The tourism board expands hotel capacity and flight routes to capitalize on “once-in-a-lifetime” astronomical and cinematic events next summer
Tunisia is positioning itself for a record-breaking summer in 2027, leveraging two major cultural and astronomical milestones—the 50th anniversary of the first Star Wars film and a total solar eclipse—to drive a significant surge in UK visitor numbers.
The Tunisian National Tourist Office has set an ambitious target of 500,000 UK visitors for 2027, building on a strong 2026 performance. Between January 1 and October 20, 2026, Tunisia’s destination welcomed 421,000 UK travelers, an 11% increase compared to the full-year figures of 450,000 in 2025.
To accommodate the expected influx, both flight and hotel capacity are set to expand significantly.
Flight Connectivity Boost
Jet2.com has announced plans to operate eight weekly flights from five UK regional airports—Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, and Stansted—to Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport between May 1 and October 31, 2027. Additionally, Tui Airways has added twice-weekly flights from Gatwick to Djerba for the summer 2027 season.
Mohamed Mehdi Haloui, Director-General of the Tunisian National Tourist Office, emphasized the importance of accessibility. “It’s very important for the destination to improve the number of [airline] seats,” Haloui told Travel Weekly. “And it’s also important for us to get the right quality of product and of [hotel] rooms.”
Hotel Expansion and Luxury Focus
The country is aggressively expanding its hospitality sector. While more than 1,000 new hotel rooms opened in 2026, the tourist board aims to triple that growth to 3,000 new rooms next year. There are currently over 60 five-star hotels in Tunisia, with a strategic focus on attracting more luxury international brands.
New developments include the Marriott Djerba, scheduled to open by summer 2027, a new Hilton hotel in Tunis, a five-star resort and golf course at the multi-million-pound Tunis Bay development, and the renovated Hotel Les Colombes in Hammamet.
Cinematic and Astronomical Draws
The primary catalysts for the 2027 boom are the Star Wars and eclipse events:
- Star Wars 50th Anniversary: May 2027 marks half a century since the release of the original film. An event is planned in Tataouine, the region where the iconic desert planet Tatooine scenes were filmed.
- Total Solar Eclipse: On August 2, 2027, a total solar eclipse will draw astronomy enthusiasts. Local destination management companies are creating specialized itineraries to Sfax and the El Djem coliseum, where the totality will last five minutes and 40 seconds and four minutes and 20 seconds, respectively.
Haloui noted that these events will help decentralize tourism, moving beyond traditional coastal hubs. “It’s already our high season, but we think it will help increase the number of visitors to smaller cities like Sfax and others, not just Hammamet and Sousse,” he said.
Touring and Adventure Segment
Aiming to diversify the UK market, the tourist board is focusing on touring and adventure travel. Major operators Exodus Adventure Travels and Titan Travel are set to launch new tours to Tunisia in 2027. To support this, the tourist board is hosting an agent webinar on November 26 to educate trade partners on the new Jet2.com flight options.
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