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By Libya Herald reporter.
Ghariyan, 19 April 2015:
Due to Libya’s dying tourism industry and very poor earnings in 2013 and 2014, the . . .[restrict]Ghariyan Tourist Hotel is in danger of shutting down if the situation does not improve.
“Our country is going through a difficult season. The economy is tanking, and the security situation has made Libya unattractive to foreign investors. Both tourism and archaeological research are impossible these days,” hotel director Miloud Ahmed told the Libya Herald.
According to Ahmed, the hotel has been undergoing renovations for the past two years. The restaurant lounge was expanded and a Turkish company had been contracted to refurnish the lobby and guest rooms. However, all work has come to a halt as the security situation in Ghariyan has become unpredictable over the past several months and the hotel has run out of money to pay the contractors.
Furthermore, Ahmed said that the hotel administration is struggling to staff the hotel, particularly with cleaners, as such work requires foreign labour because Libyans are generally unwilling to work in service positions.
As Ghariyan is the largest and one of the most important towns in the Nafusa Mountains, Ahmed said that he remains hopeful about the future of the local hospitality industry .
“Once Libya is stable, I believe that Ghariyan has the potential be a much sought-after tourist destination and will, therefore, need more hotels that cater to foreigners,” Ahmed told this paper.
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