Despite being Africa’s largest country with Roman and Islamic sites, beaches, mountains, and Saharan landscapes, Algeria welcomed only 3.3 million foreign tourists in 2023, with a substantial part being Algerians in the diaspora. In contrast, its neighbor, Morocco, welcomed 14.5 million tourists. The North African country’s decline to backwater tourist attraction began in the 1960s and 70s when oil revenue grew and successive governments chose to focus on that over tourism. However, the current government is determined establish the country as a force to be reckoned with in the tourism industry, with an ambitious plan to attract 12 million tourists by 2030. Algeria’s General Director of the National Tourism Office, Saliha Nacerbay, announced the plan and stated that they are looking to encourage investments, build new hotels, and modernize existing ones in their quest. About 2,000 tourism projects have been approved, with 800 under construction. Algeria is also restoring historical sites, with 249 locations earmarked for expansion.
SOURCE: REUTERS
