Could Libya be the new Greece?

Libya is lining itself to become a major tourist destination following its emergence from years of isolation, according to a report in today’s edition of The Times. The newspaper report centres on the ruins of Leptis Magna, a Roman city that is described as “larger and more spectacular than anything in Italy or Greece”, situated 75 miles from the capital, Tripoli. Despite the obvious charms of such a spectacular site, the newspaper reports that it is almost deserted. The country’s prime minister Shukri Ghanem reportedly said: “Tourism is a resource that has not yet been tapped. We think that the development of the last and biggest shore on the Mediterranean will be a win-win situation for investors and Libya but we need to build an infrastructure and we need to lift travel restrictions.” Indeed, the Times’ reporter Richard Beeson states that “once foreigners navigate the strict visa controls, the country is ill-equipped to look after them”. He recounts the tale of one group of French tourists who visited a couple of years back. Apparently, “Libyan authorities boarded the vessel and sealed all the drinks cabinets. The startled French tourists were then followed around the elegant capital by secret police.” The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, at www.fco.gov.uk/travel, hardly encourages visits to the country, warning of potential safety issues with internal flights, a poor standard of driving, foreigners being robbery targets and “stern penalties for the use and possession of alcohol”.