Over 6 Million Tourists Visit Tunisia in First Nine Months of 2018https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/1417366/over-6-million-tourists-visit-tunisia-first-nine-months-2018
Over 6 Million Tourists Visit Tunisia in First Nine Months of 2018
Sidi Bou Said, one of Tunisia's main resorts. (Getty Images)
Tunisia’s tourism continued to rebound from devastating terrorist attacks three years ago as more than six million foreign travelers visit the country in the first nine months of 2018, according to government data.
Arrivals rose 16.9 percent to 6.3 million in the nine months to the end of September, surpassing the number for the whole of 2014.
Terrorist attacks in 2015 included one at the National Bardo museum in Tunis and another targeting a beach resort in Sousse, which together killed 59 foreign tourists and a Tunisian guard.
Tourist arrivals bounced back in 2017 to above their pre-attack levels.
Tourism revenues in the first nine months of 2018 totaled just over 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion), a rise of 27.6 percent year-on-year.
But receipts were only two thirds of the level recorded for 2014 as a whole.
Inflation and excessive reliance on beachside holiday packages have slowed the longer-term recovery of revenues, industry experts told AFP.
Arrivals from Europe and Russia rose nearly 45 percent, accounting for much of the surge, despite concerns that the hot European summer and the football World Cup could limit demand for Tunisian destinations.
Tourism Minister Selma Elloumi Rekik told AFP in May that she expected total arrivals to exceed eight million in 2018, higher than the seven million recorded in 2010, a benchmark year for Tunisian tourism.
Tour operator Thomas Cook, which suspended its Tunisia holidays in the wake of the June 2015 Sousse attack, resumed operations in February.
Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiativeshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5165747-berlin-eyes-partnership-riyadh-expo-2030-climate-cooperation-hydrogen-initiatives
Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiatives
Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
A senior German official affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Saudi Arabia across various fields, noting that bilateral trade relations continue to grow steadily, with trade volume reaching around 7 billion Euros.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab said: “The sectors driving this growth—chemicals, machinery, and transport—reflect the strong industrial connections we share. These are areas where German expertise is making a real difference in Saudi Arabia’s development.”
He added: “Looking ahead, there is much to be excited about. Expo 2030 is an incredible opportunity for us to further deepen our collaboration, showcase the best of what both Saudi Arabia and Germany have to offer, and inspire future generations to continue building on this remarkable partnership.”
German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab - Asharq Al-Awsat
Renewable Energy
On climate cooperation, the official said: “As for climate cooperation, we have just launched a relevant study on the Saudi labor market in the renewable energy sector, which was reviewed by the National Labor Observatory and discussed with experts of KAPSARC, KaCare and PSU. This is a great example of our close and meaningful partnership, tackling the challenges of today with an eye on the future.”
Blossoming Relations
Kindsgrab noted that Saudi-German relations are truly blossoming, saying: "I am proud to see our partnership becoming deeper and stronger across so many areas. From a personal perspective, it is inspiring to witness the growing bonds between our two countries. These ties span a wide range of sectors, including energy, transport, architecture, health, education and culture—creating a solid foundation for the future.”
“One of the most exciting aspects of our cooperation is in the area of energy transition. German innovation is at the heart of NEOM’s green hydrogen projects, with Thyssenkrupp Nucera playing a key technological role in making the vision of decarbonization of industry a reality,” he affirmed.
“Beyond energy, we’re also seeing significant progress in transport, where Siemens’ delivery of metro wagons helped to shape the modern infrastructure of Saudi cities. And let’s not forget the impact of German architecture in megaprojects such as King Salman Park or the design of Expo 2030, which I believe will be a landmark event for both our countries, ” added Kindsgrab.
“In the health sector, the collaboration with Charité in Berlin is another example of how our nations are working together to improve lives.”
Accelerated Cultural Cooperation
“And now, I am particularly excited to see the acceleration of cultural cooperation, such as the recently launched museum initiative between the Saudi Museums Commission and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation of Germany,” the German ambassador stressed.
“This cooperation emerged as part of our shared efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and will play an enriching role for the cultural relations, as it includes a loan program for artworks, joint curatorship and training programs to support talent development,” he concluded.
