Tunisia tries to woo travellers with questionable ads

Tunisia's national tourism board took a wild (and very controversial) leap on their newest ad campaign. The commercial messages essentially mock the country's reputation, post-revolution, in attempts to win travellers back to the country. It's understandable that the country wants to win back its visitors. 1 in 5 Tunisians work in the tourism sector and with no tourists, there's little left to do in order to make a decent wage. 

The ads in question target both British and European travellers but the ads haven't been received as well as Tunisia planned. People are outright baffled by them, wondering what the tourism board was thinking. The ads, which can presently be seen on London's overground buses, feature a woman being masssaged. The written component reads,

"They say that in Tunisia some people receive heavy-handed treatment"

Another ad shows a photograph of an archeological site with the caption,

"They say Tunisia is nothing but ruins."

And yet another board features a photo of a couple, lounging on the beach,

"They say Tunisia is a hot place."

200 people were killed in the political uprisings in Tunisia earlier this year so it's no wonder that Britions and Europeans are calling the ads insensitive. The agency in charge of the ads however refused to make too many comments about the ads and their references saying just that the ads are targets to a foreign audience, not Tunisians.

No thanks to the revolution, Tunisians are calling this summer holiday season a catastrophe. Tourist numbers are sitting at somewhere around 3.5 million, half of what they usually are at this time of the year. Instead of bustling marketplaces and night clubs, the country is empty, with a serious refugee crisis on their hands. Many hotels along the coast have closed in Hammamet, Djerba and Sousse.

"Should I travel to Tunisia?"

The latest travel updates say that most travellers will have a trouble-free visit to Tunisia, but everyone should be aware of the potential danger given the unrest in nearby Libya. There are endless possibilities for trips to this corner of the Mediterranean and without the usual summer tourist crowds, this may actually be just the right time to visit the country.

Have you ever travelled to Tunisia? Where are you going this summer for holidays? 

Images: gallagher.michaelsean / Flickr cc.