The touristic developments in Libya - Essay Example

Despite being the second largest oil producer in the world, Libya continues to be underdeveloped even though the UN embargo was lifted in 2003. To understand the prospects of tourism in Libya, it is necessary to know the economic situation, the political condition, the natural resources, the local culture and the people, and the infrastructure in Libya. Libya’s economic progress has been very slow and it has been dependent on overseas technology, expertise for expansion and modernization, and upgradation of the vital infrastructure (Infrastructure Libya, 2009).

However, even after two decades of isolation and sanction, Libya continues to be Africas second largest oil producer after Nigeria (Gearon, 2007). It has an authoritative form of government as the government has total control over the oil resources which accounts for approximately 97% of the export earnings, 75% of the government receipts and 54% of the GDP (BNEA, 2007a). It is believed the economy has been mismanaged and the income of the country has mostly been used to increase personal influence of the bureaucrats.

This has resulted in high inflation and increase import prices. As a consequence, the standard of living continued to decline up to 2003. Because of the bureaucratic form of government privatization and growth were constrained. There was excessive control over prices, credit, trade and foreign exchange. The country also experienced periodic shortage of food and other resources. The country is however endowed with natural resources such as Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum. Wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans are the agricultural produce of Libya but almost 75% of the food required in Libya is imported (BNEA, 2007).

The country has business relations with different for different products. While it exports crude oil and major petroleum products to Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, and France, it