A multisector crisis threatens Djerba, one of the Mediterranean’s most diverse heritage sites. Mass tourism, weak heritage governance, and accelerating climate change converge to imperil centuries-old ways of life and landmark monuments. The fate of this island’s cultural landscape offers hard lessons for Thai coastal communities facing similar pressures.
Djerba sits off Tunisia’s southeastern coast, a crossroads of Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, and Arab influences. Its heritage treasures include the Sedouikech underground mosque, Saint Joseph’s Church, and the El Ghriba Synagogue—vital testaments to centuries of interfaith coexistence. Traditional dwellings and vernacular architecture—houmas, menzels, and houchs—reflect adaptation to the island’s climate and social life spanning generations.
The tourism boom since the 1990s reshaped Djerba’s economy and its built environment. Before Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, up to 1.5 million visitors a year made Djerba the nation’s top tourist destination, driving hotel development but also creating environmental and cultural costs. Thailand’s popular island destinations face analogous sustainability challenges as crowds surge and natural resources strain.
Environmental pressures follow unchecked tourism. Freshwater stress and mounting waste burdens accompany coastal development, with hotel facilities contributing a significant share of the island’s waste. These patterns echo resource-management dilemmas seen across Southeast Asia, including Thailand.
Traditional neighborhoods have given way to modern hospitality complexes in coastal areas, a pattern seen elsewhere in historic districts in Thailand where development threatens architectural integrity and social fabric. Post-revolution governance gaps in Tunisia have weakened heritage oversight, enabling illegal construction, vandalism, and unauthorized demolitions. Infrastructure expansion—roads, ports, airports, and digital networks—has also accelerated declines in farming, fishing, and crafts, often oriented toward tourist entertainment rather than sustainable livelihoods.
Climate change intensifies the threat. Projections indicate potential decreases in rainfall and rising sea levels that could transform Djerba into an arid landscape with compromised water security. Coastal erosion endangers ports, beaches, and fragile heritage sites. Archaeological treasures at Meninx, Edzira, and Ghizene risk partial or complete submersion, threatening irreplaceable artifacts.
In 2023 UNESCO recognized Djerba as a World Heritage Site, a move that increases global visibility and potential support while prompting the government to strengthen monitoring and conservation efforts. Local advocacy groups have pushed for practical measures, such as adapting ancient rainwater systems to drought conditions, but chronic underfunding and bureaucratic hurdles remain barriers to timely action.
Experts agree that durable preservation hinges on robust legal frameworks for sustainable heritage management. These frameworks must balance tourism benefits with preservation needs and local community welfare, backed by steady funding and strict governance of development and tourism activities.
Djerba’s crisis holds timely lessons for Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations. Thai coastal sites and historic towns—including Chiang Mai’s old city, Phuket’s historic districts, and Ayutthaya—face similar tensions between economic growth from tourism and the protection of cultural landscapes. Authorities increasingly recognize the risk of neglect and overdependence on tourism to local heritage. Climate impacts threaten flooding, salinity intrusion, and coastal erosion, demanding proactive adaptation and governance reforms.
Without strong regulatory safeguards, cultural losses could undermine educational value, community identity, and sustainable tourism revenue based on authentic heritage. Djerba shows that living culture—festivals, crafts, and daily practices—must survive as more than tourist spectacles.
The path forward combines local stewardship with international cooperation. Protecting religious heritage, artisanal crafts, and vernacular architecture requires climate adaptation investments, stricter construction controls, and ongoing partnerships with UNESCO and international conservation networks. Communities can embrace sustainable tourism models that favor longer stays and lower environmental footprints, supported by digital documentation and creative reuse of traditional structures.
For Thai audiences, Djerba’s experience translates into concrete steps: support local heritage groups through donations or volunteering; participate in public consultations on development plans in heritage zones; demand transparent governance of conservation rules; patronize businesses that uphold traditional crafts; and advocate for sustainable tourism that protects cultural memory while delivering economic benefits.
Djerba’s ongoing challenges remind us that without sustained local leadership and international backing, precious heritage will remain vulnerable to both nature and market forces. The island’s story reinforces a shared responsibility from North Africa to Southeast Asia to safeguard cultural identity for future generations.