I think the sort of tourism DZ, KSA and probably any other country wants is not the kind we do.
They want big groups flying into lavish local hotels then doing day trips in 4x4s with local drivers before exiting via the gift shop. The problem (unlike much richer KSA, I suspect) is that there has be very little development in the south to adequately serve these tourists. In the 600 desolate km between Djanet and Tam you would probably find 600 lodgings in Morocco over a similar distance.
But as Tom Sheppard might say - long may it stay like that!
The longer DZ does not become like Erg Chebbi the better.
Dirtbags in autonomous off-roaders bring little of economic value other than spreading the word of Alg's desert riches. Which makes the lack of enforcement of the 20-year-old agency escort rule even more puzzling.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 4 Mar 2024 at 09:57.
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