Boost for Tunisia after Tui's 'surprise' return

The UK’s largest tour operator will resume flights to the North African destination on May 1, nearly three years after 33 of its customers were killed in the Sousse beach massacre.

Tui joins Thomas Cook – which will resume Tunisia flights next month – in returning to the destination, alongside specialist operators such as Just Sunshine and Tunisia First. Tunisia should also benefit from an “open skies” deal signed with the EU last month.

Nick Longman, Tui’s UK & Ireland managing director, admitted to TTG in October that the operator could be back in Tunisia by winter 2018 if Cook’s programme was a success. A Cook spokesperson confirmed that Tunisia was trading “as expected” and has made an “encouraging start”.

Sami Tounsi, trade manager at the Tunisian National Tourist Office, said Tui’s announcement came as a “welcome surprise”.

“It’s very good news as nobody was expecting it for the beginning of this year,” Tounsi told TTG. “I think Tui has spotted some demand for Tunisia. I hope the prices will be good to entice people to go.”

Tui’s restored Tunisia programme features four flights per week to Enfidha from Bristol, Manchester, Gatwick and Birmingham, and a small selection of hotels in Hammamet and Yasmine, Hammamet.

“More than the volume, it’s about growing credibility and rebuilding faith in Tunisia for 2018,” added Tounsi. “It’s so important that the two big operators [Cook and Tui], who accounted for 95% of the UK market [before the attack in summer 2015], are back.”