Help us caption and translate this video on Amara.org: http://www.amara.org/en/v/B4Cx/ We're here at the World Travel Market, a trade show taking place in London, where people can come to look for a holiday inspiration or perhaps scout for an exotic spot for a honeymoon. There's one country you probably wouldn't expect to see being touted as a tourist destination - and that's Libya. SOUNDBITE: man, tour guide (speaking English): "The places where the tourists are interested in, the sites, are completely safe. I can recommend the east of Libya for anyone to come there and I can guarantee it's going to be safe even more than cities like London or New York." But here's somewhere that's not mentioned in the tourist guide. Bani Walid - a desert town that's remained loyal to late leader, Colonel Gaddafi, has become the scene of some of the fiercest fighting since the Libyan uprising last year. Despite reports of indiscriminate shelling and gas attacks on the local population at the hands of the Libyan army, there's been an almost total media blackout in the UK. RT ran the story for more than a fortnight, before anyone else picked it up. Back in London and despite Libya being showcased, it seems that Bani Walid has once again been conveniently left out of the conversation. VOXPOP: woman (speaking English): When I saw the stand, it was a good surprise and I came to have the feedback on the situation at the moment in Libya, and if we have so many people here at this, it means that the situation is becoming more stable and we can think for next season to do something with Libya. It's a wonderful country. RT: What about what's happening in Bani Walid at the moment? W: Bani Walid? What do you mean? RT: There's been fighting in Bani Walid, do you know about that? W: No, not at all. RT: You haven't heard about that? W: No. RT: But you work for a travel company? W: Oui RT: And they haven't told you what's been happening in Bani Walid? W: No, what's happened? RT: A lot of fighting in last couple of weeks. W: No. We went to confront the tour operator. RT: You're promoting tourism in Libya at the moment? M: Yes, that's right. RT: I saw you were speaking to some people, are you telling them what's been happening in Bani Walid at the moment? M: No. Actually this is about travel and what will happen in the future. We do not speak about Bani Walid. The silence on the subject is perhaps not surprising. For a tour operator trying to drum up much-needed business, the sights of bodies and homes burned to the ground are no selling points. But what's deeply disturbing is that despite a growing body of evidence about crimes against civilians, and increasingly vocal concerns from human rights organizations the UK media and government remain resolutely silent. SOUNDBITE: Neil Clarke, journalist (speaking English): We've got to sort of package this as a success. It's very important for NATO, wherever NATO intervenes, no matter what the reality is, they've got to promote it as a success. So we have this sort of spin of these countries that have been liberated, in inverted commas, a great places to go and great places to invest. And the reality for the everyday person in this country is a living hell really. PTC: Pick up one of the travel information packs here and you'll be given reasons to visit Libya - and undoubtedly there are many. But there's also a silence here, that's echoed by the UK media - a seeming refusal to talk about what's been happening in places like Bani Walid. The reality is that the new government is struggling to control it's militias and to bridge the deep divides that remain in the country - but none of that you'll read about in a glossy brochure. Sara Firth, RT, London. Subscribe - never miss a video! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=alunhill

• published: 09 Nov 2012
• views: 1548