Standing tall along the Mediterranean coast in Hammamed, Tunisia, are a staggering 130 colossal hotels, once intended to cater to the demand for opulent all-inclusive getaways. Yet, now they stand as monuments of a bygone era, their relevance faded, and many have succumbed to abandonment. Some never even reached completion. The disquieting imagery of these mammoth structures devoid of life left an indelible impression on me, compelling me to reflect on our society's shortsightedness.
Rather than constructing mere hotels, we're crafting veritable "mausoleums" adorned with marble facades. We cocoon ourselves within their fortress-like walls, indulging until we're satiated to the point of bursting. We frequent spas, treating fellow humans as servants in this charade, under the illusion that such extravagance constitutes happiness. But does it truly?
In my perspective, it falls short. With each descent, we drag our precious planet down alongside us.Â
My April 2023 trip to Tunisia took an unexpected twist due to an itinerary mishap. My family and I found ourselves ensnared in a five-star hotel in Hammamed, alone. Initially, we attributed the solitude to Ramadan, but it soon became apparent that there were deeper undercurrents at play. This was merely a glimpse into a larger phenomenon—a looming economic crisis in Tunisia, exacerbated by three consecutive years of drought. A crisis that resonates globally. The once-bustling restaurants now sit vacant, bars deserted, and portions of the property lay abandoned, forever dormant. The perimeter is marked by towering gates and an air of vigilant security, all atop extensive acres of land, squandered beneath these metaphorical "sinking Titanics.
