Algeria's tourism industry

[Al-khiyal]

The number of foreign tourists to Algeria have increased 20% annually between 2000 and 2005, Tourism Minister Noureddine Moussa said Monday (October 30th) at a conference with the sector's executives. Over 140 building permits in the tourism sector have been granted by the ministry since November 2005 to nationals who want to invest in tourism infrastructures, Moussa said.

In related news on Tuesday, tourism management of Illizi province announced more than 1,200 tourists from different European countries visited the Tassili region in October. The provincial authority's 2005 report said the area recorded a significant number of tourists, estimated at more than 15,670 people, in comparison to a projected 5,675, and forecasted a "promising tourist season" for this year.

The improved security situation in Algeria and legislative reforms to ease foreign and local investments in the tourism sector reflect the government's determination to make tourism its second main resource of revenue after oil exports.

Number of foreign tourists to Algeria increasing

[Nectar77]

government's determination to make tourism its second main resource of revenue after oil exports.

About time really.
Although this is very worrying for neighbouring courtiers like Morocco and Tunisia should the Algerian tourism industry really take off!!

[liberte]

Although this is very worrying for neighbouring courtiers like Morocco and Tunisia should the Algerian tourism industry really take off!!

You know, I haven't yet been but from what I've heard and pictures I've seen, Algeria has a greater offer than either (I have been to Morocco and Tunisia), due to it's diversity in landscape - beaches, forests, moutains, dessert. The Casbah is another unique place that would make a fantastic tourist destination. One key factor will be to reassure people that they'll be safe though.

I'm not sure if this is totally accurate but I've also heard that hotels (in Alger) are mainly frequented by, um, ladies of questionable morals, shall we say... so there'll need to be investment in holiday accommodation as well. Hopefully it will all happen!

[nouha]

my cousin met an italian family in jijel who rented some of the beach houses there for over a month.. they said they wouldnt want to be anywhere else ... inshallah the tourism thing grows

[Al-khiyal]

Two high-profile hotels in Algiers - El-Djazaïr and El-Aurassi - will not be privatised, but instead will be restructured, Algeria's Tourism Minister Noureddine Moussa said Monday (November 27th) on national television. The minister announced that 300 hotel projects are under way and are 75% complete, increasing the country's capacity by 30,000 beds. The minister noted the increasing tourist flows into Algeria, which rose by an average of 10% annually from 2000-2005. Moussa said its ministry has prepared studies on 22 new tourist development zones.

Algeria cancels privatisation plans for hotels

[Al-khiyal]

SINGAPORE: Singapore's public sector capabilities are going global and to help sell the expertise, a new agency has been launched.

The Singapore Cooperation Enterprise was launched by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, the man who conceived the idea.

Singapore's public sector has accumulated enough expertise in formulating policies to build up a First World economy in the last 40 years, says Mr Goh.

Recognising this, many countries are keen to tap Singapore's experience for their developmental needs.

Mr Goh said: "While useful, I think what some countries want, especially those new countries with abundant resources, is Singapore's 'master software', to develop their economies and infrastructure in a holistic manner. The question then is, whether we should unlock the codes of our 'master software' to others, especially those who may one day become our competitors."

Senior Minister Goh believes there is value in exporting Singapore's public sector capabilities.

An important outcome is it adds value to foreign governments.

In fact, Singapore continues to receive several requests to learn and study the Singapore success story.

Just over the past three years, nearly 100 requests have been received.

And, Mr Goh said, it is in Singapore's interest to help these countries.

He said: "By sharing what we have learnt, we hope that other countries can shorten their learning curve, travel faster in their development path and uplift the lives of their people. This way we build connections with foreign governments, generate goodwill and enhance bilateral cooperation. We also fulfil Singapore's obligation as an international good citizen."

The private sector will also benefit from efforts to export these capabilities.

Alphonsus Chia, CEO of Singapore Cooperation Enterprise, said: "We want to go into the implementation stage - some of these big projects which we are working very hard on - bringing in not just our partners in the other government agencies but also the private sector, to demonstrate that this is definitely something that is do-able."

As such, the new agency will be a one-stop centre for knowledge sharing, problem solving and delivering services.

For a start, it will focus on the Middle East and China, and later India and Southeast Asia.

At the launch, the agency also inked an agreement with Ark Capital Holdings, a Singapore-based Saudi company, to set up a school in Algeria that will focus on tourism and hospitality.

The Singapore Cooperation Enterprise has also been sharing the country's public sector expertise - in areas ranging from education services to leisure parks development and operations - with various foreign organisations it has been collaborating with since May this year.

Tuesday's signing of an agreement with ARK Capital Holdings is for the development of a training institute for the leisure and hospitality industry in the Middle East/North Africa Region.

Another agreement is with Al-Oula Real Estate Development of Saudi Arabia.

It will tap on the Singapore industrial park development expertise for a township project.

SCE has also collaborated with Singapore Polytechnic International and Institute of Technical Education to offer a one-month training programme for 53 vocational teachers from Weihai in China.

SM Goh launches Singapore Cooperation Enterprise to export public sector services

[Al-khiyal]

Formation sur les techniques de classement hôtelier au profit des inspecteurs du tourisme:

Jeudi 4 Janvier 2007 - - L’Ecole nationale supérieure du tourisme d’Alger abrite un cycle de formation sur les techniques de classement hôtelier destiné aux inspecteurs principaux du tourisme d’Alger exerçant à travers le territoire national. Selon un communiqué du ministère du Tourisme, ils sont une cinquantaine à prendre part à ce cycle de perfectionnement qui s’inscrit dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du programme sectoriel de formation. Un cycle de formation dont le programme est axé sur la réglementation régissant le classement des établissements hôteliers et les normes de ce classement.

L’objectif principal de cette formation est d’améliorer les performances et la qualité d’intervention de ce personnel d’encadrement dans les domaines de l’audit et des techniques de classement hôtelier. C’est dans ce contexte que la mise à niveau de la ressource humaine du secteur est prônée par le ministère de tutelle comme l’a déclaré à l’APS la directrice des ressources humaines (DRH) au ministère du Tourisme, Mme Saïda Kolïai. D’autant plus que la formation constitue le 3ème axe de la stratégie de développement touristique à l’horizon 2015, adoptée en mars 2006.

Toujours selon la directrice des ressources humaines, le plan d’action de formation réalisé les deux dernières années a «visé essentiellement la modernisation du système de formation». Il s’agit, en fait, d’une formation continue des ressources humaines à tous les niveaux et de l’adaptation de cette formation aux standards internationaux, faut-il le préciser, ainsi que de la mise à niveau des formateurs, de l’ingénierie de l’information et des équipements pédagogiques. Il va sans dire que «le tourisme repose sur le service» tel que l’a souligné Mme Kolïai, et, selon ses propos, «cette dernière notion nécessite une qualification à même d’assurer une prestation de qualité à une clientèle de plus en plus exigeante». Il faut savoir que l’année 2006 a été consacrée à la formation des directeurs du tourisme et aussi des inspecteurs principaux, investis, ceux-là, d’«une mission d’Etat qui consiste en le contrôle de l’audit et des techniques». Selon la directrice des ressources humaines, cette formation devra permettre, à court terme, «à cet encadrement une meilleure prise en charge de l’opération de reclassement des établissements hôteliers initiée par le ministère».

L’objectif, à moyen terme, serait, selon elle, «la constitution d’un ficher ressource compétence, à même de démultiplier cette action à un éventail très large des inspecteurs principaux du tourisme». A noter que l’opération de reclassement des établissements hôteliers initiée par le ministère en octobre 2005, suspendue pour un an, a repris en décembre de l’année écoulée. Lors de cette opération, il a été accordé aux propriétaires un délai d’un an pour procéder à la réhabilitation de leurs établissements. Il y a également lieu de savoir que le classement des hôtels de la catégorie zéro et une «étoile» a débuté le 2 décembre 2006 par les commissions locales. Pour ce qui est de la catégorie de deux «étoiles» et plus, le classement s’effectue depuis le 17 décembre dernier.

L’adaptation d’une profession aux standards internationaux