middle-east-online.com: Libya: The land of wonders

[tolibya]

Libya offers wide range of tourist attractions thanks to its vast coastline, rich heritage, and thrilling desert.


By Saad Guerraoui - LONDON

Last March, people around the world were astounded by the fourth total eclipse of the 21st century which was at its longest in Libya where at least 7,000 observers from 47 different countries who gazed heavenward. That was Libya’s largest tourist-drawing ever.

The event has encouraged the Libyan government to work harder to promote and expand the country’s tourism industry which has a massive potential yet to be discovered.

Libya will be among the participants at the upcoming TourismAfrica conference which will be held September 19-21 in Geneva, Switzerland, highlighting a new era of tourism for the country.

Libya has 2,000 kilometres of unspoiled beaches where tourists can take comfort. Along with its vast coastline, Africa’s fourth largest country has extraordinary assets to offer to tourists: a preserved historical heritage which dates back to the beginning of humanity such as ancient Roman and Greek ruins and engravings in rock shelter of Tadrart Acacus little known to European travellers; one of the world’s most exotic deserts with breath-taking oases and towering mountains for adventure-loving tourists; a thrilling scuba diving sector and a warm Libyan welcome.

The Libyan government seeks foreign investors in developing the country’s tourism infrastructure in a bid to boost its current 300,000 visitors annually to an estimated 10,000,000 by 2015.

Ryad Snussi, President and CEO of Phoenicia Group and a leading Libyan consultant, said “great opportunities exist for tourism projects, construction of hotels and tourism complexes, and this is a sector which will witness a boom in the coming years.”

UAE-based Tameer Holding said it had sealed a deal with the Libyan government to develop a $20 billion residential and tourism project near Tripoli.

Libya could be a tourism world beater in the future as the country is showing clear signs of a new golden age.