Tripoli's First Tourism Festival

09 March 2010

Tripoli is preparing to host its first Tourist Festival in the Old City around the end of April 2010. The festival is expected to last three days and will include various cultural and tourist activities, with the aim of introducing Libyan tourism and encouraging the development of the various tourist industries required to make tourism in Libya a successful business. Read more at: http://www.oealibya.com/oea-sections/tourism/15834-2010-02-22-17-42-46, or click on the image (below).

 

The End of The Libyan-Swiss Schengen Visa Saga May Come Sooner Than Expected

2 March 2010

In a speech before the Libyan GPC, in its summit to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the birth of the first Jamahiriya in the world, the Libyan foreign minister Moussa Kousa has indicated that the tension between Libya and Switzerland over the recent issues could come to end very soon.

He has also stated that all Libya wants is an international decision on the matter, issued by an independent committee comprising three legal experts including one from Libya and another from Switzerland. He said that Libya will accept whatever decision is made by the committee, regardless of whether the ruling is in favour of or against Libya.

Source of the news: (http://www.oealibya.com/front-page/local-news/16055-2010-03-02-20-33-43)

 

 

 

EU diplomats Hope For Libya Breakthrough, says Swissinfo.ch:

26 February 2010:

Swissinfo.ch has reported yesterday that the Swiss businessman Max Göldi could be released very soon, and some are even predicting that he could be pardoned by Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi before the middle of March. Swissinfo has also reported that although Spain has managed to reach a “settlement” with Libya, Switzerland must also be prepared to play its part.

 

 

Swiss & Libyan Foreign Ministers To Talk In Spain:

19 February 2010:

Geneva: the Swiss and Libyan foreign ministers agreed to talk over the Schengen saga . Micheline Calmy-Rey and Libya's Moussa Kousa will meet with the Spanish foreign minister Miguel Moratinos this Thursday coming in Madrid, in an attempt to resolve the visas issue: the Libyan visa for Schengen nationals and the Schengen visa for Libyans.

 

 

Italy Challenges Switzerland Over Schengen Visa Saga:

Libya Stops Issuing Visa To European Nationals From The Schengen Area:

16 February 2010:

According to a report published by the Libyan daily online newspaper Oea Libyan visa for the nationals of the Schengen group of countries will be suspended. The news was released last Sunday the 14th of February 2010, quoting an unidentified  "high-ranking" Libyan source.

Apparently this ban will not apply to the EU countries not part of the Schengen treaty, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania. According to schengenvisa.cc, a total of 30 countries including most European Union countries and three non-EU members (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland) have signed the Schengen agreement; but only 15 of those countries have implemented the common border control and visa provisions: Austria, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands.

Despite other related disagreements and despite Libya being criticised repeatedly for such decisions, it remains a fact that ALL Libyans are still being badly treated by most European countries when it comes to granting visas including the Schengen visa for Libyan nationals.

Hence, according to EUbusiness:""The Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Monday charged Switzerland with holding the Schengen zone members hostage because of its move against Libya. Switzerland must "resolve this bi-lateral issue . . . but not at the expense of everyone else," Frattini told Sky TG24, adding that he had stressed to Bern the "sensitivity" of the situation."

The Maltese Foreign Minister Tonio Borg has also contacted the Libyan European Affairs Minister Obeidi regarding the matter; while the EU and Schengen member states will discuss the incident this week and attempt to resolve the issue. As a Libyan tour operator we can only say that if Libyans are granted European visas and Europeans are granted Libyan visa then perhaps it will be a lot easier to keep everyone happy. Libya is serious about tourism business and, contrary to what people like to write, Libya recently has further relaxed its visa system for Europeans by abolishing the minimum group visa, and there are hints at abolishing the passport translation too. Libya needs to see similar treatment towards its citizens who still are finding it impossible to obtain a European visa. We have read most of the news reports published yesterday and today and we can clearly see that most of them have failed to cover this important issue.

 

 

Libyan Visa For Canadians: Update:

February 2010

We are pleased to announce that we are in a position to apply for a Libyan visa for the citizens of Canada. If you are a Canadian and would like to visit Libya please let us know.

 

 

Google and UNESCO agree to provide virtual tourism:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/570:
The agreement allows internet users to visit about 19 of the 890 World Heritage Sites via Google's Street View interface; while the remaining sites will be covered via the usual Google Earth and Google Map. It is hoped that virtual visits of these sites will encourage participation in the preservation of these treasures. Watch the following video for more information.

 

 

7th of December 2009:

Submerged Roman City Discovered Off The Coast of Cyrenaica, Eastern Libya:

Archaeologists have discovered what appears to be an ancient, 2nd-century AD, sunken Roman city, just off the coast of Cyrenaica, between the towns of Derna and Bomba, near Tobruk, in Eastern Libya. The discovery was made by members of the project ArCoLibia (Archeology Coast of Libya), in a survey off the Libyan coast. While searching for wrecks, the researchers found walls, tombs, buildings and roads between one and three meters beneath the water. http://www.archart.it/rivista-archeologia/tag/arcolibia/.

 

Libya: a future travel destination:

10/11/2009:

Tourism industry leaders at this year's London's World Travel Market (WTM) have made some new predictions regarding travel and the next hot spots of tourism. Although Europe and North America currently make up the biggest proportion of travellers, it looks set that they would be joined by Russians, Brazilians, Indians and Chinese travellers. ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer had pointed out that countries that have been closed for many years, like Libya and Albania, are always of interest to travellers. Read more . . .

 

 

Canadians and Libyan visa update:

According to: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article: "Libya's embassy on Tuesday denied reports that it has stopped issuing visas to Canadians . . . The embassy in Ottawa said in a statement it "asserts that there are no obstacles or restrictions on the issuance of visas for Canadian citizens to enter Libya." Read more . . .

Canadians & Libyan Visa: October 2009:

It appears that Libya has imposed a ban on Canadians entering the country, but we have no official confirmation of the news. For further information, please read this press release at:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article

 

Ghadames Festival Dates Update:

The latest: (29,30,31/10/2009):

We have been informed by the organisers of Ghadames festival that the dates for the main festival have been moved forward to: 29th,30th and 31st of October 2009. Please note that we are providing this update as is, and we are not responsible for its accuracy. We understand that this could prove to be a big problem for those who have already booked their holidays specifically to attend the festival, but unfortunately tourism in Libya is still in its infancy!

 

Rock Art Vandalism:

A Libyan lunatic ventured into the sacred territories of Awis(s) and embarked on his mission to vandalise some of the priceless prehistoric paintings of Acacus. Using black paint he painted over a number of cave paintings. The madman was arrested and have been since imprisoned, and the vandalised area was sealed and closed for cleaning and restoration work.

It was this incident apparently that led to rumours stating Acacus is closed. We can assure Libya's visitors that only the caves that have been vandalised that are closed, and not the whole region of Acacus, which continues to be open for tourism as usual. If your Libyan tour operator cannot get you into Acacus, please get in touch with us.

New Libyan Visa Law: August 2009:

Good news: Libya visa on arrival is back.

We have seen a copy of the new law, issued on the 02 of August 2009, and we can confirm that after an absence of two months the visa on arrival is now available at airports, borders and seaports, for both individuals and groups. According to Article 8, the new law becomes effective immediately from the date of its issue (02/08/2009), and it cancels all other laws. However, there are some new alterations too.

 

Ghadames Festival Dates Update:

There are several dates circulating the Internet regarding the starting date of Ghadames Festival. We have been following the issue and here is the latest information we have: - remember: "the latest" does not mean "the final"!!!

The Latest Dates:

• A one-day private festival by the sand dunes on 02/09/2009
• The Tuareg Festival on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of October (2,3,4/10/2009)
• The original Ghadames Festival on the 23rd, 24th, 25th of October (23,24,25/10/2009)

Swine Flu Update

! New Libyan Visa Law: June 2009:

A new law regarding Libya tourist visa came into effect on the 1st of June 2009. From now on, that is until further notice, visa on arrival will no longer be available. Instead all tourists and visitors must obtain the visa directly from the Libyan embassy (in their country of origin or in the country they are in at the time of applying: for example: Tunisia or Egypt).

The procedure however remains the same: we must receive a copy of the bio page and a copy of its Arabic translation at least two weeks before arrival, and preferably three weeks, because delays at the immigration office and at the embassy can occur.

We will then take these copies to the visa office in Tripoli. The visa office will issue a visa number (or a visa authorization), which we will send to you if you have applied for the visa individually, or it will be telexed or faxed directly by the Libyan immigration office in Libya to the embassy in your country or in the country you were in when you have applied for the visa.

You then need to contact the embassy with the supplied authorisation to obtain the visa. We will be paying a small fee for this receipt and for the time spent processing the application; the actual visa price will be determined by the embassy and is payable to the embassy. You must let us know when you will be arriving as our guide, as before, must complete the entry formalities for you: you cannot enter the country in your own.

The embassy will also request from you to provide other documents in addition to our visa number and your passport. These include: bank statements, travel insurance, and a return ticket (if you are flying direct from the country of your residence or from another country). Also they may ask for fingerprints to be taken. This means that it is safer to leave your country of origin with some bank statements in your pocket and with valid travel insurance. Although this may seem unnecessary and may add more complications to the already complicated process, the same applies to all Libyans who apply for a European visa in Libya - they are too required to provide return tickets, bank statements, travel insurance, money and so on in order to obtain a European visa.

 

There is also a new law regarding vehicles (cars) entering Libya:

There are also changes to the law regarding vehicles entering the country: in addition to all the previous fees, as stated in our website (the insurance, carnet and plate number), an amount of 150 Libyan dinar must be paid on each car entering Libya (please see our Prices page for details). This amount is not refundable, as is the case with the amount paid for the licence plate.

Please come back for the next visa law; soon!

 

Swine Flue Update: 18 June 2009:

An outbreak of bubonic plague in the Al-Tarsha area (about 40 km south of Tubruk) has been confirmed by the Libyan government. Also we have reports of the first suspected case of A (H1N1) - swine flu in Libya; and as a result travellers arriving from affected countries are being screened on arrival, and any visitor showing any symptoms of the flue may be placed in quarantine for several days, or even refused entry The WHO has increased its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.

Swine Flue: 11 May 2009:

Currently there are no cases of Swine Flu in Libya. However, all visitors and tourists are being checked and screened on arrival by a Libyan medical team. Travellers displaying symptoms or suspected to have the symptoms may be placed in quarantine for several days or refused entry. After confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Israel, which shares a border with Egypt, the Egyptian authorities have also introduced medical screening for the virus at several airports.

As of 13 May 2009, 33 countries have officially reported 5728 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection; the worst hit being: United States of America (3009 cases), Mexico (2059 cases), Canada (358 cases), Spain (98) and United Kingdom (68).

To check the latest updates, please visit the website of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

 

Niger & Tuareg Rebels 'agree to peace':

According to the Libyan state news agency Jana, the government of Niger and the Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ) have agreed to end hostilities, after two days of talks in the capital Tripoli.

 

 

Breaking News:

March 2009: recent changes mean Tourism Police for individual tourists too:

Owing to a small incident and cross-border criminal activities in recent weeks the security around the border with Algeria has been tightened. In addition to the areas bordering Niger, Chad and Sudan, caution needs to be exercised when visiting areas close to the Algerian border, like Ghat and even Ghadames. In addition to the regular desert pass, required from the Libyan authorities for travellers wishing to visit the desert area of Acacus, a new Libyan law now requires all tourists visiting these areas to be accompanied by a tourism police. Before, this was a condition for groups of five or more tourists only. Now even individuals or groups of two or three visiting Acacus or Ghat require the company of a tourism police.

Update (May 2009): this requirement has now been lifted , and it is no longer required for individuals to be accompanied by a tourist police in their visits to Acacus and along the Algerian border.

 

Libya's Wireless Internet: One of The Most Advanced in The World:

The Libyan internet service provider Libya Telecom& Technology (http://www.ltt.ly) is launching its first wireless network in Libya, known as WiMax, which the company says is one of the most advanced wireless networks in the world. The system works by obtaining a special USB adopter which is able to connect to the internet within 30 miles of any transmission station. This USB can be plugged into any computer without the need to having any software installed. The service will cost around 40 Libyan dinars a month (about €24), plus an advance payment of a one-year subscription. However, currently negotiations are underway to reduce this price down, to around £15 a month.

Libya To Attract 1.5 Million Tourists by 2012:

(January 2009)
The Libyan General Office of Tourism and Traditional Industries has pledged to improve Libya's tourism strategy for 2008/2012. The new developments are aimed at attracting 1.5 million tourists by 2012, and at transforming Libya into one of the main and cleanest tourist destinations in the world. The plan will include improvements in the sectors of advertising, promotion of national and foreign investment, reception capacities, basic infrastructure, quality standards, and, of course, the protection and preservation of the natural and archaeological resources from plundering and bad use.

Breaking News:

Visa News: minimum of five tourists required: (November 2008)

A recent Libyan internal law (November 2008) requires all visa applications, regardless of nationality, to contain a minimum of five passports or more. This does not however apply to Business and VIP visas, as they continue to be available for individual visitors. If you are travelling alone or within a group of less than five, please write to us for further details. Currently we have no information regarding this new law, but from what has been widely reported so far, we can only sympathise with the Libyan government regarding the vandalism and desecration of prehistoric art sites across the whole of the Sahara. The theft of archaeological artifacts is a serious source of concern to the authorities of both countries Libya and Algeria and is a despicable act reminiscent of the Carter era. The massive archeological treasures still abandoned in the Sahara undoubtedly will continue to attract certain kind of visitors who thus make things difficult for others; but protective surveillance measures are also in the increase, and there are several steps that have been already taken to protect the Sahara from looters and vandals, resulting in several prosecution cases of some Italian and German tourists. However, similar moves are also in effect in Algeria, where vandalism is also rife, and where crossing the Tassili area requires permission from the Tassili National Park Office, which supervises and guides tourists around the Tassili area. Freedom requires transparency.

 

Terrorist Threat in Egypt:

(January 2009)
Tension in the Middle East and North Africa's Egypt has risen in the wake of the Israeli-Hamas war in the densely populated Gaza strip, and as a result terrorist attacks in Egypt, and in other destinations, are expected. Moreover, it was reported that the Egyptian authorities have suspended issuing travel permits to the areas near its borders with Sudan and Libya, where a number of bandits still operate. 

 

Libyan Visa-Applicants To Submit Fingerprints:

(December 2008)
According to a number of sources, the Libyan Government has introduced a new visa system requiring visa-applicants to submit their biometric details, effective from  1 December 2008.

As a Libyan tour operator, we have attempted to confirm this with the Libyan authorities and came to conclude that this will only apply to visitors who request the Libyan visa directly from the Libyan embassy; and that it does not apply to those who are getting their visas at the border or the airport via their Libyan tour operator. If we hear of any developments regarding this matter, we will announce them here; otherwise visa at the border and the airport is as usual.

 

Number of Tourists Visiting Libya Continues to Rise

According to the Libyan General Board for Tourism the number of tourists who visited Libya in 2006 has reached 125480 tourists, and that tourism investment in Libya has attracted 73 national and foreign investors. Some investors predict that Libya would have around three million visitors within three to five years. However, in addition to the poor banking system, the current Libyan infrastructure would not be able to cope with the number of tourists received by Tunisia (about 6 million) or Egypt (about 10 million visitors). Hence most of the secured investment projects are related to development and tourism.

Italy pays Libya compensation:

August 30, 2008 (named by Libya as " the Libyan-Italian Friendship Day "

Italy has agreed to pay Libya US$5 billion as compensation for its occupation of the country from 1911 to 1943, in a memorandum signed by the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the Libyan leader Col Muammar al-Qaddafi. Italy will also fund US$500 million worth of electronic monitoring devices to help Libya crack down on illegal migrants turning up on Italian shores. There will also be a colonial-era mine clearing project to make the area safer for both locals and tourists.

 

Berlusconi would also hand over to Libya the statue of Venus of Cyrene, an ancient statue taken by Italian troops from the ruins of Cyrene during the wars.

The Chad Ordeal

11 Tourists Kidnapped in Egypt by Sudanese Terrorists Rescued

Five Germans, five Italians and one Romanian tourists and eight Egyptian guides were kidnapped by Sudanese terrorists on the 19th of September 2008 in southern Egypt. They were attacked near Gilf al-Kabir, close to the border with Libya and Sudan. Claims laid by Sudanese and Egyptian officials in that the tourists were said to have been moved into Libya were proved to have been false. Shortly after that, Ali Yousuf, head of protocol at the Sudanese foreign ministry, reported that all the hostages were safe. During the tense few days, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported a $15m ransom, while Germany was in contact with the kidnappers. During the clashes that ensued between the terrorists and the Sudanese army, Sudanese officials have shot and killed six of the kidnappers and taken two more hostages, and confirmed that the hostages are held in Chad, in the Tabbat Shajara region.

On the following day, the 29th of September 2008, the hostages were rescued, unharmed, and taken to a military base near Cairo. During the search for the kidnappers and the hostages travel in the Libyan desert area was suspended for a few weeks, but now all services have returned to normal and there is no travel restriction.

Fake Prehistoric Pictures

Faked by Henri Lhote's Team

This picture is my own composition based on the prehistoric images given by Henri Lhote in his famous Frescoes. Later it turned out that Lhote's team had actually faked these images, which continued to appear in his book right down to the 70s. This is what Mr. Henri Lhote wrote in his book.

"Our little goddesses with the birds' heads must belong to an historical period . . . to 1200 B.C.   We know that at this time the Libyans of the Fezzan were constantly at war with the Egyptians.   Indeed, the Libyans attempted to conquer the Nile Valley " (Henri Lhote, Frescoes, 1959, pp 69 - 72).

It is difficult to understand why such people would fake such paintings as much as it is problematic to understand what constant Fezzani-Egyptian wars Henri was referring to!

Why not try a different destination this year! Statistics show that Libya is less visited than the south pole.

Beltone Financial has opened an office in Tripoli:

Beltone Financial is partnering with the Libyan Economic and Social Development Fund in a deal to provide a comprehensive suite of services, including investment banking, securities brokerage and asset management. Beltone Financial's Chairman, Mr. Aladdin Saba, pointed out that " Libya's economic, social and political climate signals that the time is right to invest in Libya. " Libya's economy is recovering rapidly, and revenues from foreign investment and tourism has seen the Libyan Annual per capita income rise to US$ 16,000.