The solution is not difficult – it requires the political will to implement and break down clichés and stereotypes. The Algerian tourism sector suffers from a lack of a proper strategy.
A national debate by the authorities about the situation of national tourism is inevitable, along with a discussion of ways and means to remedy this situation, which has been going on for far too long.
Algerian tourism has been in trouble for some time now; this has been going on for more than four decades, with the situation worsened by the lack of a real strategy and policy to bring him out of his coma.
At the beginning of each summer season, the authorities talk about the measures and regulations that will be taken in order to revise and rethink the tourism policy. But the question that remains and which is raised by most specialists in this sector is: does the country really have a decent tourism policy and strategy?
Algerian tourism experts have repeatedly reminded the authorities of the bitter paradox that “Algeria has oil, but no ideas for tourism development.”
An understatement that says a lot about the real state of affairs in Algerian tourism, reduced to agitation and rumble. Why are the authorities failing to develop a tourism strategy in order to raise the tourism potential of Algeria? Is it a lack of ideas or a lack of political will? A lot of ideas. Algeria has specialists and experts whose contribution is invaluable. Now more than ever, national meetings are needed to save this sector that is failing compared to other sectors that are performing as well as they can.
Serious and concrete measures must be taken to put an end to management, which is reduced solely to messing around.
Tourism has a beneficial effect on the economic development of the country. This rule does not escape the attention of industry insiders. Algeria needs a real economic takeoff. However, it is necessary that the authorities stop the erratic management and absurd practice of fear and speculation about the future of the country and its presence on the chessboard of self-respecting states.
Over the past twenty years, world tourism activity has increased by about 30%, and, according to UNDP statistics, it has reached a level of 15% of world economic activity. This speaks to the potential that this sector represents at the economic level as a vector and source of job creation.
Tourism has adapted to become one of the strong links in the green economy production chain, providing mechanisms to fit into the new approach adopted by all UN entities in this field, namely “Sustainable Development”. Algeria must necessarily accept the new challenges of economic development and the assets offered by the tourism sector.
Political will and tourism culture must regain their importance in order to make Algeria a true tourism gem and a destiny that can lift the country out of old clichés that do more harm than good.