Chargée d’Affaires Natasha Franceschi met with Minister of Tourism Mohamed Moez Belhassine today to discuss the importance of Tunisia’s tourism and handicraft sectors in fostering sustainable economic growth in communities across Tunisia. Through USAID’s newly launched $50 million “Visit Tunisia” project, the U.S. government is partnering with Tunisia’s tourism sector to, create 15,000 new sustainable tourism-related jobs in underserved communities, and increase tourism revenues by 20 percent. Chargée Franceschi also highlighted the U.S. Embassy’s ongoing $5.6 million handicraft project that is helping Tunisian artisans, particularly rural women, better market their essential oils, olive wood, and textile products, to expand their businesses domestically, and reach new international markets. With this support, the United States is now the leading destination for Tunisian handicrafts.
