The wilaya of Oran received, on Thursday evening, the “Golden Award” granted by the Afro-Asian Union of Tourism, E-Commerce and Economy. The award, which was announced at the end of last October, was bestowed upon the capital of western Algeria as the best emerging tourist destination in Africa for the year 2025.
The award was presented, on behalf of the Wali of the wilaya, Brahim Ouchène, to the Secretary General of the wilaya, Fodil Laïdani, by the President of the Afro-Asian Union of Tourism, E-Commerce and Economy, Hossam Darwish, and the Union’s Secretary General, Achraf Mahmoud Abou Aïch.
The award ceremony took place in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, Moussa Benthamer, the President of the National Federation of Hotels and Tourism, Abdelouahab Boulefkhadh, as well as several stakeholders from the tourism sector.
On this occasion, Mr. Benthamer stated to the press, on the sidelines of the ceremony, that this distinction awarded to Oran as Africa’s best emerging tourist destination for 2025 is the result of the numerous development programs carried out by the State in the wilaya, in addition to its historical and cultural heritage.
He added that this choice was not made by chance, but was based on the diversity of tourism forms and investments that characterize “Oran El-Bahia,” the continuous development dynamic throughout the year, as well as the availability of major infrastructure such as road networks, airports, ports, and tourism facilities, making Oran a prime tourist destination.
For his part, Mr. Boulefkhadh emphasized that the crowning of the city of Oran as the best emerging African destination is the result of significant efforts deployed by the State, foremost among them the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who attaches particular importance to this strategic sector.
He added that Oran is a tourist city par excellence, having successfully leveraged its geographical location, heritage, and culture to become one of the leading tourist destinations in the region, especially since the artistic, cinematic, and sporting events it has hosted in recent years have helped project a positive and attractive image of the capital of western Algeria.
For his part, the President of the Afro-Asian Union of Tourism, E-Commerce and Economy explained that the selection of Oran was based on several criteria, including human, tourist, historical, recreational, cultural, and sporting assets.
He added that the jury, made up of experts from different regions of the world in the fields of tourism, economic, and sustainable development, initially shortlisted five African cities, then narrowed the list down to three, before ultimately selecting Oran with a voting rate exceeding 90%.
The speaker also expressed hope that this distinction would serve as an additional incentive to promote the city of Oran and strengthen the use of smart tourism in order to attract more national and foreign investment in the sector.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Afro-Asian Union confirmed that among the major criteria behind this choice were the qualities of Oran’s residents, described as “hospitable, welcoming, and always smiling.”
Source: APS