Boosting Tourism in Algeria

Many travelers have had some reservations with regards to touring Algeria due to its turbulent history, but what they don’t realize is that they are missing out on spectacular wonders such as the Djemila ruins, Sahara adventures, the Belezma National Park, Atlas Mountains, the Great Mosque of Tlemcen and many other breathtaking sights and activities. To promote the beauty of the country and all that it has to offer, authorities have decided to focus on tourism in the country to develop it into one of the leading industries within Algeria. With Tunisia and Morocco, its neighboring countries, gaining from the industry, Algeria has decided to follow suit.

To generate more interest from foreign visitors, Algeria hopes to create viable opportunities for investors that will in turn create jobs and a secure tourism infrastructure. When comparing tourism income between Tunisia and Algeria, for instance, Algeria only gained $330 million compared to the $3.4 billion of Tunisia. This shows that there is vast room for improvement within Algeria. By developing structures such as quality control and tourist centers, the appeal to tourists to visit the country will gain momentum.

The very first step taken by Algeria to boost the tourism industry was to focus on beachfront destinations and eco-tourism. In aid of this project, $624 million was set aside to begin renovating resorts and hotels in Algeria that have been in existence since the 1970s. Other agreements have also been signed in regard to the ongoing projects at the International Tourism and Travel Show. Just by renovating existing structures, jobs will already be created and the accommodation capacity in Algeria doubled.

Although so much positivity is being poured into the tourism industry, there is one area that needs to be addressed if the tourism industry has any hope of improving, and that is security. Due to its dubious past, many travelers are skeptical to visit the country, but it is hoped that together with the wonderful projects in the country, security issues can also be solved so that visitors from all over the world can enjoy the history and beauty that Algeria has to offer.