The announcement, made in Baghdad during the 28th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, marks an important moment for the Tunisian sector: Tunis has been officially designated “Arab Tourism Capital 2027”. A distinction which comes as Tunisia attempts to sustainably cross the threshold of 11 million visitors and consolidate a still fragile recovery.
A label serving an upmarket strategy
This designation comes at a time when Tunisian tourism is seeking to diversify its markets and reposition its offer beyond the seaside. After having exceeded 10 million tourists in 2024 and then in 2025, the capital occupies a central role in this transition: classified medina, proximity to Carthage and Sidi Bou Saïd, cultural dynamism, integration into the UNESCO network of creative cities in 2026.
The 2027 title constitutes an accelerator. It strengthens the regional visibility of Tunis, attracts investors from the Gulf and Arab countries, stimulates hotel and cultural projects, and facilitates the negotiation of new air links. The recent experience of Al Ain, Arab Tourism Capital 2026, illustrates the extent to which this label has become a strategic tool in the region.
A consecration prepared since 2022
This designation is not the result of chance. In December 2022, Tunisia officially presented the candidacy of its capital in Cairo, during the 25th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Tourism. The country was already pleading for an Arab network promoting the tangible and intangible heritage of major capitals, while including Tunis in a regional cooperation strategy.
Since then, Tunis has invested in digital promotion, cultural enhancement and diplomatic participation in sectoral meetings, until obtaining in 2025 a seat on the executive office and the vice-presidency of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism.
The capital now has two years to transform this distinction into a real modernization project: mobility, reception, heritage restoration, urban events, upgrading of the offer. If these projects progress coherently, 2027 could become more than a title: the sequence which reestablishes Tunis at the heart of Arab tourism and sustainably supports the growth trajectory of the Tunisian sector.
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