Erosion threatens Tunisian beaches and tourism industry

In Hammamet, Tunisia, efforts are underway to counter beach erosion by transporting sand from a nearby desert to restore Yasmine beach, a key tourist attraction. 

“This beach is the postcard image of Hammamet,” environmentalist Chiheb Ben Fredj told the AFP. He fears it will disappear. 

The beach has been reduced dramatically due to severe erosion, a problem common along North African coasts. 

This erosion is exacerbated by human activities like coastal development and offshore sand mining, which disrupt the natural flow of sediment along the shorelines.

Climate change further accelerates these issues, with rising sea levels and increasing temperatures altering the Mediterranean coastline rapidly. 

The British National Oceanography Center reports that Mediterranean sea levels have risen more in the past 20 years than throughout the 20th century. In Tunisia, over 90 kilometers of beaches have already been lost to erosion, with 190 kilometers at imminent risk, according to Tunisian reports.

This poses a considerable threat to Tunisia’s tourism industry, which accounts for up to 14 percent of the country’s GDP and is responsible for tens of thousands of jobs. Tunisia’s goal is to attract 10 million tourists this year with its coastline being its main draw.

To combat the challenge, Tunisia's Coastal Protection and Development Agency (APAL) is undertaking a costly sand replenishment project, moving 750 truckloads of sand from the Kairouan desert to the beaches of Hammamet, Monastir, and Sfax. 

While this "beach nourishment" offers a temporary fix, Ben Fredj warns it’s not sustainable, as the newly added sand can be quickly eroded by storms.

Despite the high costs, locals in the tourism industry, believe restoring these beaches is crucial to Tunisia’s economy. They emphasize the need for a balance between protecting the environment and preserving the region's beauty.