“Travel and Tour World” magazine published a recent report claiming a rise in the number of tourists heading to Libya, reaching approximately one hundred thousand annually.
The report, issued last Friday, pointed to an increasing interest from tourists in visiting Libya, despite ongoing warnings from their governments regarding the state of instability, armed presence, and prevailing security concerns in the country. The report mentioned that tourists show particular interest in visiting the archaeological city of Leptis Magna and Tripoli, both of which offer opportunities for exploration, adventure, and learning about important historical periods through visits to ancient cities and archaeological sites, according to the magazine’s description.
A report issued by the Tourism Information and Documentation Center of the Ministry of Tourism in the Government of National Unity revealed information entirely contrary to what was stated in the magazine’s report. The official Libyan report clarified that the total number of tourists arriving in Libya during the year 2024 did not exceed 1,030 people (one thousand and thirty people), representing a very small percentage estimated at 1% of the huge number claimed by the magazine’s report.
The official center’s report provided a geographical breakdown of the one thousand and thirty tourists who visited Libya last year, with the number of visitors from the European continent reaching 499 people, 17 tourists from Australia, 198 people from Asia, 54 people from Africa, and 262 tourists from the Americas.
This stark discrepancy in figures comes amid continuous international warnings against traveling to Libya. In October 2024, the British Foreign Office warned its citizens against traveling to 18 countries around the world, with Libya being among them, amid concerns about the potential for violent events or the escalation of security instability.
Similarly, in July 2024, the United States of America renewed its warning to its citizens against traveling to 19 countries, including Libya, along with five other Arab countries – Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia – due to serious security risks.
The Russian Embassy in Libya also warned its citizens in December 2024 against visiting Libya, especially the western part of the country, whether for personal or tourism purposes, stressing the continuation of the recommendations issued since 2011 regarding the prohibition of travel to Libya due to the unstable security situation.
Looking back at the recent past, Libya launched an ambitious plan in 2007 to develop the tourism sector to attract three million tourists by 2010, before the outbreak of the 2011 revolution. Reports indicate that Libya received approximately 125,000 tourists in 2006 and about 106,000 tourists in 2007, rising significantly by about seven times in 2008 to reach 760,000 tourists. Libya possesses rich natural and cultural tourism assets, including important historical cities in its eastern, western, and southern regions, and characterized by long coastlines and a vast desert with diverse terrain and soil, in addition to stunning natural landscapes, ancient cities, and tourist attractions scattered throughout the country.