A total of seventy persons, from the worlds of associations and tourism in Tunisia, and the representatives of several ministries, came together on 26 June in Zaghouan to try out the first hiking and adventure route implemented under the Trans Tunisia Trekking Trail (4T) programme.

The launch event was unusual in that it involved the Minister of Tourism, Mr Mohamed Moez Belhassine, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Kamel Deguiche, who joined the hiking community on a unique adventure combining endurance, gastronomy and thrills. The day was rounded off with a convivial evening around a camp fire.

This route is perfectly aligned with the strategy of the Tunisian tourism sector, led by the Minister of Tourism, which aims to diversify the offering to tourists and to cement the country’s positioning as a destination of choice. It constitutes a new eco-tourism product designed to attract Tunisian and international outdoor sports enthusiasts (trekking, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, etc.), and to showcase the country’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Four segments, each of 251 km, have been marked out on a route totalling 450 km, allowing adventure tourists to enjoy breathtaking landscapes!

As a reminder, the Trans Tunisia Trekking Trail (4T) project started in October 2022 and has involved the support of no less than 77 sustainable tourism initiatives in the governorates of Jendouba, Kef, Zaghouan, Nabeul, Siliana, Beja and Cap Bon. This support, both financial and technical, has strengthened the capacity of local actors, contributed to the creation of new jobs and the continuance of existing ones, and increased revenues. It has also led to the signing of several projects. The first steps have also been taken to extend the route in the South of the country (Medenine, Tataouine and Gabès), involving support for 23 tourism initiatives.

The Trans Tunisia Trekking Trail (4T) is a new tourism offering implemented by Leaders International, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Promotion project, with the support of the German development agency GIZ and financed jointly by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union in the context of its “Tounes Wijhetouna” programme.