Islamic Tourism. Libyan tour operators exhibiting at this year’s World Travel Market, an international travel show held annually in London’s Excel Exhibition Centre, are convinced that Libya is one of the most attractive destinations in the Western Mediterranean, if not the whole world.
The four day exhibition, which opened yesterday, attracted a total of 5,194 national tourist offices, industry organisations, tour operators, hotels, cruise lines, airlines and technology companies from 202 countries, including 126 new exhibitors.
Libya’s participation at the WTM has grown from strength to strength. The exhibitors included Cyrene Tours, Teneney Travel & Tours, Taknes Co, Golden Treasures Tours, Arkno Tours, Jawaher Libya, Jannat Tours, Libo Tours, Raban Tourism Services, and Wings Travel & Touris. There are now around 50 private Libyan companies working with in bound travel, which has been encouraged by Law 7 favouring foreign investment.
Visitors to the large Libyan stand could discuss their holidays under a tent seated on exquisite carpets. They were served tea and traditional sweets.
Tarek Ellali, General Manager of Jawaher Libya pointed out that the country is a safe destination as well as being a new destination “Any incident like that in Jordan will affect tourism but nothing like that has happened in Libya”.
He noticed more interest in Libya not just from British companies but from Canadians and Australians.
Craig Baguley of Arkno Tours has also noticed a growing interest in Libya, especially from North Americans. “There has been a 50 – 60 percent increase in inquiries. More people are looking at Libya since the rapproachment with the West and Tony Blair’s visit to the country. The lifting of the embargo on Americans travelling to Libya by the State Department has also helped”.
Baguley believes Libya, with its great Greek and Roman cities, will be a ‘hot destination’.
“More hotels are being built and more are planned. A new hotel has been built in Susa to accommodate visitors to Cyrene and Apalonia. Libya is an unknown quantity but people will become more and more aware of its tremendous sites”.
Moutaz Ali, the Sales and Marketing Manager of Cyrene Tours has come to the WTM for the first time. Cyrene was established only five months ago as a branch of Al Hanovet Travel and Tourism to cater for foreign tours. The company’s tours for the solar eclipse have proved extremely popular. Ali commented on the encouragement the Libyan government has extended to the tourist industry.
Fatma El Werfali, the General Manager of Teneney Travel & Tours used to focus on excursions to Tobruk for British war veterans. She is now also running cultural tours and has noticed an increase in business during the past three years.
She admits the tourist infrastructure still has to be developed and points out that Libya was isolated for many years and must now develop.
“We need to develop ourselves as human beings: Libya has a rich desert culture, archaeological sites, Roman and Greek cities – if these attractions are developed it will be the important tourist country in the world. This is very important for the next generation”.
Ali Shebli of Taknes Co is also concerned about the slow development of the tourist infrastructure and believes hotel construction could be faster.
But he is convinced that within three or four years tourism will be the second most important strategic resource in the country.
“People from many different nationalities are coming to Tripoli. Libya is considered the safest country in North Africa. The people are very nice. If you ask a question you will get 20 answers but nobody will bother you. There are no beggars”.
Shebli emphasised that tourism in Libya is organised and the schedules are tough – ‘like a rally’ because it is a big country which people try and see in week when they really need a month..
Few countries have such untapped tourism potential as Libya with its stunning array of ancient and well-preserved heritage sites, glorious 1,300 mile Mediterranean coastline and traditional culture. There is increasing curiosity about a destination that was virtually off limits for 20 years and remains a magnificent, unspoilt land. | 
