Unlicensed Business Offices Cause The Expulsion Of Algerian Tourists From Tunisia

Head of the Association of Tourist and Travel Agencies, Elias Snoussi, accused Algerian business offices of driving Algerian tourists out of Tunisian hotels because of their illegal activity, because they have no credit or authorization and illegally transfer Algerians abroad by circumventing airline companies to buy tickets and the random booking in the Tunisian hotels.

He told Echorouk on Wednesday that the business offices that are opportunists and have nothing to do with the organization of travels, are behind the manipulations against Algerians in Tunisia and other countries.

He warned against dealing with these parties and asked Algerians who are wishing to spend their holidays abroad in an organized way to verify the licences that are granted to tourist agencies, in addition to concluding a legal contract with them that guarantees their rights and duties and guarantees compensation for them, even if no problems are recorded.

“Owners of these business offices are trading in the Algerians’ travel for the summer holidays abroad, the Eid sheep and all the seasonal goods and services that noticed large demand during this period. They rely on low prices to circumvent their customers. It is unreasonable to find a fast food restaurant owner, for example, publishes an announcement to organize a trip to Tunisia, and collects contributions, each profession has its own specificity and guarantees, and Algerian tourists are required to raise awareness so as not to become victims to these bodies”.

“Algerians who are held by these agencies bear part of the responsibility, especially since these business owners have no addresses, no telephone numbers, no web sites and only work during the summer season to disappear by the fall, which raises many suspicions about them”.

“The situation is quite different for the travel agencies and regular travels, since they conclude annual contracts with the Tunisian dealers and the rest of the passengers of travel around the world in order to organize the travel of Algerians legally and avoid being subject to surprises once they arrive to the hosting country”.

The representative of travel agencies said that even if the Algerians moved to Tunisia and are informed by the hotel which was chosen by the travel agency, for the absence of vacant places that are transferred to a better hotel for compensation, knowing that this situation is rarely recorded.

The spokesman said that the Tourism Ministry was informed of such violations and demanded solutions to the problem, pending the intervention of the latter to clear the market, asserting that such practices are registered in the framework of the spread of the black market, which has been widespread in all areas during the past years.