priority for foreign tourists?
Some hotels mention very limited conditions: group reservations, days off weekend or expired offers. Result: many citizens feel wrong. With the return of European and Russian visitors, the hoteliers bet on the currencies. Several testimonies indicate that Tunisians sometimes pay more than foreign tourists, especially on local platforms or by reserving directly. Faced with this outbreak, many choose the rental between individuals, stay with relatives or simply cancel their vacation. For many families, going to the hotel becomes an inaccessible project.
The consumer defense organization denounced the excessive outbreak of the prices of the services linked to summer holidays, especially in hotels, in connection with internal tourism. She had alerted against an unprecedented outbreak of the prices offered, saying that for some families, a vacation can cost up to ten thousand dinars or more, the week.
An assumed political choice
Local tourism seems to be relegated to the background. The official speech on the inclusion of Tunisians does not translate into acts. However, allowing citizens to take advantage of the country’s seaside resorts is also a matter of social justice. Without concrete measures, the beaches will remain open to everyone, but hotels will continue to exclude those who live here.
Indeed, while prices are soaring in Tunisian hotels, the promises of preferential prices for Tunisians remain without effect. Hotel holidays: a luxury reserved for the richest?
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