Tunisia: Cap Bon - Discovering Country's Ageless Seaside Heritage

Protruding like a curved finger into the sea, Cap Bon is one of the most idyllic regions in all of Tunisia.
The backbone of Cap Bon is the mountain of Sidi Abderrahmen, which marks the terminus of the Atlas Mountain range.

Nabeul Museum

Haouaria

Dar Sebastian

Kelibia Fort

Hammamet

Haouaria Caves

One of Tunisia's most fertile regions, Cap Bon receives more than 1000mm of precipitation annually. This part of Tunisia is famous for its citrus and tomato cultivation, more than 20% of which are exported to Europe and Asia.
Driving on the A1 highway, before reaching Hammamet, vineyards and wine factories can be seen. Grombalia and Bou Argoub are the main centers of Tunisian wine production.
Hammamet - its name means baths or springs - is one of the biggest touristic resorts in Tunisia. Surrounded by numerous springs - such as Sidi Jedidi Hammam, Hammam Laghzez, and many others - it was once a small fishing village.
However, in 1920 Georges Sebastian, a Romanian millionaire, built a magnificent villa - Dar Sebastian - above the beach, and made Hammamet a destination favored by artists and writers. It eventually became the rival of Sidi Bou Saidas an attraction to artists and the wealthy between the 1920â-'s and 1940â-'s. Following the wave of artists, numerous politicians came to Hammamet during World War II. Churchill is said to have wrote a substantial portion of his memoirs in this coastal city.
Today, Dar Sebastian is a cultural center used to host festivals and artistic exhibitions. The entrance fee is five dinars - or $3.50.
Continuing along the same road, leading to downtown Hammamet, a citadel can be seen. The fortress was constructed by the Arabs in the ninth century and subsequently renovated in the fifteenth century. Under Ottoman rule, it was renovated yet again to accommodate cannonsto defend the settlement. In 1881, the French began using the structure as a barracks.
The fort is also open to visitors for a fee of 5TDN and an additional 1TND for a camera ticket.
Nabeul, 17 km northeast from Hammamet, is the capital of Cap Bon and home to the most famous pottery factories in Tunisia. Downtown workshops are open for visitors, and workers often display their expertise in shaping the clay into vases. The weekly market opens on Friday, and many travel agencies organize half day tours to Nabeul or whole-day excursions around a number of locations in Cap Bon.

In spite of its small size, the archaeological museum of Nabeul is rich in antiquity, collected from the ruins of Neapolis - the site upon which the modern city of Nabeul was founded. The collection consists of mosaics depicting themes based on Greek and Roman mythology and statues exhumed from among the ruins.
Driving through Korba and Menzel Temim, Kelibia can be reached - one of the most beautiful sand beaches not only in Tunisia but in the southern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. This village - once known by the Greeks and Romans as Aspis and Clupea respectively (meaning shield in both languages) - derives its name from an impressive promontory shaped like a shield.
The fort of Kelibia, a massive building protected by thick walls, is the biggest in Tunisia, and built on a 150m high bluff overlooking the sea. Although most of the building dates back to the sixteenth century, some older Roman sections can still be seen. The entrance fee to the site is 5TND, and an extra 1TND for a camera ticket.
Cap Bon is also home to one of the most unique Punic sites on the Mediterranean sea - Kerkouane - which has been designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Kerkouane, was initially a Berber settlement influenced by the Punic and Mediterranean culture thanks to the trade networks established in the sixth century BC. However, the city was destroyed in the third century BC, and was never inhabited again.
Since its discovery in 1950â-'s, the evidence of Punic culture has become more and more clear. The site layout features luxurious houses, temples, and public squares. Kerkouane is an arbitrary name given by the archaeologists due to the absence of an inscription bearing the original name of the city. On the right of the site's main entrance a small museum houses pottery, jewelry, and other items that evoke the daily life of the town's former inhabitants. Managed by the Ministry of Culture, the entrance fee is 5TND, and an additional 1TND camera ticket.
Stopping for lunch in Haouaria is highly recommended for any traveler exploring Cap Bon. Many reasonably priced restaurants, typically specializing in fish, are situated along the edge of the hillsides. The village is famous for its caves, used as quarries for material to construct Roman Carthage. Blocks of stone were cut from the hill and shipped by vessels to the port of Carthage. Since 2006, the quarry has been closed to visitors, reducing the presence of tourists in the town.
Lunch in Haouaria also gives visitors the opportunity to admire the beauty of Tunisia's virgin shores. The island of Zembra - a national reserve for rare species of birds and aquatic fauna - can be viewed from land.
On the way back to Tunis, wind turbines can be seen before reaching a small tuna fishing village called Sidi Daoud. Here, a traditional method of tuna fishing is practiced known as the Matanza - or the slaughter. A net is place about 4km out to sea to catch the tuna as they migrate along their spawning route in May. Chambers formed by the net are used to catch the fish. When the chamber is filled, the tuna are forced to jump out of the water where they are met by knife wielding fisherman who have anticipated their arrival.
Driving to back Tunis, a beautiful thermal spring can be found, a favorite destination for Tunisians. The mineral springs are thought to be beneficial in the treatment of rheumatism.
Finally, the Moorish village of Soliman serves as suitable final destination for any Cap Bon tour. Founded in the seventeenth century, the town is famous for its two minarets, which can be seen from the main road. The octagonal minaret dates back to the site's former Ottoman community, which used to follow the Hanafite rite. The square minaret is used by the locals, who follow the Maleki rite.

From Thugga to Dougga

Named as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, Dougga illustrates the synthesis of local and Mediterranean cultures that have left their mark on the ancient city throughout the ages.
Burial sites in the southern quarter of the site indicate that Dougga was founded during the Neolithic era (2000 BC).
The choice of the site was appropriate. It’s easily defensible against outside attack with its steep slopes and high cliffs as well as ideal for human settlement with fertile lands for agriculture and plenty of raw materials nearby for industry.
In the 4^th century BC, the Greeks of Sicily led by Agathocles decided to fight the Carthaginians in their own territory. The city of Toccai was taken by Greeks in the campaign according to historical records and has been identified by modern-day scholars as Thugga, the ancient name of Dougga,
In 202 BC, capitalizing upon the weakness of Carthage at the end of the Second Punic War, the Numidians took control of Thugga, which became the capital of their kingdom, according to some historians. The Numidian Kingdom extended from northwestern Tunisia across northern Algeria. Under the reign of Massinissa (202-148 BC) and his son Micipa, Thugga witnessed a golden age in which the arts flourished.
Furthermore, this period in Thugga’s history has provided a significant collection of epigraphic and archaeological insight to the way of life at that time. In fact, it has provided the most ancient Lybic inscriptions known to date.
The mausoleum of Dougga, in the southern edge of the site, is the only intact structure that displays official Numidian architecture

Royal Mausoleum

in the 2^nd century BC. It consists of a 21m tower topped by a pyramid and a lion and was dedicated to King Massinissa.
One century later, Thugga was conquered by the Romans, and the Roman province of “Africa Proconsularis” annexed the Numidian city. During Roman times, the city was composed of two districts – one for local inhabitants and another for Roman settlers. The Roman influence swiftly made an impact on the nature of the town, but the original layout inherited from the Numidian kingdom remained unchanged.
Local inhabitants assimilated Roman deities into their worship. For example, the Roman temples of Saturn and Caellestis were built over the ruins of previous temples to local deities – Baal and Tanit – respectively. Both of these Roman temples are found outside the cities’ walls while those of other major Roman deities are in the center of the city.
Monuments were erected as displays of Dougga’s loyalty to Rome, and the remnants of ancient Roman structures are testimony to the city’s golden age in the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries AD. Dougga’s theater, which is the best preserved in all of Tunisia, was built under the reign of the Antonian dynasty in the 2^nd century. The Capitol, or the Temple of Jupiter, occupied the center of the city as a sign of Roman unity. The worship of Jupiter was the official religion at the time, and it was incumbent upon any respectful citizen to make sacrifices there.

Dougga Capitol

The city was not lacking in public baths. The largest of Dougga’s baths unearthed so far are the Licinian baths, which were constructed in the 3^rd century thanks to the donations of rich Roman citizens.
Under the reign of the Severan emperors (193-235 AD) Thugga became a Municipium, a Roman city ruled by its own citizens, and even achieved the status of a colony in which all citizens were granted Roman citizenship.
When the Byzantines took over the administration of the city in the sixth century, they channeled enormous effort to fortify the city. Many stone blocks were removed from their original structures to be inserted in huge walls that would enclose the forum and the temple of Jupiter. Latin inscription can be found on these Byzantine walls.
Like the rest of the Roman cities in the province, Thugga declined with the arrival of the Arabs in the seventh century. Despite this decadence, it remained inhabited, and archaeologists have discovered ceramics and potteries from the 11^th century. A small mosque, built a few centuries ago, rests on the eastern side of a pagan temple.
An old tradition with pagan origins survived the arrival of Islam and continues to this day. It’s the Lalla Mokhola along the ruins of Dougga’s Ain el-Hammam cisterns. Curious visitors can discover whitewashed walls bearing handprints, henna, the remains of burnt out candles, and brownish traces of dried blood from a chicken sacrificed to Lalla Mokhola, the Mistress and patron saint of the inhabitants. Lalla Mokhola was a lady, who arrived to the city in time immemorial. When she wanted to depart, she was obliged to stay by Dougga’s residents due to the prodigious, mystical powers she possessed.
At the end of the spring, a Zarda- a celebration involving sacrifice – is organized. The inhabitants collect money to buy a white ox

A Local Paying Respects in the modern-day Shrine to Lalla Mokhola

and spend a night near the cisterns because they think that this woman comes out from the nearby spring and pours oil on the head of the ox. In the morning, the ox is sacrificed and the meat distributed to the families.
The procession of Lalla Mokhola is a legacy of the Roman cult to the water spring. A Roman aqueduct, built in 184 AD, brought its water supply to the city. This cult is even mentioned in Latin inscriptions found near the aqueduct.
In 1960, a new village was built to shelter the inhabitants, who used to live amidst the ruins of the ancient city. It’s located on the road that links Tunis to el-Kef (GP5) and known as New Dougga

Japanese Tour Operators and the Monopoly

Tunisia receives around 10.000 Japanese visitors per year. Several tour operators organize group or individual voyages to Tunisia.. They remain competitive  by reducing prices and improving their quality of service.
Unfortunately, the Japanese Tour Operators are monopolized by one travel agency. This monopoly has created many problems

First, the monopolization of the Tour Operators has made the competition between Japanese Tour Operators incredible. In fact those who pay for expensive tours later find tours at the same quality at lower price, with the same hotels, restaurants and even coaches.
Second, for more than 10 years the company hasn't cooperated with the tourism sector to hire Japanese speaking guides instead of unskilled English speaking guides. Japanese speaking guides have become the least important person, "the weakest link," in the tourism industry with only 5 or 6 Japanese speaking guides all over the 40 years old......

TO BE CONTINUED

Le marketing touristique en Tunisie

Le choix du tourisme de masse dans les années 60 et 70 était un choix tactique par le gouvernement Tunisien à fin de trouver un secteur souple pour avoir la devise nécessaire pour le développement du pays.

A partir des années 90 d’autres destinations méditerranéennes  sont apparues dont leur marketing est plus professionnel que le notre.

Notre marketing met toujours l’accent sur des attractions classiques et démodés ; plage, dromadaire, couscous, danse folklorique… sans oublier le thé à la menthe  

 Les rapports des experts dans les manifestations et les expositions prouvent ce que j’écris.

La catastrophe d’une agence de voyages :

A la mémoire de Tsunami une agence de voyage qui monopolise le marché Japonais a organisé une marche de solidarité devant  l’ambassade sous prétexte le marketing de la Tunisie.

C’est vraiment honteux de voir la faiblesse de marketing comme si on est devenu mendiant devant les ambassades comme si on n’a pas des compétences qui sont capable de faire un bon marketing sur la Tunisie, comme si la Tunisie n’est pas riche en attractions comme si on n’a rien à donner aux visiteurs.

Ce que fait cette agence de voyages nous oblige en tant que Tunisien de tirer la sonnette d’alarme et revoir le système de fonctionnement des agences Tunisiennes.

(un petit essai de ma part suite à une polémique de publication agressive sur facebbok et twitter)