National Evaluation Forum for the Tourism and Handicrafts Sector for 2025

#MinisterOfTourismAndHandicrafts presides over the National Assessment Forum for the Tourism and Traditional Crafts sector themed "2025"

Ms. Houria Meddahi, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, chaired on Saturday, 07 February 2026, a performance review meeting for the Tourism and Handicrafts sector, covering the coastal regions, inland regions, and upper mountain regions, at the Mazafaran hotel, where tourism and handicrafts directors, as well as directors of Handicrafts Rooms and institutions under their supervision, were present, alongside ministry staff and sector partners.

Where did you have your meal, Madam Minister? The importance the government places on developing the #TourismAndHandicrafts sector, embodying the new vision set forth by Mr. #PresidentOfTheRepublic to build a diversified economy within the framework of sustainable development, through contributing to wealth creation and employment opportunities, and then, the major landmarks of the national strategy for the sector were presented within the work plan for the 2026–2028 period, targeting 08 million tourists by the 2029 horizon.

Mishira stated that the National Tourism development strategy primarily focuses on enhancing its two pillars: domestic tourism and inbound tourism, especially since domestic tourism represents a key source for social and economic development, given the growing internal demand from Algerian families through the development of coastal tourism, marine therapy tourism, thermal tourism, and mountain tourism, alongside the widespread adoption of #Digitization and support and assistance to tourism operators of all kinds, along with improving service quality through training programs for various tourism professions, coordination and collaboration with relevant sectors, and directing #TourismInvestments according to internal tourism demand and regional specificities—through targeting diverse project types, including villages, resorts, hotel apartments, and villas—to meet the needs of Algerian families and promote #FamilyTourism.

Regarding the development of future tourism, Madame Minister highlighted the launch of a work program encompassing the development of Saharan Tourism and business tourism, cultural tourism, and ecotourism, taking into account the distinctive tourism attractions aimed at improving tourist flows, particularly at the most popular Saharan tourism hubs in global markets.

In the field of #TourismInvestment, Madam Minister announced that 74 investment projects have entered operational phase in 2025 at the national level, 64 of which have entered operation in 12 coastal governorates and 6 in the upper plateau governorates, providing a total of 8,265 beds, enabling the creation of 2,430 jobs.

Regarding the targets set for 2026, a delivery of 148 tourism projects with a total of 15,737 beds distributed across 14 coastal governorates and 17 highland governorates is aimed at creating 6,324 jobs. This initiative falls under the work plan scheduled for the 2026–2028 period, targeting a total of 230,000 beds by the beginning of 2029.

At this station, Madam Minister announced the launch of a training cycle for tourism guides scheduled on 15 February 2026, starting from Djanet region, as well as media notification that the ministry benefited from a recording of a study regarding the preparation of a new campus for the National Higher School of Tourism in Tipasa, under the title "Budget Law for 2026".

On this occasion, this meeting allowed for an assessment of the 2025 summer season, which witnessed active internal tourism dynamics, characterized by a significant influx of citizens and the national community abroad, thus contributing to a revival of #DomesticTourism, with 462 beaches opening for swimming, including 14 new beaches added in the same year, in addition to 42 model beaches.

To optimally exploit the beaches, 306 beaches have been provided with development plans, with the remaining beaches to be equipped with such plans by the end of 2026. In this regard, Madam Minister emphasized the need for optimal management of tourism real estate and efforts to protect it from any form of encroachment or deviation from its tourism purpose, while accelerating the completion of development plans for tourism expansion areas and sites, as well as finalizing their preparation programs, in order to integrate ready-to-use real estate units into the Algerian Agency for Investment Development's digital platform, making them accessible to investors in #TheTourismSector.

Based on digital data, it was noted that 257 shares for tourism exploitation of beaches were granted, distributed across 268 beaches, taking into account the application of laws and public investment. The meeting addressed the efforts made by the Hotel, Tourism, and Spa Complex in rehabilitating and modernizing hotel institutions and introducing new tourism services and jobs to meet new customer demands. Madam Minister stated that in 2025, 6,070 new tourism and travel agency licenses were approved, bringing the total number of authorized agencies to 5,756, of which 860 are branches.

On this occasion, Ms. Minister praised the efforts made by investors, given the completed projects they have undertaken, for their role in creating permanent employment opportunities, enhancing housing capacity, reducing prices, and thus contributing to local economic development.

As digitization had its share in the presentation, Madam Minister emphasized that her ministry's approach aligns with the National Digitization Strategy established by the President of the Republic, to modernize governance and improve economic sector management, while bringing the Algerian citizen closer to public services. She highlighted the digital portals of the sector, made available to stakeholders and sector actors, and stressed the need to promote digitization to bridge the gap between customers and tourism offerings, while providing online booking and payment capabilities.

Finally, #MadamMinister, after praising the provincial tourism directors for their completed evaluative work, delivered the following noble instructions:

- Emphasizing the importance of adopting a joint sectoral approach, working with local authorities under the supervision of the governors, within a participatory framework.

- Mandatory respect of free access to beaches, which is originally a law, established by the country's highest authorities.

- Call on Provincial Tourism Directors to urgently promote digitization to ensure the provision of electronic booking and payment services across #HotelEstablishments before the start of the 2026 summer season.

- Accompaniment and awareness #TourismInvestors to improve the investment climate through the adoption and diversification of new hotel models suited to Algerian families and within their budgetary means.

- Support and assistance for artisans and tour guides, especially through intensifying training programs beneficial to them in coordination with professional training authorities.

- Improving reception conditions for tourists of all categories, including national and international visitors, as well as nationals abroad.

- Providing all conditions to address delays recorded in the preparation of beach development plans.

- Emphasizing the importance of promoting and digital marketing of the sector, supporting international partnerships and cooperation, and strengthening Algeria's presence at fairs and major events of the #TourismAndHandicrafts exhibition held at both national and international levels.

- Promoting authentic and unique tourism that respects traditions and identity, and preserves our cultural and artistic heritage.

As you never forgot, #MadamMinister, in the end, you invited all provincial directors to begin preparations for the upcoming summer season titled 2026, following the conclusion of this evaluative meeting, and you also extended your warmest congratulations to all present stakeholders, as the blessed month of Ramadan approaches.

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