10 September 2012
Mauritania is planning incentives to boost the country's tourism sector, hit hard in recent years by the presence of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), African Manager reported on Monday (September 10th).
Mauritania is planning incentives to boost the country's tourism sector, hit hard in recent years by the presence of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), African Manager reported on Monday (September 10th).
At a cabinet meeting last Friday, Tourism Minister Bamba Ould Dramane presented details about a major tourism promotion event in France. The "Mauritania in Paris" expo was initially scheduled for September, but organisers reportedly need more time.
In 2007, Mauritania targeted 300,000 annual tourist arrivals, especially in the Adrar region. But the 2007Aleg murder of a French tourist family by al-Qaeda terrorists, as well as kidnappings and other incidents, led to the collapse of the country's once-vibrant tourism sector. The slaying of the French family by al-Qaeda terrorists also prompted the legendary Dakar Rally to relocate to South America.
Tourist arrivals in Mauritania dropped to 173,000 in 2011.
© Magharebia.com 2012
