Tabarka reopens to charter tourism as first Polish flight lands with 190 visitors

TL;DR — The first tourist charter of the 2026 season landed at Tabarka-Aïn Draham International Airport this month, carrying 190 Polish holidaymakers and confirming the return of programmed leisure traffic to Tunisia's green north-west.

Long overshadowed by Djerba and Hammamet, the Tabarka region — pine forests, Berber coral coast, cork-oak mountains and the Roman ruins of Bulla Regia — has spent the last decade rebuilding a small but loyal European charter market. This month's arrival from Poland is the season opener, part of a wider programme of weekly rotations targeting the summer.

What travellers should know

Tabarka is a very different Tunisia from the traditional beach-resort experience. Expect thick Mediterranean forest running down to the sea, low-density boutique hotels, one of the best diving playgrounds in the country, and a laid-back food scene built around grilled fish. It is a natural fit for outdoor travellers, divers, families who want quiet coves, and anyone combining Tunisia with a stop in nearby Aïn Draham or Bulla Regia.

Why the flight matters

Direct charters shortcut the previous three-plus-hour road transfer from Tunis-Carthage. For Polish, Czech and Central European tour operators, having a viable gateway airport in the north-west opens up packaged holidays that were previously unrealistic for a one-week trip. Expect more programmed rotations from Warsaw, Katowice and Prague over the summer if load factors hold.

Independent travellers can already reach Tabarka by domestic flight from Tunis, by louage from Bab Saadoun, or by rental car via the A4 motorway — plan around 3 hours from the capital.

Source: News Tunisia