Just a little update: Yesterday, the Office of Civil Aviation and Airports (OACA) asked that it be made compulsory for travellers from Tunisian airports to arrive at check in three hours before their flight.

OACA specify in a statement that this measure is to avoid the congestion recorded during the last period and to end complaints about failures of departures on time.

My thoughts are that this is to allow extra time for the purchase and checking of the exit stamp. Even if this is available elsewhere, apart from at the airport, I very much doubt everyone will know the procedure.

Thanks Aslemma. Useful information. So its going to cost £10.50 each to leave Tunisia. Quite a bit extra for a family if they are not aware before their holiday.

Yes indeed, and the problem will be that not everyone will know about it unless the tour operators pass on the information. We also need to know exactly where these stamps can be bought and, if only at the airport, what currencies will be accepted. I'll obviously keep an eye on the situation and pass on anything I find out so watch this space.

TOs often don't pass on this news. They cover by saying that you have to check for visas etc for any country you are going to.

I'm glad you said that rather than me Fiona but sometimes I wonder if the TOs themselves are actually fully up-to-date with information. I remember the first year that Tunisia changed their clocks and many almost missed their flights as their reps had not realised that the times had changed. (Not me of course, who had got a taxi and was sitting comfortably at the airport watching people arriving in a panic.)

Latest update:

"The Director General for Research and Tax Laws in the Ministry of Finance, Habiba Louati announced that the exit stamp of 30 dinars to be imposed on all non-resident foreigners in Tunisia and will be applied from 28th August 2014

The stamp will be stuck into the passport upon leaving the country"

So it's been brought forward, as it was originally meant to start in October. It will be utter chaos, at least for the first few weeks or months, as there is still no information as to where the stamp can be brought (may only be at the airport) nor as to how it is to be paid for (dinars/foreign currency/credit/debit cards). Don't know whether I mentioned elsewhere that they now want people to arrive at the airport 3 hours before their flight rather than the previous 2 . Perhaps I'm being cynical but have a feeling this could simply be to give them extra time for this.

I've just found out that a contact on a Tunisian site will be amongst the first to get caught by this as he's flying back the day it starts. Obviously I'm sorry for him, particularly as he has 3 children so it will be expensive, but at least he will be able to let us know how it works in practice.

Typical that instead of making it easier and encourage visitors to Tunisia which like so many destinations they need after the Arab Spring uprising they are putting obstacles and more costs in the way.

This will put many people off visiting Tunisia.

It's utterly ridiculous Graham and like their earlier idea for making extra money from tourists, the ill-fated 2 dinar a day tax, it hasn't been thought through. Believe me, chaos will reign, particularly in the early days if the stamp can only be bought with dinars at the airport,. You can guarantee the majority of visitors won't be aware of it and will have got rid of all their dinars, following the given line that they can't be used at the airport (untrue, as it's cheaper to buy coffee etc. airside with dinars than with sterling)

I'll obviously keep you posted..

Just another small snippet of information. According to Thomsons, the 30 dinars will be charged for all travellers, including children and infants. This is certainly not the way to encourage tourists.

Aslemma.
As a matter of interest have Thomson indicated how the exit stamp will be purchased/Issued ??
We go on the 31st so any news i will post back here.

No, no further news. Apparently however they are going to contact staff out there to find out. However, someone on another site has just flown back to Norway via Monastir a couple of days ago and the staff at the airport hadn't heard of it, nor had anyone at the hotel. It doesn't bode well. i will, of course, pass on any further information, boith here and elsewhere.

At least Thomsons knew about it, which is more than Thomas Cook, who hadn't a clue until I contacted them via their 'live chat'. An interesting 'conversation' ensued as you can imagine. I know I have the advantage of having friends out there who keep an eye on the press, but you would think the tour operators would keep up to date.

An interesting update from the Tunisian press:

"The Tunisian Federation of Travel Agencies (FTAV) has learned with surprise of the government's decision to implement the new exit tax of 30 dinars as of August 28, 2014.

Mr. Mohamed Ali Toumi, president FTAV believes that "tourists to Tunisia were not informed of this fee upon arrival; its immediate application would be treated poorly, which may have significant adverse impacts on the image of our destination and create big problems when they start especially for those who had not provided for it in their budget. "

While stressing that it is not against establishing this new tax, FTAV recalls that the Ministry of Tourism had mentioned initially that its entry into force would be 1 October 2014, which is quite logical and would have allowed the Tunisian travel agencies and their tour operator partners to make arrangements well in advance by advising their customers when booking their stay and remind them when they arrive the need to 'fulfill them upon departure.

FTAV therefore calls on the authorities concerned to return urgently to the date of entry into force of the exit tax for the current state of things, it will cause more harm to the tourist Tunisia than the revenues it generate the Treasury."

It remains to be seen whether this will have any effect.

So their government also don't listen to the concerns of tour companies and the tourist industry then, sound familiar.

Just a thought. Would this include cruise ships?

The whole thing has been handled atrociously Graham and I don't think we have heard the last of it. i just feel sorry for anybody travelling in the next few days or weeks who won't have a clue about it until they get to the airport.

Anything is possible Peter, though it would be particularly unfair for passengers on ships which have only called into La Goulette for a few hours. I think we will all have to wait until the authorities deign to give us more information.

Another press release - they're coming thick and fast:

The finance minister said today that all provisions of the new finance law will come into effect on 28th August, but the tax on leaving the country for non residents will NOT. It will rather be installed "until 1st October". (dodgy translation perhaps?)

So, in other words, the tax will come into effect in October, as it had been reported first.

Thanks Aslemma, I have also e-mailed P&O to see if they know anything. If, big if, I get a reply I will post it.

Thanks Peter. On a side note, though off topic, you can walk to the station and get into Tunis by train from the port at La Goulette. I did it some years ago and it cost less than £4 for 5 of us, whilst booking with the ship was a small fortune. You will need to pick up some dinars on the way to the station but can use debit or credit cards in any of the ATMs.