Algeria wants to develop and modernize its tourism to diversify its economy. Among the engines of growth that the government has decided to rekindle to reduce the economy’s dependence on hydrocarbons is indeed tourism. A sector that can generate foreign currency for the country.
To take stock of the state of tourism in Algeria, the Minister of the sector Yacine Hamadi gathered this Saturday his executives in a national conference at the Hotel School of Ain Benian on the west coast of Algiers.
In front of his executives, Yacine Hamadi drew up a progress report on what has been achieved, while deploring the slowness of tourism investment in certain wilayas of the country. “Tourism in Algeria is not reduced to the summer season and Saharan tourism. Algeria is a tourist country all year round, from the 1st day of the year until the last day. We have to review the concepts,” he said.
“Our work is not limited to just two seasons. As for the summer season, it is not the season of the sea, just like the season of Saharan tourism which is not only that of tourism in the Sahara. There is great interest in winter tourism, especially with the latest snowfall,” continued the Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts.
Algeria is a tourist country “all year round”
For his impressive report, Yacine Hamadi said that the statistics indicate the “remarkable” development of tourism in Algeria through the “unprecedented” influx of tourists, “whether foreign or local, within the framework of tourism interior. »
He added that local development was one of the government’s priorities as millions of Algerians used to take the direction of Tunisia every summer to spend the holidays.
In 2022, “we recorded more than 10 million domestic tourists during the summer season and more than one million domestic tourists during the Saharan tourist season,” he said.
“2022 was the year of the revival of domestic tourism par excellence. We have prioritized the comfort of the Algerian family and the provision of quality services at prices compatible with their purchasing power,” explained Yacine Hamadi.
Among the actions carried out for the development of tourism in Algeria, the Minister cited the approval of “208 new tourism projects with a capacity of approximately 25,000 beds, which will contribute to the creation of more than 10,000 direct jobs. »
He also cited the easing of visa procedures for foreign tourists during the Saharan tourism season by “adopting the entry visa formula” in Algeria.
Translated from TSA
