The Mauritanian authorities want to boost tourism after several years of difficulties arising from insecurity in the country because of fears fueled by activities of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb-AQIM), according to a government statement released in Nouakchott on Friday.
This tourism revival would be done through the organization of the third edition of a tourism promotion event in the French capital dubbed “Mauritania in Paris”, a paper presented at a cabinet meeting by the Minister of Industry, Handicrafts and Tourism, Bamba Ould Dramane, said.
This event was originally scheduled for September but could be postponed because of challenges related to preparations.
It will be marked by the organization of several activities aimed at promoting Mauritania as a favourable destination.
Tourism activities in Mauritania are concentrated in the region of Adrar, which attracts lovers of vast deserts.
In 2007, Mauritania targeted 300,000 tourist arrivals annually but this was ruined by a series of terrorist attacks leading to assassinations and kidnapping of Western tourists. Its tourism spots were therefore tagged as red zones.
Since then, tourist arrivals in Mauritania have plunged from 9,600 visitors to a mere 173 in 2011.
