ALGER – The start of the academic start-up and training for the tourism sector for the year 2026-2027, was given on Sunday, with the reception of more than 500 new students and trainees in the training establishments in the sector, indicates a communiqué of the Ministry of Tourism and Crafts.
The opening ceremony took place at the Ecole nationale supérieure du tourisme (ENST) in Algiers, under the supervision of the Minister of the sector, Houria Meddahi, with the participation, in a presentation and by video conference, of the heads of the training establishments of the two national institutes of hospitality and tourism of Bossaada and Tizi-Ouzou, and of the annexes of Tlemcen and Ouargla, as well as of local officials.
In a speech delivered on the occasion, Ms Meddahi welcomed the new students and trainees, admitted at the conclusion of the national competitions, whose number exceeds 500, including 100 students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s cycles in Algiers, as well as 400 trainees enrolled in advanced technician and technician training at the Tizi-Ouzou and Bossaâda institutes and their annexes in Tlemcen and Ouargla.
The Minister considered that training in the field of tourism constitutes “a conscious commitment in the process of diversification of the national economy and the creation of real alternatives outside hydrocarbons, in the realization of the strategic vision of the high state authorities, headed by the President of the Republic, Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who attaches particular importance to the promotion of the tourism and craft sector, as a lever contributing to the creation of jobs and the development of the local economy”, according to the communiqué.
Mrs Meddahi also mentioned, in her speech, the progress of several projects relating to the modernisation of training structures in the sector, stressing, in this connection, the finalisation of the study of the project of the new headquarters of ENST, being carried out in Tipasa, of a capacity of 500 teaching places, in addition to the allocation of a financial allocation of 200 million DA for the rehabilitation of the institutes of Tizi-Ouzou and Bossaâda, with the allocation of more than 180 million DA for the equipment of these two establishments and the annex of Tlemcen.
In addition, the revision and updating of the training programmes have been launched, in accordance with the Minister’s statements, for the bachelor’s and master’s cycles and the training of technician and senior technician.
Ms Meddahi also announced the launch of “an exceptional sectoral training programme” from the 4th quarter of 2026 to the 1st half of 2027, with the aim of training and requalifying more than 10,000 professionals and actors in the sector.
This programme, aimed at the various stakeholders in the sector, including hotel managers, tourist guides and travel agency managers, is structured around three main areas: digitisation and digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, modernisation of reception and hospitality methods, and modern tourism promotion techniques through social media platforms.
In the margins of the opening ceremony, Ms Meddahi handed over the “Tourist Guide Professional Card” to several beneficiaries, following their training course and obtaining the certificate of competence. Approvals have also been issued to tourism and travel agencies and new hotel establishments, according to the same source.