Dangers
Somalia has been mostly inaccessible to Western tourists since 1969 due to the persistent war and conflict that the country has experienced. Although there are very few tourists, the country does have an official minister of tourism. (The Economist has described the Somali Minister of Tourism as having "perhaps the world's hardest job".) Inasmuch as the government only controls a small portion of the country, tourists are officially limited to visiting only that portion.
Some Somali immigration officials have tried to reject tourists who arrive traveling alone due to the dangers they face. In 2001 a businessman from Saudi Arabia arrived in Mogadishu claiming to be a tourist but was detained by Somali authorities for three weeks because they suspected he was there to support a terrorist organization. One Mogadishu hotel advises guests to hire at least ten armed guards for their protection while visiting the city. Another deterrent to tourism is the fact that kidnapping is very common in Somalia.
The British Foreign Office advises against all travel to Somalia, citing "ongoing serious violence, dangerous levels of criminal activity and general internal insecurity" as well as "a high threat from terrorism throughout Somalia".
Read more about this topic: Tourism In Somalia
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