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Topics: Travel
Jess Hardiman
While some people often want different things from a holiday, there are usually some aspects that are universally desirable.
A nice bit of sunshine, good food and drink and flight prices that won’t completely bankrupt you are selling points that usually do the trick.
But it seems that’s not enough for some people, who prefer a bit of danger to a sangria in the sun.
It’s all thanks to a rise in what’s known as ‘dark tourism’ or ‘danger tourism’, which sees holidaymakers swerve the all-inclusive for spots not traditionally seen as safe for visitors, from jungles and deserts to active war zones.
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New figures from Travel and Tour World show that tourism in Libya is doing surprisingly well, despite widespread warnings on ‘terrorism, civil unrest and other safety risks’.
In fact, the country receives around 100,000 international visitors each year, with the outlet explaining: “Some come for its rich history, while others seek adventure, all amidst persistent global travel warnings.”
The UK government currently advises against ‘all but essential travel to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata’, and fully advises against ‘all travel’ to the rest of the country.
In the US, there is also a Level 4 travel advisory in place for Libya, with ‘crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict’ all cited as reasons.
“Outbreaks of violence between competing armed groups can occur with little warning and have the potential to impact U.S. citizens,” US officials warn.
“The capital, Tripoli, and other cities, such as Surman, Al-Jufra, Misrata, Ajdabiya, Benghazi, and Zuwara, have witnessed fighting among armed groups. Hotels and airports frequented by U.S. citizens have been the targets of these attacks. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.”
They add: “Armed groups sometimes detain travellers for arbitrary reasons, do not grant detainees access to a lawyer or a legal process, and do not allow detainees to inform others of their status.”
While the safety issues are clearly a worry for many nations, Travel and Tour World says Libya's ‘rich historical sites’ such as Leptis Magna and Tripoli’s ancient landmarks continued to ‘draw tourists seeking adventure and cultural exploration’.
Content creators Hudson and Emily, who visited Libya last year, said they had no concerns while on their trip, having had a ‘bodyguard’ who took their safety very seriously.
“We felt safe the whole time there,” they said in a video.
“Some highlights were the ancient ruins and UNESCO World Heritage sites of Leptis Magna and Sabratha, the beautiful city of Tripoli and the super friendly people we met.”