- Title: ALGERIA: Algeria holds travel fair to boost tourism
- Date: 18th May 2014
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (MAY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) PEOPLE OUTSIDE EXHIBITION CENTRE BANNER ADVERTISING THE INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF TOURISM AND TRAVEL VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH FAIR GHARDAIA (SOUTH ALGERIA) STAND LSAPHIR TOURS STAND VARIOUS OF STANDS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT STANDS SOUNDBITE (Arabic) TUNISIAN HOTEL MANAGER, FARHAT FATHALLAH, SAYING: "All Tunisians are waiting for the summer, especially the influx of Algerian tourists, the Algerian tourist in one of the favourite tourists of Tunisian workers, because Algerians go to Tunisia and they have good purchasing power and help boost tourism and economic development." FAIR VISITOR, FETHI, TALKING TO AGENT AT STAND (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAIR VISITOR, FETHI, SAYING: "We are interested to know the prices and the places we can visit, especially that, and to have contact with the travel agencies." PEOPLE AT FAIR (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAIR VISITOR, BOULEM, SAYING: "We are interested in Turkey and Tunisia, to find the lowest prices, and to find the best places to stay, there is also Egypt that's more attractive now compared to others." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT STAND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF THE TUNISIAN TOURISM OFFICE IN ALGERIA , BASSEM OUERTANI, SAYING: "Maybe the Tunisian participation was intensive this year due to the importance of the Algerian market, as well as the cost-effectiveness of tourists coming each year after the revolution. Our Algerian brothers noticed the improvement especially in security and road conditions between Tunisia and Algeria - this has resulted in Tunisian workers relying heavily on their Algerian brothers visiting Tunisia, hopefully in high numbers so as to to reach the high figures recorded, particularly in 2010, with tourists numbering more than 1.6 million Algerians." DIRECTOR OF TUNISIAN NATIONAL TOURISM OFFICE IN ALGERIA , BASSEM OUERTANI, TALKING TO THE ALGERIAN MINISTER OF TOURISM, NOURIA YAMINA ZERHOUNI SOUNDBITE (Arabic) ALGERIAN MINISTER OF TOURISM, NOURIA YAMINA ZERHOUNI, SAYING: "I am sure that everyone will benefit from this exchange between Algeria and Tunisia and, as the director of our ministry said, we can now apply what we have agreed upon, to move from the theory to the practice." PEOPLE AT FAIR TRADITIONAL EGYPTIAN DANCER PERFORMING
- Embargoed: 2nd June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Business
- Reuters ID: LVAAU6X8L1H9X4O4K62IWSSL1MI5
- Story Text: Around 200 exhibitors, including 18 foreign travel companies, took part in a tourism fair in the Algerian capital.
The International Show of Tourism and Travel (SITEV 2014), now in its 15th year. was opened in Algiers by the Minister of Tourism, Nouria Yamina Zerhouni.
The theme this year was 'Destination Algeria', aimed at establishing partnerships with national and international agencies in order to boost tourism.
The main aim of the exhibition was to showcase Algerian travel destinations, with the North African country boasting unspoiled mountains, a long Mediterranean coastline and spectacular deserts.
Exhibitors at the fair also hoped to highlight holidays to Tunisia, with the small country heavily reliant on foreign tourism for its foreign currency income.
Tunisian hotel manager Farhat Fathallah explained the importance of Algerian travellers to the tourism industry in Tunisia.
"All Tunisians are waiting for the summer, especially the influx of Algerian tourists, the Algerian tourist in one of the favourite tourists of Tunisian workers, because Algerians go to Tunisia and they have good purchasing power and help boost tourism and economic development," Fathallah said.
Many people visit the tourism fair to find the best prices, destinations and holidays on offer.
"We are interested to know the prices and the places we can visit, especially that, and to have contact with the travel agencies," said visitor Fethi.
Visitor Boulem added that Egypt was an attractive holiday destination this year.
"We are interested in Turkey and Tunisia, to find the lowest prices, and to find the best places to stay, there is also Egypt that's more attractive now compared to others," he said.
After Tunisia's 2011 revolution tourism to the country dropped, explained the director of the Tunisian tourism officer in Algeria, Bassem Ouertani.
He said that Tunisia is reliant on Algerian tourists and hopes to reach the number of tourists that visited before the revolution.
"Maybe the Tunisian participation was intensive this year due to the importance of the Algerian market, as well as the cost-effectiveness of tourists coming each year after the revolution. Our Algerian brothers noticed the improvement especially in security and road conditions between Tunisia and Algeria - this has resulted in Tunisian workers relying heavily on their Algerian brothers visiting Tunisia, hopefully in high numbers so as to to reach the high figures recorded, particularly in 2010, with tourists numbering more than 1.6 million Algerians," he said.
Zerhouni said that the relationship between Algeria and Tunisia was beneficial to the tourism trade of both countries.
"I am sure that everyone will benefit from this exchange between Algeria and Tunisia and, as the director of our ministry said, we can now apply what we have agreed upon, to move from the theory to the practice," she said.
The tourism fair runs from May 15 to May 18. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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