United World: Could you please tell us what are some of the initiatives under way in the Ministry of Tourism?

Mr. Eltayef: We are trying to create a master plan for tourism in Libya in which we plan to have 100,000 beds for tourists in the coming years, and we are conscious of the fact that we are highly dependent on the private sector and foreign investment to achieve our goals. We have several laws pertaining to this sector, and we are currently in the process of implementing them.

United World: Could you give us a broad outline of some of the laws or plans that in place for this sector?

Mr. Eltayef: We are targeting three zones in the north of Libya, which represents an area that could accommodate up to a million tourists in the future. The plan is to create complete tourist cities in the country. One zone is on the east coast, near the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna, we have another zone in the Green Mountains, as well as one in Tobruk, in the far east of Libya. Naturally, we also consider the desert area in south of the country as an important attraction for tourists. Our plans are of course encompassed within a wider plan of building the country's infrastructure such as airports, hotels, roads, the banking system, communications, etc.

United World: The Ministry of Tourism has only existed for two years. What made the Libyan government decide the need to invest in Tourism, considering the important income from Oil and Gas?

Mr. Eltayef: The tourism income in the United States makes up about 10% of that country's total revenues and it is the richest country in the world. Libya's tourism revenues at the moment amount to that of probably two companies in the United States. Therefore, there is a need to invest in this sector at this stage. One cannot say Libya is a rich country at this stage. We have two lucrative sectors, oil and more recently tourism. We are trying to make the most of what we have.

United World: Libya has a huge potential in tourism, what is this Ministry's priority to boost tourist activity in the country?

Mr. Eltayef: The principle priorities lie in infrastructure building, particularly in hotels and resorts. We have 25, 000 roads in Libya, and more than ten airports and harbors. The communications system is fairly acceptable and electricity is available almost everywhere. Therefore we are prioritizing hotels and tourist villages. It is important to point out that we do not want to sell our country cheap. We are not aiming for mass tourism per se like neighboring countries have done. Tourism in Libya should be an educational experience thanks to our historical sites, combined with luxury and fun.

United World: In terms of resorts and hotels, are there currently any projects underway in the country that you can tell us about?

Mr. Eltayef: We have had a lot of interest from foreign companies in the UK, Italy, Malaysia, etc. We have already signed some contracts with them, but we haven't generated interest from American investors so far, as they tend to shy away from this sector and concentrate on oil.

United World: Given the current lack of interest shown by American investors in this sector, what would you like to tell them in order to turn the situation around?

Mr. Eltayef: First of all, I feel the American media is responsible for portraying a false image of Libya to its people. Over the past 25 years, it has been hammered into the American consciousness that Libya is a terrorist nation. Therefore, I do not blame American investors or visitors for shying away from us. We are now in the process of putting the past behind us and it is time that our two countries start cooperating together on an honest and productive level. If we manage to successfully achieve this, the media should follow suit. Libya is a very secure country and we are aiming to develop it and educate our children for the future. If American investors are interested in Libya, they are welcome to invest in any field, ranging from education, to health, tourism and oil. Libya is encouraging investment and for thirty years now, we have had no violent incidents with tourists, with the exception of one incident in 1984, in which an individual was arrested for security reasons.

United World: Why should American investors invest in Libya rather than neighboring Tunisia or Egypt for example, where tourism has flourished?

Mr. Eltayef: The Egyptian market takes in more than 400,000 tourists and Tunisia has close numbers to that. Any investor at this point knows any new investment in these countries would not be profitable. These are markets where supply is greater than demand.

United World: And why should tourists come here rather than go to Egypt?

Mr. Eltayef: Egypt has been a player in the tourism sector for over forty years; most tourists are familiar with it. Libya is a new territory for tourists; it's undiscovered and unvisited, so there is an element of mystery to it that tourists want to discover. I believe in the tourism sector more so than in the oil sector here. Oil is a non-renewable resource and it will not last forever. Tourism can last for centuries.

United World: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to occupy your current position?

Mr. Eltayef: I am a lawyer by profession but most of my career was concentrated in the media. I was the head of the Libyan Broadcasting Company in television and radio. I was then appointed to this position as Minister of Tourism.

United World: Thank you for your comments.

Mr. Eltayef: Thank you.