Tunisia- Tourism,Stop the convoluted language

Jeudi 8 Novembre 2012

On the issue of tourism great disappointments lie ahead. Politicians and the media continue to use erroneous, or even invented figures. Unfortunately this attitude creates an even worse mess, writes Zouhair Ben Jemaa in the Tunisian daily newspaper Le Temps.
Tunisia- Tourism,Stop the convoluted language
In a large weekly publication  last week, another tourism specialist, said without flinching, that tourism is doing well. It would be so nice to read some good news in these times of depression! Mr Ben Jemma writes, but unfortunately he says,, the reality is quite different. The truth is that Tunisian tourism is dying, how could it be otherwise after decades of inaction in the field of training in the field of debt and  product quality. The Tunisian tourism sector  missed a great opportunity to sell with an image of a beautiful and tolerant Islam, The Tunisian revolution is  causing the industry severe losses by turning to disorder, leading Tunisia straight into chaos and dictatorship, he observes.
 
 Tunisian tourism is sick in body and soul,he writes and following the sad spectacle of September 14 and the attack on the United States embassy, all  tourism incentive packages were cancelled, these groups normally have the advantage of full luxury beds in the low season they generate substantial sales.
 
 
Tunis Air, the national airline that has never had the means to achieve its ambitions Mr Ben Jemaa affirms and it is overwhelmed by return flights by pilgrims and therefore has no flexibility to participate in the promotion of tourism. There has not been a single aircraft throughout the week on the island of Djerba, Mr Ben Jemaa asserts pointing out that this was during the Thanksgiving holiday, he notes that Tunisia’s sky is closed to companies that have the resources and potential customers for our country . So much for open skies, Mr Ben Jemaa comments.
 
 Hospitality debts undermine the entire banking sector, and the  national economy. He alledges that some bankers have abused their power at the expense of the national interest. The industry must react quickly because honest people, true professionals should not have to pay for the salafist thugs and other intruders. To govern, the government must renounce the desire to be loved by everyone, Mr Ben Jemaa affirms.The State must act now and order technical audits before the sector collapses.
 
The state must strike with an iron fist all the extremists who do not recognize democracy and who do not respect the laws, he affirms. The current insecurity will not allow any minister of tourism to succeed in his mission. Tunisia’s image is damaged and the destination listed amongst the high-risk countries, he laments.
 
The tourism sector is dying, and  bad cheaply made products,that degrade Tunisia's ancient culture are being sold, and the country has lost thousands of jobs and billions in foreign currency where are Tunisia’s artists and creators? He asks.
 
Tunisia’s five star hotels in Djerba can no longer compete in the face of cancelled flights. These hoteliers who have never complained in the past, are thinking of shutting up shop. Paying 2% revenue to the municipality increases their already high debts.
 
The training is completely disconnected from the realities and needs of the tourism profession which are being undermined with hundreds of thousands of unemployed! The tourism product has been brought low far from the success in previous years, Mr Ben Jema asserts.  The administration of Tunisian tourism is an empty shell and the country is full of graduates from high schools.
 
The question today is not whether the tourism sector goes bankrupt, but when?  Every day the abyss opens beneath our feet even more.  Mr Ben Jemaa says that the Tunisian tourism industry is mired in psychological and economic depression, and the interim government is only in office for a short time. Tunisian tourism professionals are not immune to failure because they simply accompany events then they should try to influence them, he adds.
 
Instead of uniting and discussing the real problems of generations, Tunisians on both sides are divided by mutual contempt. When tourism goes wrong it is imperative  for industry leaders to develop a plan to rescue the sector so that Tunisians so can return to work, to ensure everyone’s  rights.



Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Tunisia-Tourism...

NAU