With its Mediterranean coastline, natural thermal springs, mild climate, and affordability, Tunisia has become the world’s second-largest destination for seawater-based therapy known as thalassotherapy.
Now, the country is aiming to surpass France and claim the top position.
‘A Natural Advantage’
“The main advantage of Tunisia is its coast and thalassotherapy,” said Mario Paolo, an Italian visitor at the Korbous thermal spa, a hilltop retreat about an hour from the capital, Tunis.
Paolo, a 78-year-old retiree who has lived in Tunisia for five years, said he frequently visits local thalassotherapy centres “to get back in shape.”
“Enjoying sea water and natural springs is not just leisure but also a therapy,” he said after a massage with thyme and rosemary oil.
Korbous, a town on the Cap Bon peninsula, has long been one of Tunisia’s top destinations for thalassotherapy, a treatment that relies on seawater and marine-based resources.
According to Shahnez Guizani, head of Tunisia’s National Office of Thermalism (ONTH), the practice has deep historical roots in the country.
“Thalassotherapy is an ‘ancestral heritage’ for Tunisians, since hydrotherapy has existed in Tunisia since antiquity, at the time of the Carthaginians and the Romans,” she told AFP.
Other well-known thalassotherapy destinations include Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir, and Djerba, which was named the Mediterranean thalassotherapy capital in 2014 by the World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy, according to Tunisian news agency TAP.

Attracting International Visitors
Rouaa Machat, a 22-year-old visitor from France, travelled to Korbous for a three-day wellness retreat.
“I’m here to enjoy the types of water this beautiful town offers,” she said, referring to the combination of seawater, spring water, and desalinated water used in treatments.
“But I am also here for this,” she added, smiling as she gestured toward the sea and mountains.
According to Raja Haddad, a doctor who heads the thalassotherapy centre at the Royal Tulip Korbous Bay Hotel, most visitors come for the quality of the spring water.
Today, Tunisia is home to 60 thalassotherapy centres and 390 spas, with 84 percent of them located within hotels, according to ONTH data.
Tourism contributes seven percent to Tunisia’s GDP and supports nearly half a million jobs, based on official figures.
Despite setbacks caused by terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has rebounded, with foreign visitors surpassing 10 million last year—a record for the nation of 12 million people.
‘Palm Trees And The Sun’
Guizani noted that thalassotherapy alone draws approximately 1.2 million foreign visitors each year, with “70 percent coming from Europe, including 40 percent from France.”
The sector generates around 200 million dinars ($63 million, 60 million euros) annually, she said.
By comparison, the French thalassotherapy market was valued at approximately 100 million euros last year, according to market research firm Businesscoot.
At a luxury hotel near Monastir, a thalassotherapy centre remains busy, even in winter.
Visitors have travelled from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada, among other countries.
“As soon as you arrive, you find palm trees and the sun,” said Monique Dicrocco, a 65-year-old tourist from France. “It’s pure happiness, and it’s also worth your money.”
She highlighted the cost difference, noting that “here the therapy is much cheaper than in France, with 1,000 euros a week all-inclusive instead of 3,000.”
Jean-Pierre Ferrante, a 64-year-old visitor from Cannes, said he found “the quality of the water and the facilities just as good as in France.”
Kaouther Meddeb, head of the thalassotherapy and spa centre at the Royal Elyssa Hotel in Monastir, said demand has been increasing.
However, she pointed out that despite meeting international standards, the sector remains underappreciated within Tunisia.
“There’s a lack of communication and promotion,” she said.
Experts suggest that more investment is needed in infrastructure, including better roads and improved air travel, as limited low-cost flights currently restrict accessibility.
Still, plans are in place to develop eco-friendly thermal resorts in areas such as Beni M’tir, a mountainous village in the northwest, and near Lake Ichkeul, south of Bizerte, Guizani said.
“With all the advantages it has, Tunisia is poised to become the world leader in thalassotherapy,” she added.