Tunisia's tourism sector has recorded a significant increase in revenue for the first eight months of 2026. According to data from the Office National du Tourisme Tunisien (ONTT) and the Direction des Études, the country's tourism revenue reached 5,522.3 million Tunisian dinars (TND) from January 1 to August 31, 2026. This represents a 5.0% increase compared to the same period in 2025, when revenue was 5,261.3 million TND.
The revenue growth is also notable when compared to pre-pandemic levels. The 2026 revenue is 22.3% higher than the 4,517.0 million TND recorded during the same period in 2019. In euros, the revenue stands at 1,632 million, up 3.9% from 1,570 million in 2025 and 21.2% from 1,346 million in 2019. In US dollars, the revenue is 1,897 million, marking a 9.3% increase from 1,735 million in 2025 and 25.0% from 1,517 million in 2019.
Despite the revenue growth, the number of tourist arrivals has remained relatively stable. A total of 7,124,754 visitors entered the country from January to August 2026, which is almost equivalent to the 7,162,936 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2025. This represents a slight decrease of 0.5%. However, the number of arrivals is 13.2% higher than the 6,295,072 recorded in 2019.
In contrast, the number of hotel nights has decreased. A total of 18,577,306 hotel nights were recorded from January to August 2026, which is a 2.4% decrease from 19,033,499 nights in 2025 and an 11.6% decrease from 21,015,722 nights in 2019. The national occupancy rate stands at 42.7%, down from 44.7% in 2025 and 48.6% in 2019.
The tourism sector has also seen variations in visitor numbers from different regions. In August 2026, a total of 1,196,161 visitors arrived in Tunisia, which is a 13.6% decrease from 1,384,697 in August 2025 and a 4.2% decrease from 1,248,319 in August 2019. The number of non-resident foreigners visiting Tunisia in August 2026 was 1,041,166, down 15.7% from 1,234,813 in August 2025 and 2.5% from 1,068,336 in August 2019.
The European market has shown growth, with 461,747 visitors arriving in August 2026, up 4.5% from August 2025 and 3.7% from August 2019. This growth was driven by increases in visitors from France, the UK, and Germany. In contrast, the Maghrebi market saw a decline, with 556,591 visitors arriving in August 2026, down 27.3% from August 2025 and 8.5% from August 2019.
Cumulatively, from January to August 2026, the European market accounted for 2,287,008 arrivals, representing 32.1% of total visitors. The French market was the largest, with 839,385 arrivals, up 4.4% from 2025 and 31.5% from 2019. The British market also saw significant growth, with 333,477 arrivals, up 10.9% from 2025 and 107.8% from 2019.
Key points
- Tunisia's tourism revenue reached 5.5 billion dinars for the first eight months of 2026.
- The number of tourist arrivals remained relatively stable, with 7,124,754 visitors from January to August 2026.
- The European market showed growth, driven by increases in visitors from France, the UK, and Germany.
