Dusit International has signed on to open a new resort, the Dusit Thani Samara Sousse, located within the historic city of Sousse, the third largest city in Tunisia.

On the east coast of the country, Sousse is one of its most popular resort destinations. It is easily reachable from the international airports of Tunis Carthage and Monastir Habib Bourguiba, within one and a half hours and 30 minutes’ drive, respectively.

Sousse retains much of its medieval charm with narrow, winding streets, a Kasbah and a Medina, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Over a million visitors enjoy the city’s beaches, nightclubs, casinos, restaurants and leisure facilities yearly.

The resort will be housed within a mixed-use development comprising a shopping mall of 26,000 sq m and an additional 350 residential apartments of high specification.

A complete reconstruction of an existing hotel, the Dusit Thani Samara Sousse, Sousse is slated to open in mid-2018.

Designs for the 307-key, 5-star luxury resort incorporate a number of diverse food and beverage offerings, including Dusit’s famed Benjarong Restaurant serving Thai cuisine and an additional 18th floor panoramic restaurant.

Extensive leisure facilities will house Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa, extending over 1,600 sq m and boasting the largest pool with solarium in Sousse, with a total area of 2,600 sq m.

The resort also features direct access to its own private area on Samara Beach, exclusively for resort guests and all guest rooms offer sea views.

“We feel it is an excellent time to enter this new market, as prospects are exciting and political stability is back in place here in Tunisia,” said Dusit International managing director and CEO Chanin Donavanik.

“We expect the market to recover sharply and are very pleased to work with local hospitality pioneers, Société de Tourisme Samara, to bring a Dusit Thani resort to beautiful Sousse.”

“We see a clear future trend towards all things Asian,” said Radhouane Mehdoui, CEO of Société de Tourisme Samara.

“Dusit’s signature gracious Thai service blends well with our local hospitality traditions, and combining their international hotel management experience with our local expertise will ensure the success of Dusit Thani Samara Sousse.” – TradeArabia News Service