'Algerian hostage crisis has limited impact on tourism'

Algerian government has said that a terrorist attack in a gas field in the country earlier this year has had "very limited" impact on its tourism industry, Xinhua reported.

"The events that occurred earlier this year at the gas field of Tiguentourine in the province of Illizi had limited impacts on the flow of tourists to the Algerian desert, which remains a secure area," said Algerian Minister of Tourism and Handicraft Mohamed Amine Hadj Said.

"Currently, Algeria is among the few stable countries in the region," he said, admitting that "It is still incapable, though, of hosting a large number of tourists amid internal crises that hit some countries, due to the lack of tourist facilities and also due to low-quality service at hotels."

The minister noted that the promotion of internal tourism remains one of the priorities at the ministry.