No Result
View All Result
Sunday, July 6, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Tourism Minister meets with industry leaders

bySami Zaptia
December 29, 2012
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Tourism Minister meets with industry leaders

Tourism Minister Ikram Bashemam wanted to hear the tourism sector's problems (Photo: Sami Zaptia).

By Sami Zaptia.

Libyan Tourism Minister Ikram Bashemam, centre, addresses leaders of the tourism sector (Photo: Sami Zaptia)

Tripoli, 29 December:

Tourism Minister Ikram Bashemam met with the heads of the Libyan tourism sector on Thursday 27 December at . . .[restrict]the Ministry of Tourism in Tripoli.

“I only actually started my job two days ago [Tuesday 25 December]” she pointed out. “I called this meeting mainly because of the fast approaching Umra season [the lesser Haj or pilgrimage to the holy sites in Saudi],” Bashemam said.

“I am here to hear from you and talk about solutions to the bottlenecks in your work. There are 1,255 tourism companies registered in Libya”, the Minister informed the packed room of about 200 representatives of the tourism sector.

RELATED POSTS

Libyan Italian Forum concludes with the signing of 98 MoUs

More than 100 business representatives arrive in Benghazi for the Libyan Italian Forum for Development and Reconstruction

After Minister Bashemam’s short introduction speech, she opened the floor to the industry leaders.

Bureaucracy and government red tape was one of the main complaints. One speaker complained that he needed about 12 files of paper in order to obtain his trade licence and that every paper in the file needed more papers to be obtained and financial guarantees.

He complained that almost all these documents needed annual renewal and called for documents that have a longer validity. “I have just finished renewing all the documentation for my company, and I will have to start renewing again soon,” he said.

Minister Bashemam responded by saying that regarding the issuing of trade licences she hoped to instigate a unified, one-stop window for tourism companies to streamline the process.

A head of Tobruk-based tourism company complained about the problem of centralization and being tied to flights from Tripoli and Benghazi. He complained that airlines give holy-sites travelers a bad service leaving passengers stranded in Saudi which reflects negatively and unfairly on Libya and Libyan travel agents.

The Minister replied that she was going to meet with the Ministry of Transport and will raise this issue with them.

Tourism Minister Ikram Bashemam wanted to hear the tourism sector’s problems (Photo: Sami Zaptia)

 

Another tourism company complained that the former regime used to constrain the development of the tourism sector in Libya and specifically to Saudi and the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. He noted that Libya’s tourism sector could not act as one unified entity in the pursuit of their sector’s interests. “We need to unite and negotiate with the Saudi government as a unified group,” he said.

Bashemam responded by informing the audience that she had already had unofficial talks with the Saudi ambassador about these issues and about Libyans not getting treated as well as other nationalities – which she blamed on the old Libyan regime.

She hoped for a start that Libyans will no longer have to queue outside the Saudi embassy for visas. She also added that she will meet again with the Saudi ambassador to pass on the feedback from the meeting.

Another tourism company representative felt that the sector needed a clear vision, saying it had no identity in the Libyan economy. He felt that the tourism sector was a service sector but the Chambers of Commerce are concerned more with the products sector. The representative said that Libya needed its own Chamber of Tourism to help coordinate activities.

The meeting with the minister was part of a two-day exhibition by 23 tourism companies from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Libya specializing in trips to the Muslim holy sites, held in Tripoli and sponsored by the Libyan Tourism Ministry.

Before the revolution it is estimated that about 75,000 Libyans visited Saudi on holy pilgrimages but recent estimates suggest that this figure has jumped to about 125,000 pilgrims after October 2011.

This is the first time this tourism exhibition was held since the 17 February Revolution, but the organizers said that it was first held back in 2004. They now hope that it will be an annual event.

 

  [/restrict]

Tags: airlinesBenghazibureaucracyBusinessflightsHajholtLibyalicencesministerpilgrimagesaudi ArabiasectortourismTradetransporttravel

Related Posts

Libya Herald exclusive: Responding to the prime minister’s call yesterday to the private sector and banks to do more, leading businessman Husni Bey responds
Business

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

July 2, 2025
Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg
Libya

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg

June 27, 2025
MoI establishes Elections Security and Protection Department
Libya

Aldabaiba and Menfi stress use of polling feedback to establish consensus basis for constitutional process: report and analysis

June 26, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

“There is no state built by gangs and criminality, it’s built by engineers, youth, consultants, security, police and army”: Aldabaiba

June 23, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011

June 19, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Next Post
Benghazi – some welcomed bright news!

Benghazi – some welcomed bright news!

Tripoli’s Cinnabon sales on a sugar high

Tripoli's Cinnabon sales on a sugar high

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • CBL goes public at last about the counterfeit LD 50 notes – notes to be withdrawn until end of August

    CBL reveals discovery of LD 3.5 billion in counterfeit 50-dinar notes printed in Russia – PM calls on Attorney General to open investigation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CBL demands imports are conducted through official banking instruments and the elimination of the FX black market

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All imports into Libya must be paid for through official bank transactions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Libyan companies win awards in Athens International Olive Oil Competition ‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

A 247,000-bpd oil production increase would achieve US$ 6 billion annually to enhance ability to meet FX demand, maintain strength of LD and achieve economic balance: CBL ‎

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.