Algiers, Sep 30 (IANS): Last week's beheading of a French mountain guide in Algeria has hit the tourism sector of the north African country, over a thousand tourists cancelling their bookings.

Kidnapped Sep 21 in Tizi Ouzou, east of Algeria by Caliphate Soldiers, a group linked to Islamic State (IS), Herve Gourdel, 55, was beheaded just 24 hours after an ultimatum was given to France to stop airstrikes against the latter group, Xinhua reported.

Several tourism agencies based in the south of Algeria, which primarily specialise in desert tourism, have submitted a report to Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, detailing how almost a thousand tourists recently cancelled their trips to the Sahara Desert.

Algeria's southern desert has been for years one of the most attractive destinations for both Algerian and foreign tourists, providing a lucrative source of income for locals.

Ahaggar natural reserve, Djanet, Timimoun and Ghardaia are some of the most popular destinations in Algeria, attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Messaoud Agh Mohamed, manager of a tourist agency in Tamenrasset in Algeria, said that more than 1,000 workers, who rely on the tourism industry, including drivers and guides, would be jobless in the coming months.