Opening of the Evaluation Meeting for the Saharan Tourism Season at the Mazafaran Hotel

#MinisterOfTourismAndHandicrafts

#MinisterOfPostalAndTelecommunicationsServices

Ms. Houria Meddahi, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, together with Mr. Said Ali Zerrouki, Minister of Post and Telecommunications, inaugurated the performance evaluation meeting for the tourism and handicrafts sector, dedicated to the Saharan tourism season, today Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Mazafaran Hotel, in the presence of Mr. For the Hotel and Metal Bath Complex, General Director, and Mr. Soukhi Bouchkani, General Director of the Mobilis Communications Complex, as well as the heads of institutions under the supervision, directors of handicrafts and artisanal industries, and regional directors of handicrafts and artisanal chambers for the southern regions, professional partners from federations and associations, experts, and a number of private stakeholders in the tourism and handicrafts sectors.

At the outset of this meeting, Madam Minister delivered a welcoming speech in which she emphasized that the Algerian state, under the directives of President Abdelmoumene Toubon, places strategic importance on developing the tourism and handicrafts sectors, considering them a fundamental pillar in building a diverse and sustainable national economy.

Madam Minister explained that this meeting falls within a series of periodic evaluation meetings aimed at reinforcing a culture of objective evaluation, recognizing achievements attained, and anticipating future development prospects for the sector based on a modern vision grounded in continuous improvement and performance quality enhancement, in line with the rapid transformations the tourism sector is undergoing at both national and international levels.

The major trends of the National Tourism Strategy were also reviewed, highlighting that Algeria is currently undergoing a pivotal phase in the development of this sector, supported by strong political will, with Saharan tourism holding a central position as a "civilizational and humanitarian message" reflecting Algeria's ability to achieve a balance between development needs and the preservation of its cultural and civilizational identity.

Madam Minister highlighted the growing dynamism observed in this tourism model, thanks to a series of stimulating measures adopted by the state, such as the visa-on-arrival system, alongside improvements to transportation networks and enhanced land and air connectivity toward the southern provinces, directly contributing to increasing the appeal of the desert destinations.

In the context of supporting digital transformation and modernizing tourism services, Madam Minister, together with Mr. Minister of Postal and Wireless & Wired Communications, presided over the official signing ceremony of a partnership agreement between Hotel Complex, Tourism and Metal Bath Facilities and the "Mobiles" telecommunications company, aimed at digitizing the Saharan tourism destination, improving hotel and tourism service quality, and enhancing the traveler's experience through the integration of modern technological solutions.

In connection with supporting and training human resources in the sector, Madam Minister oversaw the distribution of tourist guides' cards to 24 beneficiaries from various regions of the country, following their completion of training and onboarding procedures, a step aimed at regulating this profession and integrating them into the official tourism framework, thereby contributing to improving the quality of tourism guidance and enhancing the services provided.

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