Shahd Alhamdan
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH - ‘Tunisia through the eyes of Saudis’ was the name of a group exhibition that was held in Park Hyatt Jeddah on Tuesday which showcased several famous places in Tunisia as well as the country’s people and culture. The photography exhibition aimed to not only promote Tunisia but also to promote Arab tourism by showing that the country is peaceful, secure and safe.
More than 20 pictures were presented by famous Saudi photographers including Samer Al-Oufi and Hany Abu Al-Jadayel. The photographers were there to explain their work and educate people about the country and their trip.
During the event, several children wore traditional Tunisian clothes and greeted visitors. An informational video about the country, its history, and famous tourist attractions was also presented. The video was aimed at Saudi and Gulf audiences as part of a broader effort to attract more tourists from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
The event includes a media conference that focused on tourism in Tunisia. Salma loumi Rkik, minister of tourism and handicraft, addressed the conference and said that the tourism sector in Tunisia is flourishing once again with about 7 million foreign tourists visiting the country this year.
The minister added that the country’s overall tourism revenues are down by about 35 percent, something she is trying to change.
A number of businessmen, diplomats, and media figures attended the event. This was the second photography exhibition in Jeddah to support tourism in Tunisia. Last year, a five-day group photography exhibition was held under the title “Tunisia through the lens of Jeddah’s press photographers.”
