Saharan tourism evaluation meeting 2025–2026

#MinistryOfTourismAndHandicrafts

#TheSaharanTourismSeasonEvaluationMeeting 2025-2026

Ms Houria Meddahi, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, continued her oversight of the evaluation meeting by monitoring the progress of this meeting, which featured a series of presentations on the outcomes of the #SaharanTourism season and its development prospects.

Where presentations were launched featuring an overview of Saharan tourism based on the three geographical poles of our country, presented by representatives from the tourism and traditional handicrafts directors of the three poles (#Southeastern, #SouthernWest, #MiddleSouth), including a comprehensive reading of tourism activity indicators across all southern governorates, an assessment of field performance during the season, alongside three presentations on the current state of #Handicrafts, their development efforts, and future prospects.

A presentation on #TourismInvestment was also delivered by a team led by the Tourism Investment Directorate within the ministry, focusing on investment opportunities in the sector and mechanisms for supporting new tourism projects.

He was followed by a presentation on #GeneralTourismInvestment by the director of the central office at the Public Complex of Hotels, Tourism, and Hot Springs, who addressed the status of the public stables, their future prospects, and their performance enhancement.

Following this, a presentation was given on a speculative outlook for the tourism guidance system in Algeria, ranging from spontaneous activities to institutional professionalism, by Mr. Zahir Makdadi, expert and consultant, who highlighted ways to develop and strengthen this system.

A presentation was also delivered on traditional handicrafts and their role in enhancing tourism appeal, given by the central director in charge of managing the General Directorate of Traditional Crafts under the ministry, who highlighted the importance of valuing artisanal products and the efforts made, along with the achievements achieved in the southern governorates, linking them to the #SaharanTourism season.

A presentation was also delivered by the Director of Statistics and Information Systems at the Ministry, highlighting the contribution of #Digitization to improving tourism management and promotion.

In this context, a startup in the tourism and travel agency sector (#Discover_Ghardaia) presented a proposal on destination tourism in the southern regions, showcasing an innovative approach to promotional tourism and enhancing the appeal of desert destinations through digital solutions.

Following these presentations, a discussion session was opened for the participants, during which various commitments and challenges were addressed, along with practical proposals aimed at improving tourism performance and strengthening #TheCoordination among all stakeholders.

At the end of the meeting, the recommendations stemming from the meeting's discussions were read, focusing on supporting #Investment, improving #Services, and strengthening #Governance and #SectoralCoordination.

In her keynote address, Madam Minister emphasized that the upcoming phase falls within the implementation of the Three-Year Action Plan #2026-#2028, aimed at achieving a qualitative transformation in #SaharanTourism, with the target of attracting 1.5 million tourists to the southern regions by the year 2028.

In this context, it was highlighted that the 2025-2026 Saharan tourism season continues the positive dynamics observed in the sector in the Great South, where the Algerian Sahara reinforces its status as a distinctive tourist destination thanks to the richness of its natural landscapes, the authenticity of its tourist routes, and growing interest from both local and international tourists.

As highlighted, destinations such as #Tamanrasset and #Djanet and #Illizi represent key centers of Saharan tourism, attracting the largest share of tourist flows due to their natural and cultural assets and strong appeal as adventure and discovery destinations.

Madam Minister emphasized the need to diversify the tourist offerings and highlight the vast potential of the Algerian Sahara by developing new tourist routes connecting the coast with cultural cities and the desert, while promoting ecological, cultural, and religious tourism.

In this regard, I stressed the importance of promoting #TourismInvestment through accelerating project implementation, which contributes to enhancing #Accommodationcapacity and addressing the reported shortage, while emphasizing the need to align projects with each region's urban and local characteristics.

It highlighted the importance of #Training in the tourism and traditional handicrafts sectors, as a fundamental pillar for dynamic sector development, through human resource development, service quality improvement, and professional skill enhancement.

In the #Digitization pillar, Madam Minister emphasized the need to extend digitalization across tourism units and administrative services, modernize booking and electronic payment systems, and strengthen digital #TourismPromotion, praising the efforts made at the national level as well as by emerging institutions in this field.

It also emphasized the importance of #TheCoordination and integration among all stakeholders, whether between central administration and decentralized agencies, or with other ministerial sectors, as well as with economic actors such as tourism agencies, hotels, professional associations, and artisans.

Madam Minister emphasized the urgency of actually beginning preparations for the upcoming Saharan tourism season, starting from this meeting, by mobilizing all stakeholders to ensure the achievement of objectives set out within the sectoral strategy.

In closing her speech, Ms. Minister highlighted the efforts of all stakeholders, calling for continued work with a spirit of responsibility and coordination, in order to enhance the status of #SaharanTourism as a distinguished national and international destination.

Post shared by the Office Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts - Algeria.