Joined: 05 Oct 2005
Posts: 315
|
As Libya emerges from over a decade of isolation, France will help the North African country expand its under-developed tourism industry, a Libyan government official said.
The Secretary of Libya’s tourist development authority Ali Fares said under a deal signed this week, French tourism development agency ODIT France will offer technical assistance for 17 new tourist investment zones along 180 kilometres (110 miles) of coast near the eastern town of Tubruq. The contract also covers a 20 kilometre-long area to be developed at Sabratah in the west. Libya cast off international ostracism in 2003 when it accepted responsibility and began paying compensation for the bombing of airliners over Scotland and Niger in 1988 and 1989. The oil-rich country has a wealth of ancient Greek and Roman ruins along a mostly unspoilt 2,000 kilometres of coastline and the interior offers pristine desert scenery and ancient sites, sand dunes and mountains. According to Fares a big increase in visitors is expected this year. Morocco and Tunisia receive 6 million tourists each per year, but Fares said Libya had 600,000 in 2006. “This number is seen as a promising sign, despite the lack of infrastructure and the shortage of hotels,” he said. The Libyan government official said tourism projects worth 4 billion dinars ($3.13 billion) were under way, ranging from foreign to joint and local investments. Last August, United Arab Emirates firm Tameer Holding said it signed a deal for a residential and tourism development near the Libyan capital Tripoli. -Reuters |
|
