After battling armed attacks, Mauritania attempts to revive tourism

Article excerpt

Mauritania is working to resurrect its tourism industry after more than two decades of attacks by al-Qaeda-linked militant groups that began in the mid-2000s. The country has implemented security measures that have significantly reduced the threat, creating an opening for the government to market its vast Saharan landscapes and cultural heritage to international visitors. Tourism had been a vital source of revenue before the insurgency drove away travelers and devastated local economies. Now, with attacks largely contained, officials are launching campaigns to convince visitors, and the travel industry, that Mauritania is safe again. The turnaround remains fragile, dependent on whether security gains hold and whether international confidence can be rebuilt.