Houria Meddahi, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, announced that nearly 750 000 tourists visited the southern wilayas in 2025, including 65 000 foreign visitors. The 2025‑2026 Saharan tourism season, running from October to April, has already recorded some 470 000 visitors, of whom about 47 000 are international tourists. These figures were revealed this Saturday in Algiers during a review meeting on the dynamics of Saharan tourism and the sector’s development prospects.
According to Mrs. Meddahi, these results reflect the upward momentum of the sector, driven by an improved investment climate and the incentive measures adopted by the State. She reiterated her ministry’s commitment to supporting investors in order to inject additional dynamism into this promising branch of the economy.
The minister chaired the evaluation meeting for the 2025‑2026 Saharan tourism season, attended by sector directors from the various southern wilayas. The meeting focused on presenting activity reports and examining performance indicators against a backdrop of sustained growth in tourist activity.
Hotel infrastructure and new projects
On infrastructure, the minister noted that the southern hotel sector currently comprises 258 establishments, with an estimated capacity of 20 000 beds. Several new facilities entered service in 2025, while 21 projects are scheduled for completion in 2026. An additional 27 projects are under way, with progress rates exceeding 80 %.
As part of the drive to expand the tourist offering, Mrs. Meddahi indicated that several assets seized under the national recovery framework have been integrated into the portfolio of the Hôtellerie, Tourisme et Thermalisme group, particularly in the wilayas of Adrar and Ouargla. She also cited a tourism village project managed by the National Tourism Office in Timimoune, scheduled for delivery in 2026.
Handicrafts and investment
Regarding handicrafts, the minister announced the inclusion of 12 investment projects in eight southern wilayas within the 2026 Finance Act framework. These operations concern the construction of artisan houses, centres, and galleries dedicated to traditional crafts across several southern regions.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Sid Ali Zerrouki. The two ministers oversaw the signing of a partnership agreement between the Hôtellerie, Tourisme et Thermalisme group and the telecom operator Mobilis, aimed at accelerating digital transformation in the group’s hotel establishments.
On the sidelines of the event, the first official certifications were awarded to a group of licensed tourist guides from various wilayas, as part of efforts to professionalise guiding services and improve the quality of tourist hospitality.