✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – December 2025 – Algeria’s commitment to transforming its vast Saharan regions into a pivotal driver of economic development and global tourism visibility was forcefully reiterated on Thursday by Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Houria Meddahi, as she inaugurated the 7th International Saharan Tourism Festival (FITS 2025) in Timimoun, held under the high patronage of Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb from 4 to 6 December.
Meddahi revealed that the 2024-2025 tourist season registered approximately 500,000 visitors, including 48,000 foreign tourists, a figure she attributed to recent measures facilitating visa procedures and enhancing destination attractiveness. She noted that hotel and residence capacities in the southern provinces currently stand at nearly 19,000 to 20,000 beds — an infrastructure that is expected to significantly expand over the coming years.
According to the minister, new tourism projects are currently underway and scheduled for delivery in 2026, a development that will increase accommodation capacities, enhance competitiveness, and ultimately drive down costs, making Algeria’s Saharan destinations more accessible and appealing. She stressed that the government’s support for the festival reflects the Algerian state’s commitment to implementing the new economic vision initiated by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, which positions Saharan tourism as a major pillar of national development.
Meddahi argued that Saharan tourism is not merely an economic undertaking, but rather a civilizational and humanistic statement that embodies Algeria’s capacity to harmonize sustainable development with cultural preservation. She emphasized that the FITS platform aims to showcase the richness of Saharan heritage and provide a space where cultures, traditions, and modernity converge — a global invitation for audiences to discover the desert’s natural splendor, cultural diversity, warm hospitality, and timeless customs.
Highlighting the strategic ambition behind ongoing initiatives, she insisted that Algeria’s southern provinces are not simply geographic spaces but repositories of exceptional natural treasure and millennia-old civilizations. The seventh edition of FITS, she said, transcends the traditional celebratory framework and evolves into a strategic arena for reconstructing the national image of Saharan tourism — capitalizing on digital transition and promoting cultural and environmental value to build a world-class Saharan destination.
The minister stated that Algeria now has an unprecedented opportunity to make Saharan tourism a genuine locomotive for local development, wealth creation, and employment generation, consistent with government directives that prioritize domestic tourism as a cornerstone of economic diversification. She emphasized that the sector must be leveraged not only as a marketable product but as a sustainable ecosystem embedded in community revitalization and national identity.
The FITS 2025 edition recorded robust participation from southern provinces, showcasing artisanal crafts, artistic expressions, and cultural heritage that offered visitors and guests an immersive journey through Algeria’s majestic desert history and ancestral knowledge. The festival also witnessed a significant diplomatic presence, with ambassadors and representatives from Africa, Asia, Arab countries, Europe, and various international organizations in attendance — a testament to the rising global interest in Algeria’s Saharan tourism potential.
In closing, Meddahi toured three major exhibitions dedicated to traditional crafts, desert tents, and tourism operators, underscoring the government’s commitment to empowering local initiatives and reinforcing the Sahara as a globally recognized tourism destination rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and national pride.
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