Algerian Radio
The Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Ms. Houria Meddahi, announced on Tuesday in Algiers the launch of the first edition of the national innovation competition in the smart promotion of Algerian tourism, "IA Tour Algérie 2026," aimed at encouraging innovation in this field.
Presiding over a study day dedicated to tourism in Algeria, organized on the sidelines of the 25th edition of the International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (SITEV), Ms. Meddahi indicated that this competition falls within the framework of "valorizing efforts aimed at promoting the sector and encouraging innovation in the field of smart tourism promotion in Algeria."
The competition is intended for Algerian innovators residing in Algeria as well as members of the national community established abroad, notably students, researchers, startups, and holders of innovative projects, the Minister specified.
In the same context, Ms. Meddahi assured that supporting and promoting startups occupies a "central place" in the sector's development process, describing them as the "main engines of economic and technological renewal."
These startups contribute, the Minister added, to bringing about a qualitative transformation in the design and provision of tourism services through the development of smart solutions in the fields of electronic booking and digital marketing.
Furthermore, Ms. Meddahi discussed the national strategy for the tourism sector, which relies on "transforming tourism potential into a true economic value through a set of integrated axes." This notably includes "the strengthening of domestic and family tourism as a strategic choice, and the development of Saharan tourism, which has become a preferred destination for thousands of tourists each year."
Regarding handicrafts, the Minister recalled that it constitutes "one of the pillars of national identity and an essential component of the tourism offer, due to its cultural symbolism and economic value." Hence the need to valorize it by "improving production quality and encouraging innovation in design, while preserving this heritage through quality label certification and the development of modern promotion and marketing tools, in order to open new prospects for it in national and international markets."
On this occasion, an "accompaniment and cooperation" agreement was signed between the Directorate of Information Systems and Statistics of the Ministry of Tourism and a startup, within the framework of strengthening the role of such enterprises in promoting the tourism product.
