Tunisia woos Chinese with desert and history

It's not a destination which comes to mind easily and most can't even pinpoint its location but Tunisia – the northernmost country of Africa – has been casting its spell on China.



Chen Li (left) represents Atlantis Voyages, which has been promoting the destination to the Chinese and has been active at China travel trade shows.



"Tunisia may be small but it has a rich, 3,000 year-old history that would appeal to Chinese tourists," she said. Its desert terrain, at the threshold of the Sahara, has been a popular film location, seen in movies like The English Patient.

"Chinese people may not like the sun but they are familiar with Hollywood movies featuring deserts and historical places." Tunisia's beaches and historical wonders have been attracting over five million tourists yearly, mostly from Europe and the US.



It has seven international airports and eight ports. The capital city Tunis is a two-hour flight from Paris and London and a fifty- minute flight from Rome. Daily flights connect Tunisia to most European, African and Middle Eastern destinations.



Chen said visas are available within 24 hours at about RMB50 (US$6.30).