The National Confederation of Tourism and Travel will be set up before the end of 2017, affirmed the president of the National Federation of Algerian hoteliers (FNH), Ahmed Oulbachir, stressing the importance of this professional organization for the revival of the Tourism in Algeria.
“Because we are seeing things on a large scale, we have thought of bringing together the federations active in the field of tourism and travel around a confederation that will be set up by the end of 2017,” Oulbachir said, APS, as part of the 18th edition of the International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (SITEV), which will be held from 18 to 22 May at Safex (Algiers).
“In addition to the FNH, the future Confederation will also join the National Federation of Tourist Offices (FNOT), the National Federation of Travel and Tourism Associations (FNAT) and other national and local bodies, Granted his verbal agreement and signified his encouragement for this initiative, “he added.
For this tourism professional, the future organization will be a force of proposals with more weight and representativeness, as it will allow the different actors that compose it to speak with a single voice with the public authorities and to combine their efforts In order to contribute to the revival of this sector in Algeria.
This approach, which is supported by all the federations and other stakeholders in the sector, is being finalized and is expected to open up to other actors along the lines of national airlines, Mr. Oulbachir.
Speaking precisely of the prospects for the development of tourism, he said that the national hotel park, which has some 1,900 hotels, mainly of medium range, will be strengthened by the work in progress for the construction of 1,600 other similar structures, Between 60% and 70%.
That being said, tourism is a matter for everyone, the customs officer, the taxi driver, the receptionist at the airport, etc. and that the hotelier is only the last link in the chain , He noted, noting that it must be “homogeneous and pragmatic”.
In this regard, he considered that the main flaw in the tourism sector in Algeria is the lack of qualified staff, noting the efforts made by the federation to strengthen this aspect and to bring a greater benefit to the hotel industry, With the help of specialized schools, and since 2016 the federation has also launched a cycle of educational activities abroad with the aim of making contacts and establishing links with foreign federations and benefiting from their experiences.
“We must now invest mainly in training, the current economic situation reminds us that we are no longer in the choice but in the obligation to revitalize the sector,” he continued, assuring that for 2 years, “we Feel that the trigger is there and that the political will exists “.
Finally, Mr Oulbachir stressed the contribution of all actors in the sector, namely operators, agents, hoteliers, etc., but also local government officials at different levels.
