Is Hammamet Safe for Tourists in 2026?

Men near the Hammamet medina gate offer to show tourists "the real medina" or "a local craft co-operative" for free. They lead tourists through the old town and into carpet or textile shops where they earn a 20–30% commission on any sale. Tourists report high-pressure sales environments with multiple staff members and a "genuine Berber carpet" narrative used to justify very high prices.

How to avoid: Decline unsolicited guide offers at the medina entrance. If you want a guided medina visit, arrange one through your hotel at a set fee with no commission arrangement. In any carpet shop, you are never obligated to buy regardless of how long you have been shown items.

Where: Hammamet medina main entrance gate (Bab el-Ain area) and the carpet and textile shops in the lanes around the kasbah

Taxis from Tunis-Carthage Airport to Hammamet (approximately 65 km) should cost around 70–90 TND by meter. Unlicensed and even some licensed drivers offer fixed rates to tourists at 150–200 TND, often claiming the meter is broken or that a "highway toll surcharge" applies. The journey is long enough that the overcharge can be significant, and tourists arriving late at night are most vulnerable.

How to avoid: Use the official taxi rank at the airport exit, not touts in the arrivals hall. Insist the driver use the meter. Confirm destination and whether toll roads are included before departure. Alternatively, pre-book a transfer through your hotel.

Where: Tunis-Carthage International Airport arrivals hall and official taxi rank, and the A1 motorway between Tunis and Hammamet

Tunisia has a well-documented form of romance fraud locally called bezness, in which individuals — primarily young men — cultivate romantic relationships with foreign tourists, particularly European women, under false pretenses. In Hammamet, encounters typically begin on the beach, in the medina, or via social media contact initiated during or after a visit. The goal is to extract money, gifts, or ultimately a visa or residency arrangement. Victims report losing thousands of euros and suffering significant emotional harm. The US State Department specifically identifies internet romance and financial scams as prevalent in Tunisia.

How to avoid: Be extremely cautious about intense romantic interest from local men you meet casually in a tourist destination. Avoid sending money to anyone you have met only in person briefly or online. Verify identities through video calls before any financial involvement. Check the dedicated itsbezness.com forum if you are unsure about a situation.

Where: Initial contact typically on Hammamet beach, in the medina, or at beachfront cafes — followed by continued relationship online via WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram

Thieves on mopeds and motorbikes operate in Hammamet's tourist areas, targeting pedestrians walking with bags on their shoulder or in their hand. Operating alone or in pairs, they drive close to the pavement and snatch bags or cut straps before accelerating away. Phones held visibly while walking are also grabbed. The tactic is confirmed by UK FCDO advisories and multiple travel safety sources as active in Tunisia's tourist zones, including coastal resort areas.

How to avoid: Carry bags on the side away from the road or use a crossbody bag worn across the chest. Keep phones in a pocket rather than held openly while walking. Walk on the side of the pavement furthest from traffic. Do not leave bags hanging from restaurant chairs facing the street.

Where: Main road running parallel to Hammamet beachfront, the road between Yasmine Hammamet and the medina, and quieter side streets in the hotel zone during evening hours