Algeria's Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts has identified 362 land parcels with potential for tourism development, spread across 26 regions. These parcels are part of a land portfolio for investment, which was reviewed in a recent coordination meeting. The meeting, presided over by Tourism Minister Houria Meddahi, aimed to update and inventory tourism land proposed to investors through the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency's (AAPI) investor platform.
Of the 362 identified parcels, 150 are currently under development. These projects are part of several sectoral programs, including the centralized development of ten tourism expansion zones entrusted to the National Tourism Land Agency (ANFT). Additionally, six decentralized operations are being handled by local administrations in various regions. The ministry also reported that 240 land parcels have been made available to AAPI across 30 tourism expansion zones.
To date, 31 land parcels have been allocated to investors through the AAPI platform. These parcels cover a total area of approximately 54.70 hectares and are located in nine tourism expansion zones across several regions, including Aïn Témouchent, Aïn Defla, Djelfa, Annaba, Djanet, and El Oued. Minister Meddahi emphasized that tourism development, particularly domestic and Saharan tourism, depends on the availability of developed and ready-to-use land.
Meddahi stressed the need to make land parcels available to investors without technical or administrative constraints that could hinder project implementation. She called for prioritizing the mobilization of tourism land, focusing on zones with real potential and no significant constraints. This approach aims to facilitate new investments and diversify the tourism offer. An inventory operation has been launched to identify land parcels from development operations and assess their readiness for investment.
The ministry is also working on establishing a unified and updated digital system for tourism land. This system will gather information on each parcel, including its legal and technical status, area, location, network availability, and potential projects. Meddahi highlighted the need to address obstacles faced by investors and strengthen coordination among stakeholders, including local authorities and relevant agencies.
Another initiative underway is the delimitation of tourism expansion zones. This process aims to precisely identify the tourism land heritage and protect it against illegal occupations or changes in land use. It will also update land data and facilitate its allocation to tourism projects. The identified land parcels cover various forms of tourism, including beach, thermal, mountain, cultural, and Saharan tourism.
The parcels' distribution is designed to guide investments based on each region's natural, cultural, and historical characteristics. Meddahi concluded that mobilizing tourism land should not be limited to providing parcels but should promote projects that create value-added, wealth, and jobs while contributing to local development. She also called for continued efforts to diversify the national tourism offer to better meet citizens' demands and enhance Algeria's attractiveness as a destination.
Key points
- Algeria's tourism ministry has identified 362 land parcels across 26 regions for tourism investment.
- 150 land parcels are currently under development, while 31 have been allocated to investors.
- The government aims to diversify the national tourism offer and enhance Algeria's attractiveness as a destination.
