Tunisia IS coming back for golf
So I’m minding my own business getting on with some work when I get a call out of the blue from the Tunisia Tourist Board in London inviting me to participate in their inaugural journalist golf tournament in Tunisia a few weeks later. My gut response – yes please. I’m a bit of an adventurer, I keep an eye on world affairs but also I’m a journalist and I feel it is my duty to go to various destinations to report my findings. Two weeks later meeting my fellow journalists and the colourful Tunisian Tourist Board representative who made it all happen, Moncef at the airport, we were set to go.
Arriving in Tunis airport, we transferred to El Kantaoui (el – can- too-ee), a bit late for dinner but ready for a welcome rest after the journey – after a quick drink in the welcoming bar! I quite like arriving in the dark to hotels, crashing on the bed then waking up to you don’t know what when you open the curtains the next morning. To my delight it was the large turquoise pool with vacant contrasting blue sun-beds, clean fresh and poised waiting for their next guest to take up their spot for a day, enjoying all The Concorde Green Park Hotel has to offer. A U-shaped purpose built 5* hotel right on the beach with stretching tiered views from the room to the pool to the sea and sky beyond, a beautifully decorated new hotel not without charm yet still developing its character and colour of Tunisia. The staff smiled constantly and were incredibly willing to please. In fact that was the theme of the whole time in Tunisia – all the people smiled as they went about their days, they seriously couldn’t do enough for you, in many respects we were treasured like individual jewels in their precious crown. The Concorde Green Park with it’s fine sandy beaches in the Port of El Kantaoui, Sousse, next to the famous El Kantaoui golf course – host of the Tunisian Seniors Open and oldest course in Tunisia, offered everything a holiday golf venue should. I was there for a Media Golf Tournament, I was one of two representing Great Britain and I hadn’t played well for a long time, so I had to dust off my summer golf shoes and get on with it, I was here on business, not pleasure! but playing well was part of it. El Kantaoui is a 36 hole golf complex housing the Panorama and Sea Courses. The tournament was played on the Panorama (but we did sneak a further 9 holes on the Sea Course after lunch for good measure! )