TUNIS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia launched a project here on Thursday to promote adventure and outdoor tourism in the north African country, the official news agency Tunis Afrique Presse reported.

Tourists walk on the Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis. (Photo‍: VCG)

Speaking at the ceremony to launch the Adventure and Outdoors Tourism Development (AOTD) project, Tunisian Minister of Tourism Mohamed Moez Belhassine said the project was "in line with the strategy for the development of the tourism sector by 2035 in the country, which aspires to promote inclusive and sustainable tourism."

"Outdoor and adventure tourism remains a real engine of economic growth and regional development," Belhassine said.

The AOTD project was supported by the Promotion of Sustainable Tourism initiative, which is jointly launched by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

By Sept. 10, nearly 4.1 million tourists had visited Tunisia this year, marking an increase of 161.4 percent over the same period in 2021, according to the data released by the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism.