Mauritania, a country nestled in West Africa, has recently seen a noteworthy surge in its tourist sector, with a staggering 166 percent increase in foreign visitors during the 2018-2019 season.
However, these seemingly impressive figures bring to light the stark reality that Mauritania remains a seldom-visited destination, with only around 4,000 tourists exploring its wonders annually, up from a mere 1,500 on the previous year.
Minister Khadijetou M’Bareck Fall attributes this growth to a robust national security strategy implemented by the Mauritanian government, gaining international recognition.
The Minister emphasized the collaborative efforts between operators, tourist guides, and various partners as pivotal to the sector’s progress. Despite this achievement, she expresses a belief that the results are inadequate, falling short of the country’s ambitions for its tourism sector.
One intriguing facet of Mauritania is the desert city of Chinguetti, a place facing an existential threat from the encroaching sands of the Sahara.
Once a thriving hub along ‘trans-Sahara’ trade routes, Chinguetti boasted prosperity and served as a meeting point for traders, poets, doctors, lawyers, and scientists.
The city housed around 6,000 rare books and manuscripts, some dating back to the 9th Century, making it a repository of historical and cultural significance.
The city’s library, once frequented by scholars from across the globe, now faces the relentless advance of the Sahara.
Chinguetti’s cultural importance prompted UNESCO to grant it World Heritage Site status in 2000.
Experts warn that without intervention, the sands could consume the city and its invaluable relics within generations.
