Mauritania
Mauritanian govt wants to exploit tourism potential

afrol News, 12 August - Tourism is "only at a virgin stage" in Mauritania, the government admits. This was not in line with the potential of the country, having in mind its exotic landscapes, cultural richness, hospitality and political stability, Minister Isselmou Ould Abdel Kader holds. New initiatives were to be launched. 

Kader, who holds the post as Mauritania's Minister of Commerce, Craft and Tourism, last week had travelled the country's hinterland to see for himself. He passed through historic and modern towns of Keur Macène, Ouad Naga, Boutilimitt, Aleg, Kiffa and Aioun; all along the highway along the southern, most fertile strip of Mauritania. 

- Our country has important tourism potential, such as an attractive landscape, cultural and social diversity, hospitality and the behaviour of proud Mauritanian men with high spiritual values and morals, Minister Kader concluded his evaluation during the journey. He added that country also was blessed with "democracy, political stability and social peace," factors important to attract tourists. Kader was accompanied by several journalists, including from the state-run news agency AMI. 

However, also the Minister was aware that his personal positive evaluation was not enough to attract euro-spending tourist to Mauritania. As a first step, Kader held meeting with the local population to sensitise them on how to treat foreign visitors, AMI reported. 

Returning to his Ministry in Nouakchott, Kader was to further develop a draft on how to promote the tourism sector and attract investment into further tourism infrastructure. There were plans of using the Internet more actively to promote Mauritania as a holiday location. 

Kader insisted that the most important task now was to make "destination Mauritania" more known. The infrastructure he had observed along the southern highway - including accommodation and leisure offers - had been adequate to receive more foreign visitors. 

More visitors would imply more jobs and higher incomes for Mauritanians, Kader explained local residents. Especially the crafts industry was to profit, he held. 

Mauritania's tourism sector is indeed underdeveloped. Revenues from the sector are estimated at an annual US$ 20 million and visits are only occasional. Most foreign visitors are business travellers to Nouakchott, drop-in visitors crossing the border from Senegal or occasional desert safari enthusiasts. 

The potential is however significant, having in mind Mauritania's relative closeness to Europe and the long list of attractions in the country. Attraction range from virgin desert landscape, endless beaches, the vast Bank d'Arguin national park, the ancient towns in the inland with a unique architecture and a culture exotic to Europeans. 

Most of the attractions are however difficult to reach and have nothing but basic accommodation - if any at all. Only Nouakchott has a wider range of hotels, but the capital is one of the least interesting cities in the region, from a tourist's point of view.

Sources: Based on Mauritanian govt, AMI and afrol archives