www.tehrantimes.com Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts, Mondher Zenaidi Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts believes that one way to attract tourists to Islamic countries and promote Islamic tourism is to develop the handicrafts industry in these countries.

One of the most effective ways to promote tourism in Islamic countries according to Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts is to focus on their handicrafts and turn them into one of these countriesأ¢â‚¬â„¢ main tourist attractions. In an exclusive interview with CHN, Mondher Zenaidi said: أ¢â‚¬إ“Handicrafts are important in a number of ways. For instance, in Tunisia the handicraft industry plays an important role in the economy such that it accounts for approximately 4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product and engages roughly 300,000 people. Therefore, in addition to its economic benefits, promotion of the handicrafts industry has a social and cultural side to itself. Basically, handicrafts are inspired by our culture and so improving one promotes the other. On the other hand, they directly impact tourism and can therefore result in attracting tourists to a country. أ¢â‚¬آ‌

Zenaidi believes that promoting Islamic tourism not only helps promote the tourism industry of Islamic countries, it also creates a better global understanding of the Islamic culture and civilization by bringing them to light. Regarding the expansion of tourism ties between Iran and Tunisia, Zenaidi said that some positive steps have been taken in this regard and added: أ¢â‚¬إ“We believe there are many tourist attraction sites in Tunisia which are of interest to Iranian tourists. On the other hand, the Tunisians are increasingly becoming interested in traveling to Iran as seen in the increase in the number of Tunisians coming to Iran each year.أ¢â‚¬آ‌ Pointing to the role of tourism in the development of Tunisia, Zenaidi said: أ¢â‚¬إ“Tourism is very important in our country. It makes up 8 percent of the countryأ¢â‚¬â„¢s GDP. Our relatively high tourism revenue covers 50 percent of the deficiencies in commercial transactions, and that is especially important for our economy as oil production does not have a high share in the countryأ¢â‚¬â„¢s economy.أ¢â‚¬آ‌

The Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts said that the handicrafts industry bloomed in his country thanks to effective marketing policies by the government. Providing facilities for the Tunisian handicraftsmen to obtain the necessary raw materials and supporting them in every possible way as well as providing the ground for the export of handicrafts were other factors that according to the Tunisian official led into making handicrafts one of the most important industries in Tunisia.

Carpet, ceramic, wooden objects made of olive tree, glassware, and traditional costumes are among some of the most popular indigenous handicrafts of the Tunisians.

Speaking of the importance of promoting Islamic tourism, Zenaidi pointed out that out of the nearly 7 million tourists who visited Tunisia in 2006, one-third were from Islamic countries أ¢â‚¬â€œ a fact that implies by itself how Islamic tourism is developing in Tunisia. أ¢â‚¬إ“Having enormous cultural and historic attractions, Islamic countries are considered one of the most important tourist attraction centers in the world. Countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt are pioneers of tourism and that is a very important point,أ¢â‚¬آ‌ added Zenaidi.

The Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts called on the upcoming International Conference on Tourism of Islamic Countries, scheduled for early March 2007 in Tehran, as an important event which can lead into creating a better multilateral understanding of Islamic countries, among themselves first and then in the world, which would ultimately result in the development of the tourism industry as a whole.