Application of tourist function indicators in tourism development. Case study of tunisia

Abstract

The article presents the assessment results of the tourism function development in Tunisian governorates. The evaluation was carried out with the index method based on two groups of function indicators – tourist traffic intensity and tourism development indices. Additionally, the tourism function was analyzed taking into account the average length of tourist stays. The results indicate a varied degree of the tourism function development in the governorates – from a highly developed tourism function in the coastal governorates (Sousse, Nabeul, Monastir) to the initial stage in the mountain regions (Sidi Bouzid, Siliana, Zaghouan). In terms of the average length of stays, Tunisia turns out to be a short-term destination, in contrast to the general misconception. The so-called weekend stays prevail in 13 out of the 24 governorates. Medium-term stays are most common in the northern part of the country (Nabeul, Bizerte, Manouba), whereas long-term stays dominate only on the east coast (Ben Arous, Susa, Monastir, Mahdia, and Medenine).