Algeria has decided to issue visas upon arrival to attract tourists and simultaneously boost its tourism sector.
Such a measure is aimed at reviving the tourism industry by reducing bureaucracy, which sector has been greatly affected by the pandemic, VisaGuide.World reports.
As Arab News reports, tourists wishing to visit this country must make their travel arrangements, including tickets and hotel reservations, through tour operators operating in Algeria and then be escorted by police in the southern region.
Tourism in Algeria contributes only 1.5 percent to the gross domestic product, which is much less than in neighboring countries such as Morocco and Tunisia. As for Tunisia’s tourism sector, it contributes 14 percent to the country’s GDP.
Meanwhile, Algeria’s hospitality sector also needs a big improvement as it documented 127,000 beds in 2020 compared to about 231,000 beds documented in Morocco.
Almost every summer, more than a million Algerians cross the border to spend their holidays in Tunisia, as they have more choices at a more affordable cost.
Considering these concerns, the Algerian government is taking steps to address the problems by encouraging foreign investors to finance and build tourist facilities to revitalize tourism and increase its contribution to the country’s economy.
In this regard, Retaj Hotels and Hospitality in Qatar signed an agreement with the Algerian state HTT in order to mobilize financing. As a result, Retaj has provided hotel management services for HTT’s 73 hotels across the country.
The Arab Tourism Organization during November last year honored the president of Algeria for the role of his country in supporting the tourism industry in the Arab world. It has also presented Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with a medal in recognition of his efforts to strengthen joint Arab action in tourism.
Furthermore, by area Algeria is the largest country in Africa which also includes a large part of the Sahara with nature reserves and prehistoric sites.
The North African country welcomes far fewer tourists than its neighbors Morocco and Tunisia, relying on its huge oil and gas revenues.
A recently published Passport Index by VisaGuide has ranked the Algerian passport 172nd in the world as of January 2023, which means that Algerian citizens can travel visa-free to countries around the world. To enter the remaining countries, Algerian passport holders must apply for a visa in advance.
For visa-free travel, travelers must have a passport valid usually six months after the date of departure.
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