The number of tourists in Algeria has grown significantly since the beginning of the implementation of the visa on arrival for international visitors. Data from the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) report that already in 2024, this figure increased by 10% compared to the previous year, reaching 3.5 million tourists, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts.
The trend is part of a positive series of changes in the global tourism sector. Africa, as a tourist destination, expects to record an increase in air travel by 13.7% in 2026. The total number of seats for the first ten months of the year amounted to 182.4 million, compared to 160.4 million for the same period of 2025. The main source of demand was Western Europe, including the UK, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as the Middle East, which ranks second in the share of visitors.
Air Algérie Rises into Africa’s Top Five
According to the report of the ATTA, Africa in the Air report, prepared with the participation of the Kata Kenya association of tourist companies, Air Algerie has managed to make it to the top five African airlines by the number of seats.
Ethiopian Airlines takes first place with a share of 23.8 million seats, followed by EgyptAir (10.28 million), Safair (10.27 million), Royal Air Maroc (9.1 million), and Air Algerie, which has 7.3 million seats reserved for the period of ten months of 2026. Thus, the company’s ticket sales have grown significantly, contributing to the overall increase in tourist arrivals.
Visa on Arrival as a Key Lever
The report also notes that a significant increase in visitors can be explained by visa liberalization policies. Thus, Algeria opened its borders for visa-free travel for 30-day stays in the regions of North Africa south of the Sahara. Kgomotso Ramothea, CEO of ATTA, notes that this, together with enhanced intra-African connectivity, has “boosted traffic significantly.”
Indeed, already in 2024, Algeria recorded 3.5 million tourists, which qualifies it as a growing tourist destination with excellent prospects. The country has the advantage of offering a rich cultural heritage and modern infrastructure that is continuously being developed. Experts do not exclude that in the future, Algeria will enjoy even more significant growth in tourist traffic.
Algeria is gradually occupying a place among the most visited countries in Africa, which is also due to easing entry rules and expanding air connections. Thus, the trend is for a significant increase in tourist arrivals in North Africa, contributing to the overall positive trend in this sector.
