The Qatari delegation, during a recent visit to Algeria, was headed by QBA Chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani and QBA members Sheikh Mohamed bin Faisal al-Thani, and Mohamed Moataz al-Khayyat.
They were also joined by Sheikh Nayef bin Eid al-Thani, a member of the Qatari Hotels Association; Tariq al-Sayed, managing director and CEO of Al Rayan Tourism Investment Company; Rashid al-Mansouri, CEO of Aamal Holding Group; and Abdulaziz al-Naama, Qatar’s ambassador to Algeria.
During the meeting, Hammadi gave a comprehensive presentation on tourism and hotel investment opportunities and partnerships in the tourism sector. He also spoke about heat stations in the different states, especially the states of the south and east of Algeria.
Hammadi stressed that the meeting was an opportunity to value the strong relations already existing between Qatar and Algeria as “both sides renewed their will to strengthen and intensify efforts to develop partnership and co-operation relations in a way that serves the interests of the two countries.”
The minister presented a number of areas ready for investment, including the Msida area near Annaba and the Tunisian border, and the Ghar Daya area, in addition to other areas for medical tourism, hotel management, and partnership with public sector players who own a number of hotels.
Belaribi said Algeria welcomes Qatari businessmen and partnerships between the two countries, especially in the sectors of tourism, handicrafts, housing, and urbanisation, in line with the two countries’ vision to create a strong partnership, especially after the visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Qatar last February.
He said, “Today, a new investment law is being studied. The law will allow foreign and Algerian investors to invest freely. We have attractive areas close to airports and transportation is available, and we have a new philosophy to create a new Algeria far from bureaucracy. The goal is to complete projects and overcome obstacles.”
Sheikh Faisal suggested the establishment of an integrated touristic city, including a tourist port and a corniche that attracts visitors through the establishment of a public joint-stock company in which businessmen from the two countries and others interested in Algeria could contribute.
He added that desert tourism, with small hotels in the desert governorates, will have a major role in promoting this niche market. He stressed that the global trend is to transfer state-owned hotels to the private sector for management.
Al-Sayed said, “We now own 36 hotels, the latest of which is a hotel in Italy, on a 100,000sq m area.”
He noted that all countries offer incentives to invest in tourism, and hopes that Algeria will follow the example of European countries to develop the tourism sector in the Arab world, especially in Algeria, which has a large coast of more than 1,200km.
The discussions also touched on the issue of tourist visas, where Belaribi indicated that there is a tendency now to co-operate with tourism agencies to facilitate visas within 72 hours and that there is a future presidential approach towards the electronic visa.
The two parties agreed to form a working team of technicians to study the available projects to start practically laying the first foundations for investments. The teams included representations from the ministries of tourism and housing.
Also a number of touristic resorts were visited in the capital and the Cherraqa region, and a visit to the city of Ghar Daya to explore existing resorts and the city of Wahran, where there are important tourism projects, considering that the city is about to host the Mediterranean Games, where a new solar-powered airport has been opened and considered a precedent in African airports.
They were also joined by Sheikh Nayef bin Eid al-Thani, a member of the Qatari Hotels Association; Tariq al-Sayed, managing director and CEO of Al Rayan Tourism Investment Company; Rashid al-Mansouri, CEO of Aamal Holding Group; and Abdulaziz al-Naama, Qatar’s ambassador to Algeria.
During the meeting, Hammadi gave a comprehensive presentation on tourism and hotel investment opportunities and partnerships in the tourism sector. He also spoke about heat stations in the different states, especially the states of the south and east of Algeria.
Hammadi stressed that the meeting was an opportunity to value the strong relations already existing between Qatar and Algeria as “both sides renewed their will to strengthen and intensify efforts to develop partnership and co-operation relations in a way that serves the interests of the two countries.”
The minister presented a number of areas ready for investment, including the Msida area near Annaba and the Tunisian border, and the Ghar Daya area, in addition to other areas for medical tourism, hotel management, and partnership with public sector players who own a number of hotels.
Belaribi said Algeria welcomes Qatari businessmen and partnerships between the two countries, especially in the sectors of tourism, handicrafts, housing, and urbanisation, in line with the two countries’ vision to create a strong partnership, especially after the visit of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Qatar last February.
He said, “Today, a new investment law is being studied. The law will allow foreign and Algerian investors to invest freely. We have attractive areas close to airports and transportation is available, and we have a new philosophy to create a new Algeria far from bureaucracy. The goal is to complete projects and overcome obstacles.”
Sheikh Faisal suggested the establishment of an integrated touristic city, including a tourist port and a corniche that attracts visitors through the establishment of a public joint-stock company in which businessmen from the two countries and others interested in Algeria could contribute.
He added that desert tourism, with small hotels in the desert governorates, will have a major role in promoting this niche market. He stressed that the global trend is to transfer state-owned hotels to the private sector for management.
Al-Sayed said, “We now own 36 hotels, the latest of which is a hotel in Italy, on a 100,000sq m area.”
He noted that all countries offer incentives to invest in tourism, and hopes that Algeria will follow the example of European countries to develop the tourism sector in the Arab world, especially in Algeria, which has a large coast of more than 1,200km.
The discussions also touched on the issue of tourist visas, where Belaribi indicated that there is a tendency now to co-operate with tourism agencies to facilitate visas within 72 hours and that there is a future presidential approach towards the electronic visa.
The two parties agreed to form a working team of technicians to study the available projects to start practically laying the first foundations for investments. The teams included representations from the ministries of tourism and housing.
Also a number of touristic resorts were visited in the capital and the Cherraqa region, and a visit to the city of Ghar Daya to explore existing resorts and the city of Wahran, where there are important tourism projects, considering that the city is about to host the Mediterranean Games, where a new solar-powered airport has been opened and considered a precedent in African airports.
