Tourism in Libya set to rise

Travel and tourism, which now amounts to around 12 per cent of the country’s jobs total, is expected to rise to 15 per cent in the next 10 years, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The country is now generally considered safe, if perhaps a little spartan, to travel around most of the country.

The varied scenery and pristine quality of its antiquities are fascinating; but distances are vast and facilities are quite primitive in some places. Many tour operators advise visitors to carry their own supplies of bottled water and toilet paper, for instance.

Libya has seen invasions by Turks, Vandals, Byzantines, Romans, Arabs and Italians, all of whom have left their mark. Particularly evident are the striking Roman and Greek ruins at Leptis Magna, Cyrene and Sabratha, though Libya remains quintessentially Arabic - evident in the Medina (old city) of the capital Tripoli, the nomadic lifestyle of desert dwelling Bedouin and Berber tribes, and the language, culture and customs of its people.