Algeria aims to boost tourism with electronic visa system

Algeria aims to boost its presence on the North African tourism market with the launch of an electronic visa system, according to specialist website action-visas.com.

The Casbah of Algiers, the fascinating history of Oran, the Ghardaïa oasis, the national parks in Kabylie … Algeria has so much to offer to travellers in search of destinations largely untouched by mass tourism.

Until now, the land of the Fennecs football team has been preserved from large numbers of holidaymakers because tourism did not figure in the country’s development plans.

However, this may soon change with the new government’s initiative to introduce an electronic visa system.

Reservation platform action-visas.com points out that Algeria has one of the most complex visa regimes. In addition to a passport that is valid for at least six months, visitors must also present confirmation of a hotel reservation or a certificate from an Algerian travel agency.

Tourists are also required to present proof of travel insurance.

A visa valid for a stay of up to 90 days costs 85 euros (R1,380), and 125 (R2,000) euros for stays beyond that period. It is best to apply well in advance, as it can take up to two weeks for visa applications to be processed.

In recent years, electronic visa systems have been introduced by several countries aiming to boost tourism, among them Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

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