Algeria/ Tamanrasset: tourism potential to boost the local economy

The wilaya of Tamanrasset nourishes broad ambitions to promote tourist activities and the destination of this region with innumerable natural and archaeological potentialities likely to promote investment in Saharan tourism, to support the local economy and to contribute to the diversification of the resources of the national economy.

Bathed as any region of the country in the euphoria of the commemorative festivities of the 60th anniversary of the Independence Day, Tamanrasset is a privileged destination of national and foreign tourists, who flock there to discover and appreciate the beauty and richness of natural and archaeological sites scattered throughout the Ahaggar region, extreme south of the country.e of the national and foreign tourists, who flock there to discover and appreciate the beauty and the wealth of the natural and archaeological sites spread through the region of Ahaggar, extreme South of the country.

This flow, which converges annually to this tourist region "par excellence", is favored by its enormous attractive capacities, both natural and climatic as historical and archaeological.

Located about 80 km from the capital of wilaya at an altitude of 2.800 meters from the sea level, the mount of Assekrem is one of the natural fairy landscapes that offers the tumulus of Atakor, which also contains the crater of Ahrane, the rocky waterfalls and the source "Tahabort" from which flows a crystal clear water.

The waterfalls of Imloulane, Issigrane and Tamarkret, as well as Oued-Afilal are other natural assets conferring to the Assekrem the title of the best site in the world for the observation of the sunrise and sunset, and where is also the fort of Charles de Foucault, erected in 1910.

The visitor will have the opportunity to return to the footsteps of Foucault, his famous dictionary on the oral culture of the Targa, his manuscripts and memoirs, and contemplate the geometric cylindrical forms of the mountains of Ilmen, Tahat-Atakor, the highest mountain peak in Algeria, as well as Mount Adriane overlooking the city of Tamanrasset.

The richness and abundance of natural and archaeological sites have earned the region the nickname of "Geological Paradise", assigned by archaeologists to highlight the historical phases crossed by this desert area.

This natural route with many tourist attractions offers, in addition to water bodies and green spaces, inscriptions and rock drawings representing scenes of grazing or hunting of animals disappeared.

These factors of tourist attraction are reinforced by the existence of engravings of silhouettes of armed human beings and other sculptures in Tifinagh, engraved through the sites ofAguenar, Aker-Aker, Tefedist, Tegumart, Adrar-Timssighane, Adrar-Tikmetine, in addition to the palace of the Tuareg queen Tinhinane, erected in the region of Abalessa, and the old Ksour of Moussa Agh Amestane in Tamanrasset and Ksar El-Hadj, in the region of Tazrouk.

To these natural and archeological assets, come to be grafted the activities of the craft industry, among which notably the traditional jewelry and the megisserie, having marked the activities of craftsmen among which the Inadhen (jewelers), occupying premises through through the communes of Tamanrasset and versed in the realization of a panoply of products and articles, of which the "Tizabatine" (earrings), Ahiguen (bracelet with foot), Tisseghine (rings), and other articles of ornament of which Telkhoukam, Tirot and Adelal.

The megissière activity, strongly practiced by the Targu women to ensure the sustainability of these activitiess, consists in the production of tents, bags, "Agharkane" intended to preserve food, in addition to the manufacture of shoes, sandals and other leather belts.

New reception structures

The reception structures of Tamanrasset have been strengthened, thanks to praiseworthy efforts made for the promotion of the sector, by the realization of a series of hotel structures, leisure and services, called to confirm the tourist vocation of the city.s to confirm the tourist vocation of the region and expand the capacity of reception and accommodation in the wilaya which currently has 17 facilities, including eight (8) hotels and nine (9) campgrounds with a capacity of 1.019 beds, and 90 tourist agencies.

The services of the tourism sector are based on large hopes on the tourist expansion zones (ZET), currently established at three (3) ZET hosting three investment projects, in addition to five (5) other private projects outside ZET, said the Director of Tourism and Crafts (DTA), Hib-Allah Ourzig.

The owners and managers of agencies are involved, for their part, to accompany the sector by marketing local tourism products, developing tours to meet the demand of visitors and tourists in the region, said, for his part, the president of the association of tourist agencies, Mohamed Zounga.

The same official stressed, for this purpose, the need for adequate training of staff and affiliates of the sector, and the use of new technologies in the management of programs and tourist activities and recreational.

"It is the duty of tourism actors to boost the sector and exploit the potential of the region to contribute to local development, diversification of investment opportunities and the creation of wealth and jobs," he recommended.

This state of affairs requires, according to the official, the development of a new approach focused on the involvement of all stakeholders to create the right climate for investment, attract developers and promote domestic tourism.

Source: www.aps.dz