Millions Of Algerians Prepare For Summer Holidays

Rate of Algerians who prepared for the summer season abroad, especially in Tunisia, Morocco, France, Spain and Italy, is still very high despite the financial crisis that is facing the country due to the decrease in oil revenues, Head of the Travel Agencies Association, Elias Senoussi, told Echorouk.

“Over 1.5 million Algerians traveled during the summer season of 2016, and are heading to the European and Arab neighboring countries, while the expected number of this year reached one million people, and revealed on a high rate of inquiries about the possibility of traveling to Russia without a visa.”

“Despite the difficult financial situation in Algeria, many are still attending the summer vacation abroad.” 

“Agencies are witnessing a high rate of turnout, and they will be marked by the beginning of the reservation after the completion of the academic examinations, I.e by the end of next May. Many Algerians are wondering about the possibility of traveling to Russia after the cancellation of the visa to the province of Vladivostok a week ago. Their only problem lies in the distance, which is estimated at 14.000 kilometers, where they will have to spend 13 hours by air, before reaching this city, which made some cancel their decision to travel to this city”.

“Media should launch an information campaign to encourage foreign tourists to come to Algeria. Agencies use Internet and social networks, especially as the number of tourists who are coming to Algeria, through the ranks of agencies, is still very small compared with neighboring countries, while most individuals enter the Algerian territory in the context of professional and private concerns”.

“There is low number of foreign tourists who visit Algeria, despite the tourist structures that are launched in all the cities of the country, is attributed to the weakness of the demand due to the visa problems, which takes up to two months, while its cost is very high. Our consulates respond negatively to all tourists who apply for a visa to enter Algeria”.

“We call upon the Foreign Minister, Ramtan Lamamra, to provide more facilities in the area of ​​granting visas to foreign tourists, as it is unfair to includ political and diplomatic relationships and the principle of reciprocity in this area, but we hope that the Algerian government would adopt more smooth and flexible measures in this field”.