Last year, a delegation attended the same event chaired by the Tunisian tourism which benefited a Fair to establish contacts and understand the expectations of the market and its mechanisms. So Elyes Fekhfekh, current Minister of Tourism recently announced the will of the Tunisia destination to capitalize on this growing market by working “currently on an air link with a Chinese company, and […] a promotion campaign in this market” no tourism participation seems programmed. A lack of strategy that harms a budding relationship between Tunisia and China especially when we want to develop.
Strengthen bilateral relations between Tunisia and China was the goal of meeting the June 2012 meeting with 54 Tunisian businessmen, 51 Tunisian companies and 56 Chinese businessmen and Chinese companies operating in 27 the fields of electronics, mechanics, renewable energy, trade, tourism, engineering, transport and agriculture. Economically and especially in terms of trade, China is the main Asian partner of Tunisia. The overall volume of trade between the two countries increased from 210 million dinars in 2001 to 1,200 million dinars in 2008.
The number of Chinese tourists abroad increased by 22% from 2010 to 2011. With the Chinese traveler booming market and Chinese nationals expected to make 100 million trips abroad by 2015, the Tunisian tourism officials should develop a long term strategy and not just the usual piecemeal, which in addition to squander public funds, came to nothing.
In less time than it took in, a destination like Thailand could reach 1.4 million Chinese tourists in 2011. The proximity, relatively inexpensive accommodation with attractive stations tailored to the needs of a average affluent class who may not wish to spend as much as in Europe, a deliberate policy of visa facilitation and online marketing actions to show the beauty of the Chinese public in the country have done the work.
Morocco is also this other destination eyeing the Chinese market. representative offices were opened there in addition to participating in exhibitions and forums to better present the Moroccan tourist product. “This development is in our opinion the exchange among professionals in the sector, as we did with the major operators in China to encourage them to visit Morocco and meet with Moroccan operators,” said Khalid Fathi, Director of the Office of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) in Beijing.
Even interest from the side of Turkey where the Chinese are beginning to travel with keen interest. The number of Chinese visitors to Turkey exceeded 70,000 last year, an increase of 20% compared to 2010, reports the ‘China Daily’. Turkey celebrates in 2012 the year of China in organizing throughout the year many events that will highlight the literature, art, film, education, performances of traditional puppets and cultural Chinese heritage .
To return to Tunisia, it’s time to remember that when we want to tackle a market we give ourselves the means, any means. Hopefully the post-revolution tourism grant it takes resources to bet on such a market.
Amel Djait
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