I'm going to Tunisia on my honeymoon is August and do not know which currency I should be ordering in travellers cheques! The travel agents said sterling but the Tunisia info site say US dollars? Has anyone been? Answers gratefully received! Ps I'm from the UK ****UPDATE****
If you refuse to take all your money in cash, then you are free to use a credit card or travelers checks. As stated below, here are the things to remember:
*Only change what you NEED if using travelers checks to make sure that you don't actually lose money in the process. It may be a bit of a hardship, but try only changing them one or two at a time.
*If using credit or debit cards, check with the issuing bank on their policies regarding funds conversion when out of country. They will charge you a fee for this, and you will be charged an additional fee when withdrawing funds from a bank here in Tunisia because it not your issuing bank.
When I first came for a visit before moving here I got charged an arm and a leg on my credit cards! I got charged a 2.000TDN charge for every withdrawal, plus a US$5.00 charge for funds conversion. Not to mention that I changed too much money and had to leave a lot with my husband (then boyfriend) because I was forbidden from taking it out of country.
Good luck to you, and as always, if I can be of anymore help or assistance, please feel free to contact me. ****
First off, here is some conversion for you:
1TDN = 拢0.39, 拢1=2.570TDN
1TDN = 鈧?.57, 鈧?=1.757TDN
1TDN = $0.77, $1=1.300TDN
http://finance.yahoo.com/currency
(Currency rates as of 15:41 GMT on 18 May 2007)
The way the money system works is this:
1 Tunisian Dinar (TDN) = 1000 millimes.
Paper money is in denominations of 30, 20, 10 and 5.
Coins are in denominations of 5 &1TDN, and 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 millimes.
English pounds, US Dollars, and Euros are all widely accepted at banks, hotels, and the change counter at the airports. There really is not one that is better than the other.
Just a quick note: Tunisia is one of the few places in the world where you will get a better exchange rate at most hotels than you will at a bank. Keep that in mind when you are changing your money.
Tunisian currency is not a fully convertible currency as of yet, so therefore it can only be purchased inside of Tunisia.
You can change your money into either US dollars, or British pounds (sterlings) - either are fine.
Travelers鈥?checks and credit cards are accepted at some establishments in Tunisia, mainly in urban or tourist areas. The Tunisian dinar is not yet a fully convertible currency and Tunisian law prohibits the export or import of Tunisian bank notes or coins. Tunisian law permits the export of foreign currency that was declared when entering Tunisia. Tourists are expected to make foreign exchange transactions at authorized banks or dealers and to retain receipts for dinars obtained. Under foreign currency regulations, a tourist can reconvert to foreign currency 30 percent of what has been exchanged into dinars, up to a maximum of 100 dollars. Declaring foreign currency on entering Tunisia and obtaining a receipt for dinars purchased thereafter will facilitate reconverting dinars to your original currency. Keep all receipts of monetary transactions for presentation when leaving the country.
Now that the government part is over, there are cash points (ATMs) all over Tunisia, mainly in touristicy areas, and at banks. I personally wouldn't bring travelers checkes as it will take a long time for them to process it when you check out because not many people use them. Really the only place that they are valuable at is a bank.
And because Tunisia is still a developing country, most places aren't set up to accept credit cards or debit cards. You'll find that only you're major stores, such as Carefour (in Tunis), and Monoprix, and Magasin General, plus a few major restauraunts are equipped to handle them. Most major hotels can handle them as well.
Or bring a credit/debit card and use it at the ATM's when you need money. There is a fee for using the ATM's though, and that varies from bank to bank. Mostly the fee is between 1,500 dinars and 2 dinars. Remember though, you also get charged a fee from your bank for having to convert your normal currency into local currency. You will have to check with your bank/credit card provider to find out how much that fee would be.
My best suggestion to you is to bring the amount of money you want to have and change it little by little when you are in Tunisia. Which ever way you go, keep only the necessary cash on you, and the rest in your hotel room.
If I can be of any more help, feel free to contact me. take sterling..its much easier for you to understand - i always take sterling t/cheques. good luck with the wedding!! I've never been to Tunisia but I would personally take sterling because it would be less confusing. It is standard to order travellers cheques in American Dollars, as the dollars are the most accepted form of cash in 99.9 per cent of the world. Take Sterling, you'll get more for your money rather than the dollar which is low at the moment !!!! Hi there Gemma,
American Express, Visa and Thomas Cook travellers cheques are widely accepted, and it is best to carry them in US Dollars to avoid high exchange charges. ATMs are found in most towns and at all the tourist resorts; almost all will accept Visa cards and many will also accept Maestro (Switch) cards. Visa and MasterCard are accepted for payment in souvenir shops, upmarket hotels and restaurants, although Visa encounters fewer problems.
Tunisia is one of the few places in the world where you will get a better exchange rate at most hotels than you will a bank. Keep that in mind when you are changing your money.
Watch you don't change more than you need, as you need transaction receipts to re-convert it on leaving the country.
Have a great holiday :o) We went in Feb, I never use travelers cheques, only cash, it is likely you will easily be able to exchange Euro notes as we did, and sterling, the hotels have exchanges and it's easy to do.
Tunisia is a 3rd world country and as such you are not allowed to bring any Tunisian Dinar back with you. You can change it all back when you leave, at the airport.
We stopped in the Riu El Kebir, Hammamet where I was violently ill for 3 days. it is better to have with you US dollar ( travellers cheques), and when you get to tunissia you can shop around in the market and exchange your money. have fun. |
