Several members of the Federation Council advised Russian tourists to refuse tours to Tunisia due to security reasons. In their opinion, the radical militants will now select tourist zones for terrorist attacks. 

This year Tunisia has maintained its position in the top lines of the ranking of the most popular summer destinations among Russian tourists. According to representatives of the tourism business, the demand for the destination is so high that tourists cannot wait for the last minute offers. In general, following the results of the year, the country counts on a 15% increase in tourist traffic from the Russian Federation. 

This was announced at a press conference in Moscow by the Minister of Tourism of Tunisia, René Trabelsi. Tour operators also talk about the positive dynamics of early booking. According to Mr. Trabelsi, in 2018 Tunisia hosted 630 thousand Russians, and in 2019 it already counts on 725-750 thousand (this is 20% more in annual terms). 

The interest of Russian tourists to Tunisia is increasing. However, the experts’ opinion on the growth in demand is different. So, the majority believes the number of sells have increased by 10–20% compared to last year’s figures, while Biblio-Globus notes 150% growth of sales on early booking stage.

Already at the early booking stage Tunisia shows a rapid increase in sales compared with last year. This was a signal for some players to expand their flight charter programs to this country. According to tour operators, the demand for tours to Tunisia for the season-2019 has increased significantly: participants report that sales growth from 30% to several times.

The demand for tours to Tunisia has noticeably activated this year. The rate of early booking is 20% higher than last year. The increase mainly occurs due to the redistribution of tourists from the more expensive Turkish destination. 

In this winter season, two tour operators - ANEX Tour and PEGAS Touristik - perform charter flights to Tunisia. The flight program of ANEX Tour to Djerba, as in the last season, will be carried out only from Moscow. The flights will be operated from the beginning of December 2018 through March 2019, 2 times a week on the wings of AZUR air on Wednesdays and Sundays.

“The demand of Russians for tours to Tunisia has almost tripled”, - reported the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) with reference to the data of tour companies. "Tunisia is confidently included in the TOP 5 of popular destinations this summer, demonstrating a high sales dynamic.

Tunisia authorities published statistics of arrivals of Russian tourists from January 1 to May 20. The growth is 46% more than in the last year. Summer, according to the data of tour operators, also promises growth - even in conditions of competition with Turkey - the incredibly popular destination in this season.

“The Russian tourist flow to Tunisia in 2018 may increase up to 800 thousand people”, - said Salma El-Lumi El-Rakik the Minister of Tourism of the country. According to her, 600 thousand Russian tourists visited Tunisia in 2016, in 2017 the tourist flow decreased slightly due to the opening of Turkey on the Russian market.

“ANEX Tour tour operator prolongs the flight program to Tunisia on the route Moscow-Djerba-Moscow and extends the range of tours which include a course of thalassotherapy”, - reports the press service of the company. The flight program to Djerba Island will be prolonged until January.

Some tour operators have decided to extend flight programs to Tunisia. As the representative of ANEX Tour Company told, the tour operator decided to transport passengers to Djerba island all the winter season round. This was announced at the annual ANEX Tour conference at the Tunisian Hammamet resort held from 5 to 12 October.

“Tunisair has launched regular flights from Pulkovo Airport (St. Petersburg) to Monastir (Tunisia)”, - reports the press service of the Air Portal of the LLC Northern Capital. The flights are performed twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays by Airbus A320 airplanes. Earlier, the carrier performed flights to St. Petersburg in 2013 from two cities in Tunisia - Monastir and Enfidha.

Given the fact that Egypt is not still opened, some people are afraid to go to Turkey, and budget hotels in Spain, Greece and Cyprus are already "on stop" – the Russian tourists, who are just planning to rest, are limited in their choice of options. In 2016, Tunis could return only 6-7% of the total incoming tourist flow, which was lost after the terrorist attacks in 2015.

The tour operator Anex Tour started working in Tunisia only a year ago and now is actively developing the direction. On the eve of the second tourist season in Tunisia, the company held a presentation of its proposals and shared the nearest plans. Last year, Djerba island, previously not very well known to our citizens, successfully "entered" on the Russian market.

“Rossia” airlines will open charter flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Enfid airport in Tunisia in May”, - said an official representative of the carrier. "In the summer season (the end of March - the end of October), the airline plans to carry out charter flights from Moscow to Enfid airport twice a week - on Mondays and Thursdays", - the source said.

“The tour operator “Anex Tour” expanded range of areas of health tourism by offering tours to Bulgaria and Tunisia”, -it was said in the press service of the company on Friday.

“Last year Tunisia was visited by 625,000 Russian tourists”, - the Minister of Tourism of Tunisia Salma Ellumi Rekik said to reporters. "And we hope, that this positive trend will continue, and in 2017 more and more Russians will visit Tunisia. Until recently, the largest number of tourists was coming to Tunisia from France, now the first place belongs to Russia”. - she added.

“More than 620 thousand tourists from Russia have visited Tunisia in 2016, which is 137% higher than in 2014”, - said the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR). "The success of Tunisia, which reached a record in the history on the Russian market, is explained by closure of Turkey and Egypt. In the season 2017 Tunisia will face a serious competition from Turkey and Egypt, the return of which is expected in this year, "- noted in a statement.

... due to absence of Turkey and Egypt. In 2016 Tunisia for the first time took the third place in the rating of popular destination of tourism - according to the data of the "Hot Line.Tourism” magazine. This result is also confirmed by the Tunisian National Tourist Offices in Russia and CIS countries. From the beginning of 2016 the resorts of country were visited by 451,500 Russians.

In light of the situation prevailing now in Tunisia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia advised Russian citizens who are now in Tunisia to exercise vigilance and refrain from visiting high-risk areas, including those where the Tunisian authorities are conducting counter terrorist operations. Tensions on the Tunisia-Libya border have escalated recently.

Russian tour operators cancel part of flights to Tunisia because of falling demand after the terrorist attack in Sousse, the press-secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Turina reported Interfax-Tourism with reference to the tour operators.

The Government of Tunisia is ready to compensate for Russian tour operators 40% of the seats in charter flights in order to maintain the flow of tourists from Russia, the head of the National Office of Tourism of Tunisia in Russia Mezhid Kahlaui said to journalists. "We are ready to compensate 40% of empty seats in the planes to our partners.