USAID Visit Tunisia Quarterly Report, January – March 2023

Key highlights of the reporting period include the delivery of a three-year Marketing Plan for the National Tourism Office (ONTT) to build demand for sustainable tourism in high-value markets. The plan aligns with ONTT's priorities of diversification, sustainability, and digitalization. The activity also financed 151 grant and loan packages to micro and very small enterprises operating in the tourism sector across Tunisia, prioritizing underserved regions. The "Tounes Lik" campaign, implemented in partnership with ONTT, inspired thousands of Tunisians to explore domestic tourism adventures, with over 14 million views on social media. The campaign encouraged local travelers to explore diverse destinations and share their experiences using the campaign hashtag #touneslik and the @touneslik tag. The content produced by USAID Visit Tunisia increased the number of followers to ONTT's Tounes Lik Facebook page from 45K to 90K (100% increase) and from 1K to 55K (5500% increase) on Instagram over a period of 8 months. The campaign created support for local tourism enterprises and artisans hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many featured businesses reporting a significant increase in interest from people in their products and services, leading to increased revenue. The activity also published 8 human-centered impact and success stories based on a storytelling approach to highlight the project's positive influence. These stories showcased the project's efforts to promote sustainable tourism and support local communities. Additionally, the activity contributed to the success of the International Oases Festival in Tozeur and the Mouled Festival in Kairouan under the Festival Incubator program. Furthermore, the activity engaged public and private local tourism stakeholders through Destination Development design and advisory panels. The activity also strengthened the capacity of 27 professionals from 8 of the largest tourism industry federations through the UPSKILL program. Moreover, 75 professionals were empowered to improve the quality of hotel services in Tunis and Hammamet through Pathways to Professionalism. The activity selected 9 innovative tourism businesses to benefit from grants and technical assistance on product development and marketing under the Tourism Innovation Fund. These businesses were chosen for their potential to contribute to the growth and development of Tunisia's tourism sector. The activity's efforts aim to promote sustainable tourism, support local communities, and contribute to the growth and development of Tunisia's tourism sector. The activity's work in the marketing and communications component focused on promoting Tunisia as a tourist destination and supporting local tourism enterprises. The "Tounes Lik" campaign was a key initiative in this component, aiming to encourage local travelers to explore Tunisia's diverse tourism destinations. The campaign's success was evident in the significant increase in views on social media and the number of followers to ONTT's Tounes Lik Facebook page and Instagram account. The activity's work in the product development component focused on supporting the development of innovative tourism products and services. The Tourism Innovation Fund provided grants and technical assistance to 9 innovative tourism businesses, aiming to contribute to the growth and development of Tunisia's tourism sector. The activity's work in this component aimed to promote sustainable tourism and support local communities. The activity's work in the enabling environment component focused on strengthening the capacity of the tourism industry and supporting the development of a favorable business environment. The UPSKILL program strengthened the capacity of 27 professionals from 8 of the largest tourism industry federations. The Pathways to Professionalism program empowered 75 professionals to improve the quality of hotel services in Tunis and Hammamet. The activity's work in this component aimed to promote sustainable tourism and support local communities. Overall, the USAID Visit Tunisia Activity made significant progress in promoting sustainable tourism, supporting local communities, and contributing to the growth and development of Tunisia's tourism sector. The activity's work in the marketing and communications, product development, and enabling environment components aimed to promote sustainable tourism and support local communities.