MAURITANIA: Mauritania's tourism sector hard-hit by recent coup and terrorist attacks

Record ID: 454404

  • Title: MAURITANIA: Mauritania's tourism sector hard-hit by recent coup and terrorist attacks
  • Date: 20th November 2008
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF SAHARA DESERT (2 SHOTS) CAMELS EATING
  • Embargoed: 5th December 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mauritania
  • Country: Mauritania
  • Topics: Industry,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVAE6Z2NZA9P4R7IUJMS6XD4B3YO
  • Story Text: Mauritania's tourism sector is badly affected by terrorist attacks and political instability.
    Tour operators in Mauritania say the industry is in crisis after the August 6th coup and a spate of deadly attacks by al-Qaeda.
    Al-Qaeda's North Africa wing has called for a holy war in Mauritania to establish Islamic rule after a military junta toppled the country's elected president.
    An al-Qaeda attack on the Israeli embassy in February highlighted Mauritania's status as one of the few Arab countries with diplomatic ties to the Jewish state.
    Militants killed four French tourists and several government soldiers in attacks in Mauritania last December, forcing the cancellation of the annual trans-Saharan Dakar rally. Tourist numbers have plummeted by 60 percent as a result.
    "When we took stock before opening this tourist season, we said to ourselves that this will be a 'black' season," said Kadi Mehdi, a tour operator.
    "This crisis is mainly a consequence of recent events that have occurred in Mauritania, which have certainly amplified our problems, and that's the main reason for the sector's problems, as well as the issue of security," Mehdi added.
    The number of visitors to Mauritania had shown a marked increase between 2001 and 2006, growing at an annual growth rate of 18 percent. In 2007, the sector brought in 31 million euros (39.2 million U.S. dollars).
    But tour operators like Mehdi have now had to let most of their staff go.
    The country's tourism ministry says about 4,600 people are directly employed by the industry, while about 45,000 are indirectly involved.
    To fight al-Qaeda and get visitors to return, the Mauritanian army is training special forces that will spend three-month stints in the desert chasing the militants.
    But many professionals in the sector are asking the government to also launch a promotional campaign to combat the negative image the country has acquired in recent months.
    "We need the government to take responsibility and work with tour guides to bring in customers. The state has to assure potential tourists that there is security, and that the government is willing to assist in developing the sector," said Mohamed Ould Boidia, a tour guide.
    French tour operator "Point Afrique" announced at the end of September that it would not organise any tours this year because of security concerns. The cancellation forced national airline, Somesert, to cancel its weekly flights from Paris to Atar, a favourite destination for tourists.
    France, Mauritania's former colonial ruler, has also halted some aid over the coup.
    Some stakeholders want Mauritania to wean its tourism industry off its dependance on France, by offering English lessons to operators and their staff.
    "Who pays for the crisis? Unfortunately, the local people find that they are hostages of the French, their main customers. We'll stay in this situation for a long time because of the official position that France has taken," said Sid'ahmed Ould H'meimed, the Mayor of Atar.
    The United States has imposed travel restrictions on some members of the military government and also frozen some of its aid to Mauritania, the world's seventh biggest exporter of iron ore which also started producing oil in 2006.
    The African Union has suspended Mauritania's membership over the coup, but several AU members in the region appear to have given tacit approval to the military takeover.
    "Even if France changes its position towards Mauritania, as well as the tour operators, it will still take two or three years for the situation to return to normal," H'meimed continued.
    A conference of all tour operators has been called for later this year to find solutions to the crisis. Plans are also underway to organise a motor rally across Mauritania to promote tourism and dispel fears of insecurity.
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