Hotels, Tour Operators Opening for U.S. Travelers to Libya

As Libya looks forward to more U.S. leisure travelers, CHI Hotels & Resorts, which operates the deluxe Corinthia Hotel Tripoli, long the only Western hotel in the country, is gearing up to host leisure travelers in addition to the business and government travelers it has been accommodating for years, Glenn Carol, CHI’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, told Travel Market Report recently.

In fact, the Corinthia, which housed the American embassy for several years following the renewal of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Libya until the new embassy was completed, has been joined by a growing number of five-star properties, and CHI is actively looking at other hotel operating opportunities in the country.

Now, with Libya fast gaining popularity as an interesting new holiday destination, there is a renewed focus on the American leisure market by hoteliers and tour operators.

The 299-room Corinthia is one of the leading five-star properties in Libya’s capital city, and because of its seaside location and proximity to the city’s business district, has benefited from the recent growth of business travel from the West, especially from U.S. and U.K. oil company executives.

As the result of its opening to Western travelers, Tripoli is experiencing a wave of new hotel construction, including JW Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton and Westin properties.

Tripoli itself has become a modern city that is capable of hosting lots of tourists, noted Carroll. He added that the country’s very well-preserved Roman ruins are a prime attraction for the Western leisure traveler.

Indeed, Salvinu Farrell, CHI’s regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East, said: “The U.S. market offers great potential for Libya because of Americans’ keen interest in archeology, history, and culture. This, combined with the pent-up demand to explore exciting new destinations still off the beaten track, is opening another niche opportunity for Libya. Cultural tourists will be drawn by Libya’s amazing five World Heritage sites, and an already well-developed desert tourism product is the main attraction for the adventure seekers. But most important for all Libya’s visitors, it is a very safe destination, and everyone feels genuinely welcomed.”

Some U.S. tour operators never stopped promoting Libya even when the restrictions were in place.

Ryad Sunusi, president, Los Angeles-based Libya Expeditions, said, “We are extremely pleased about the easing of visa restrictions. We were prepared for this moment, because we continued to attend trade shows throughout the U.S., even while there were difficulties for Americans to get visas. Now, our fall tours are sold out.”

Sunusi attributes much of this interest to the fact that Libya’s archaeological ruins are on a scale of those found in Rome, but still almost untouched.

“Many of these attractions are only a few hours from Tripoli and can be seen on a one-day excursion.”

Corinthia’s spokesperson notes that the Corinthia Tripoli Hotel is a good base from which leisure travelers can explore and experience the archeological wonders in the Roman cities of Leptis Magna and Sabratha.

Libya’s ancient Greek city of Cyrene received the World Tourism Award presented at World Travel Market in London in recognition of Libya’s unique approach in establishing an integrated model for North African Archaeological and Heritage Preservation and Management. This included an emphasis on the education and training of local nationals for employment in the development and maintenance of this site, and for initiatives taken to ensure the protection of Libya’s Heritage Sites and the quality of its tourism.

Besides Libya Expeditions, other tour operators are announcing programs to Libya.

Travcoa, the luxury tour operator, resumed its tours to Libya following the announcement in May about the easing of the visa restrictions.

“The chance for us to offer travel to Libya again this fall means that Travcoa can better meet the sophisticated US travelers’ demand for new, interesting destinations,” said Travcoa president, Jerre Fuqua.

“Having just returned from a personal scouting trip through Libya, I can assure [travel agents] that the visa and entry process works very smoothly, and the entire Libyan experience, from the food and accommodations to the guides and remarkable historical sites, really exceeded my high expectations.”

Cox & Kings is also returning to Libya with the custom itinerary “Timeless Treasures of Libya.”

“With its rocky recent history, Libya is often a destination overlooked and overshadowed by other nearby travel locales,” said Thomas Stanley, Centre Head and COO of Cox & Kings USA.

“But the Mediterranean is timeless and Libya is an undiscovered cache of history. It does not disappoint in offering travelers a sense of discovery in a land virtually unknown to the modern world.  The archeological riches of ancient Libya are some of the most unobstructed and best preserved in the world.”

The “Timeless Treasures of Libya” itinerary offered by Cox & Kings is customizable and available at any time for an intimate look at Tripoli and the country. Highlights include a full-day visit to Leptis Magna, one of the world’s finest examples of a Roman city. The itinerary also transports visitors to the edge of the Sahara Desert and the oasis town and UNESCO World Heritage site of Ghadames with its labyrinthine covered narrow alleyways and courtyard homes. Prices start at $4,185 per person, double occupancy.

“With little mass tourism, Libya offers a rare look at the past. We’ve crafted a custom travel experience that allows a visitor to truly be transported back in time and bond with history in a way never experienced before,” said Nicole Beattie, Cox & Kings’ Arabia & North Africa Program Director.

“The warmth and hospitality of the country is encouraging tourists to come back, and Cox & Kings is honored to offer this unique experience for those interested in a truly spectacular trip.”

Many of Libya’s top attractions are World Heritage Sites. These include:

Leptis Magna: The Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna is where the remains of the Phoenician port Lpgy, integrated into the Roman Empire in 46 BC. After Septimus Severus became emperor here (in 193), it became one of the most beautiful cities of the Roman world.

Cyrene: The ancient Greek city of Cyrene is now an archeological site near the village of Shahat. One of its more significant features is the Temple of Apollo which was originally constructed as early as 7th century BC.

Sabratha: Sabratha was a Phoenician trading-post that served as a coastal outlet for the products of the African hinterland. Besides its magnificent late 3rd century theatre that retains its three-story architectural backdrop, Sabratha has temples dedicated to Liber Pater, Serapis, and Isis.

The Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus: The Rock-art Sites of Tadrart Acacus are located in a desert area in western Libya (part of the Sahara). The area was inscribed as a World Heritage Site because of the importance of its rock paintings and carvings as a testimony to a series of civilizations that have disappeared. It borders the Algerian World Heritage Site Tassili n’Ajjer.

Ghadames: Ghadames is an oasis town and one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities. The old part of the town, which is surrounded by a wall, has been declared World Heritage. Each of the seven clans that used to live in this part of the town had its own district, of which each had a public place where festivals could be held.