Libya’s tyro-tourist oasis

One of the first sights that greet new arrivals at Tripoli International Airport is an imposing portrait of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi wearing his trademark military sunglasses and a lustrous robe. Only a few years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine that some of those deboarding in the Libyan capital would be American tourists coming to see what this enigmatic country has to offer. Let’s face it: the prevailing image of Libya held by most outsiders is hardly one of an inviting tourist destination. The country only emerged from international sanctions in 2003, after it settled the infamous Lockerbie bombing case, and is still considered to be something of an amusing pariah on the global diplomatic stage. But for someone like myself, who struggles in vain to understand why more than six million people every year choose to spend their holidays in Dubai, Libya seems to hold plenty of