The Minister of Tourism, Sofiene Tékia, underlined the growing interest of Chinese tourists for the Tunisian destination, and in particular for the city of Kairouan. Known for their appeal to cultural discovery, these visitors today constitute an expanding market, requiring an improvement in services, in particular through the installation of multilingual orientation panels, including the Chinese language.
During a working session held Wednesday September 3, 2025 with the governor of Kairouan, Dhaker Bargoui, the minister said that efforts are underway to develop this promising niche. Among the measures envisaged are the strengthening of reception capacity, support for investors and the imminent implementation of new specifications to supervise tourism activity.
The figures confirm this dynamic: between January and July 2025, the number of Chinese tourists having visited Tunisia increased by 15.3 % compared to the same period of 2024, reaching nearly 24,000 visitors.
Tekia recalled that Kairouan, rich in its historical, religious and architectural heritage, offers a diversity of tourist products – cultural, spiritual and exploratory – which make it a destination of choice for Tunisian and foreigners.
This visit comes as the city lives to the rhythm of the festivities of the Mouled, an event which attracts both local and international tourists. The Minister took the opportunity to go to several craft exhibitions and participate in religious and cultural ceremonies linked to this celebration, while reiterating the importance of investing in new forms of alternative accommodation adapted to this emerging clientele.
