Where are all the Dutch people?
- Richard
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
We always run into Dutch people in the most remote places. In the middle of nowhere, somewhere high on a mountain in Norway, in a deserted parking lot in Latvia, deep in the Sahara in Morocco, or by a frozen lake in Scandinavia. But not here in Tunisia.
Tourism is back
Following the 2011 revolution and the horrific attacks, including the one on the beach in Sousse, tourism in Tunisia collapsed completely. The number of Dutch holidaymakers dropped from 120,000 to just 26,000 per year in ten years. That picture has since changed completely. Tourism has recovered. Tunisia recently even broke visitor records, and Tunis intends to bid to become the Arab Tourist Capital of 2027.
Hotel next to hotel
But actually, you only see those tourists in one place. On the east coast. There, hotel after hotel stands along azure beaches. Gigantic resorts with swimming pools, bowling alleys, all-inclusive buffets, and private beaches. And don't get us wrong, if that is your ideal vacation, then Tunisia is perfect for it. Sun, sea, warmth, and everything taken care of. As far as we are concerned, however, the most beautiful parts of the country lie elsewhere.
The real Tunisia
As soon as you drive inland, everything changes. We found the south and west particularly impressive. The endless emptiness of the Sahara. Rugged canyons. Palm oases suddenly emerging from the dust. Ancient ksour perched on mountaintops that once served as grain storage for the Berber people . And then suddenly those Star Wars locations. Places that briefly make you feel as if you have landed on the planet Tatooine .
Perhaps the most special thing we found were the troglodyte houses built entirely underground.
Hospitality that touches the heart
We have been invited here so often to eat at people's homes or just have a drink. A table suddenly filled. Tea poured as if we have known each other for years. Conversations with hands, smiles, and a few words that are just enough to understand one another. It moves me, every single time.
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Almost no travelers
And precisely there, in the interior, we see almost no one. In eight weeks, we encountered perhaps fifteen campers. No more. In Morocco last year, we saw hundreds. Here, it sometimes feels like you are traveling through the country completely alone. There are hardly any campsites. So we are right in the middle of nature. On the edge of a canyon, among the palm trees, or somewhere in a deserted stretch of desert where it becomes completely silent at night.
Adventurous travel
The police or the National Guard come by regularly. Sometimes to escort us to a safer spot. Sometimes just to photograph our passports, wish us a good night, and ask if we need anything else. That might sound more exciting than it is, and in a way, you really do need to be an adventurous traveler for Tunisia. It is not a country where everything is taken care of for you. There are hardly any campsites, and English is spoken almost nowhere. You often sleep in places where no one else is around. That is exactly what we find wonderful. The feeling of freedom, of being on an adventure in the country as it really is.
As if you are sometimes no longer on earth here.
Bizarrely cheap
From a practical point of view, Tunisia is also remarkably affordable. Richard got his hair cut for €2.95. A liter of diesel costs about €0.66. We paid €2.35 entrance fee for a Roman open-air museum. A baguette costs €0.06 here! Sometimes we look at each other laughing when we have paid again and double-check to make sure we really converted it correctly.
Where is everyone?
We are truly surprised by the enormous diversity of the country. In terms of nature, culture, and people. In a country that is largely barely touched. Perhaps that will change in the coming years. For now, we keep asking ourselves: where are all those Dutch people?
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