The USAID Visit Tunisia Activity is launching a new grant/technical assistance program to help innovative tourism businesses and organizations develop their activities.
The Tourism Innovation Fund, the project’s first open call for applications, will provide $15,000-$50,000 grants to at least 10 tourism businesses and organizations seeking to create diverse tourism products, services, and experiences.
The fund aims to strengthen Tunisia’s appeal as a cultural, natural, and beach holiday destination, particularly in underserved, less-visited regions and outside of peak tourism seasons. It will prioritize proposals that benefit local communities, support women and youth, generate jobs, promote sustainable resource management, and create synergies with other tourism stakeholders.
Visit Tunisia’s Product Development Team Lead Boutheina Gharbi speaks in an informational video about the Tourism Innovation Fund.
In addition to grants, beneficiaries will receive tailored technical assistance from Visit Tunisia’ team of tourism development, marketing, and management experts,
Visit Tunisia publicized the grant fund on its website and social media pages, through interviews with local press, and through two informational sessions that reached more than 150 people. The opportunity quickly received broad interest from Tunisian tourism actors, generating more than 300 applications from around the country. By July 31, Visit Tunisia’s team will review the submissions and invite pre-selected applicants to a “co-creation” phase, in which they work with Visit Tunisia’s team to refine their development plan and discuss potential assistance. Final applicants will be selected and awarded the grants by October 31.
The support is part of Visit Tunisia’s ambitious goals to significantly increase tourism arrivals, especially to underserved regions, and industry jobs. By 2026, Visit Tunisia aims to increase visitor arrivals to 11.5 million beyond the traditional high season, increase visitor spending by 20%, increase tourism arrivals to underserved regions by 20%, and generate 15,000 jobs in the sustainable tourism industry.
“Tunisia has a rich natural, cultural, and historical heritage,” Boutheina Gharbi, Visit Tunisia’s product development team lead, said of the grant fund’s impact. “There are still many unknown places and spots to be discovered around the country, even for Tunisians.”
