Abdelwahab Nouri, minister of spatial planning, tourism and handicrafts, announced Thursday in Algiers that his sector “should receive 100 new hotels in 2017, to fill the accommodation gap.”
The minister said at a press briefing following the official opening of the 18th edition of the International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (SITEV) at the Palais des Expositions (Pins
Maritimes) that the sector accorded “particular importance to tourism investment, with a view to closing the accommodation gap”, recalling that “584 tourism projects are in progress, out of a total of more than 1,670 projects accredited Until now, by the sector “.
To this end, “an ambitious program has been drawn up with the aim of revitalizing the tourism sector and allowing it to contribute to economic development,” said Mr Nouri, stressing the importance of ” Hotel and tourism infrastructures throughout the country, meeting international standards and able to satisfy customer demand. ”
He also stressed the need to “make greater efforts to promote the destination Algeria, allowing foreign tourists to discover the natural and tourist resources of our country”, recalling “the initiatives of the sector to transform The destination Algeria in the medium term in tourist center for foreign visitors “.
The minister called for “the improvement of tourist services, through the training of a skilled workforce in all the niches of the tourist activity”, insisting on the taking over of the handicraft which “conceals Important assets and potentials that qualify it to be a serious competitor for the major tourist countries. ”
He cited, for this purpose, “the support fund for artisans, which still exists, especially since the craft sector contributes, with more than 270 billion dinars / year, in the national GDP”. Regarding the rehabilitation of public hotels, Mr. Nouri has contributed over $ 1 billion to modernize more than 65 public hotels nationwide.
Regarding the facilitation of visa facilitation measures for foreign tourists, Nouri said: “A working group established at the level of the Prime Ministry and which includes the Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs And international co-operation, ministers of interior and local authorities and tourism, was in the process of seeking ways to facilitate the procedures for entering Algeria, foreign tourists, consulates and embassies of Algeria ‘foreign”.
In addition, Mr Nouri welcomed the efforts made by his department to reform and update the legal system, noting in this context the recent signing of an executive decree on procedures for setting up travel agencies to All the barriers faced by these agencies.
The opening ceremony of the 18th SITEV, which will run until 22 May, was attended by the Minister of National Solidarity, Family and the Status of Women Mounia Meslem Si Ameur and the Tunisian Minister Tourism and Crafts, Selma Elloumi-Rekik.
