Tunisia is relying on social networking sites to revitalise the country's most lucrative industry.
In a move to boost Tunisia's post-revolution economy and encourage foreigners and expats to visit the country, the tourism ministry just unveiled a unique online campaign.
The "I Love Tunisia" promotion, complete with its memorable red heart logo, kicked off on February 14th, Valentine's Day.
"It is a smart initiative based on citizens' awareness of the national effort to polish the image of Tunisia as well as the importance of investing in this new image that has captivated the entire world," Hilmi Sassi of travel agency "Asfar" told Magharebia.
France's "Eco Tour" was the first travel agency to get on board. The company aims to double its visitors to Tunisia to 50,000. The French tour operator will also launch its own marketing plan for Tunisia tourism.
The best promotional tool, however, may be the online community. The ministry is betting on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to increase publicity.
"I changed my profile picture on my Facebook page with the picture that the Ministry of Tourism put out in its 'I Love Tunisia' campaign," Facebook user Mahib Mastoori said. "I have done this as a small contribution to support the campaign, especially since I have a lot of foreign Facebook friends."
"Online social websites played a big role in making the revolution a success," Mastoori said, adding that they will have a bigger role to play in "invigorating the Tunisian economy through its youth".
The campaign will be accompanied with several workshops inside Tunisia in order to raise awareness of the new reality in the country.
The tourism crisis may finally be at an end. After France, Germany, Britain and Switzerland lifted travel warnings to Tunisia, the first big tour groups in more than a month and a half began arriving.
Earlier this week, 70 Germans came to Tunisia to shoot a movie. Three other tourist delegations arrived from Canada, the US and France.
The tourism sector is considered the main facet of the Tunisian economy, which constitutes 10% of the overall employment rate (350,000 employees). Moreover, the sector is the biggest source of foreign currency into the country. Revenues from tourism cover 60% of the Tunisian trade deficit and 6.5% of GDP.
The campaign alone, however, is not enough, Sassi warned.
"We need a new discourse to promote the Tunisian view by enhancing existing facilities in tourism such as golf, accommodation, putting together a cultural tourism map and investing in and marketing our heritage," the travel agent said.
Targeted travel for those with special interests or needs will enable the sector to "emerge from the cocoon of traditional beach tourism", he said.
It is also important to open Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT) offices in Asia and America to attract new markets, he added.
"We have always waited for tourists to knock our door. Why don't we go to them and try to lure them in?" Sassi suggested.
For Mona Bu Richa, a Facebook fan of the "I Love Tunisia" campaign, the job of drawing the world's attention to Tunisia has already been accomplished.
"The Bouazizi revolution is the best advertising for the 3,000 years of history and culture that is Tunisia," she said.
© Magharebia.com 2011
