A land of ancient civilizations and desert
TOURISM PLANS FOR NEW HOTELS AND RESORTS ARE PART OF A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DRIVE TO ATTRACT VISITORS BUT MASS TOURISM IS NOT ON THE AGENDA

Trips into the desert are among the attractions on offer from companies such as Libtra Tours.

DURING the years of isolation, Libya was more or less closed to Western tourists. Today, visitor numbers—although still relatively small—are increasing rapidly, and tourism is the most promising sector outside the oil industry.

This year is expected to be even better than last year as visitors are attracted to a land of archeological treasures and natural beauty that is safe and untainted by mass tourism.

Attractions include a pristine coastline and some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world, notably the ancient cities of Leptis Magna and Sabratha.

Libya has set up a ministry of tourism and is preparing to spend millions of dollars to develop the industry over the next five years. The emphasis will be on up-market tourism.
Last year, the sector was opened to foreign investment, and agreements have been signed with several companies to develop hotels and resorts.

“Our goal is to attain 100,000 hotel beds by the year 2020,” says Ammar Mabrouk Eltayef, Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Tourism. “We have chosen four sites by the sea and one between desert towns for the construction of modern complexes, including hotels, resorts, shopping malls, and golf courses.”

HUSNI BEY Chief Executive Officer of the HB Group	AMMAR MABROUK ELTAYEF Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Tourism

In the meantime, new companies are springing up to serve the visitors. Among the most successful is Libtra Tours, part of the HB Group. In operation for just over a year, the company has served almost 4,000 visitors.
“We mostly provide a full-package service,” explains General Manager Yousri Benyala. “We organize the visas, the transportation, the accommodation, tour guides and the planning of all the sites that a tourist group or individual wants to visit.”

Most go for a cultural tour. “Throughout history, Libya has been a melting pot of cultures,” says Mr. Benyala. “Some of the greatest civilizations that have existed have left their marks in Libya. We even have painting and engravings in caves from the pre-historic era. We have virgin coastlines, fascinating lakes in the desert, and even inactive volcanic sites.”

He believes tourism could become a main source of income for Libya in a relatively short period of time, once the proper infrastructure is provided.
Husni Bey, CEO the HB Group, says there are plans for Libtra to establish its own hotels and tour buses. “Taking tours in Libya has proven to be a popular activity, but the hotel infrastructure is still very poor. We are negotiating a plan to build a type of hotel with mini-flats.”

The Winzrik Tourism Services Group, Libya’s longest established tour operator, aims to develop sites across the country, including a resort near Sabratha and a hotel in the desert town of Ghadames.
“There is no intention in Libya to create mass tourism like in neighboring countries with nightclubs and alcohol,” says Chairman and Managing Director Abdurrazag Gherwash. “We don’t want mass tourism, but quality tourism.”