Venezuela Struggles to Draw Tourism

Maybe folks heard about the toilet paper shortage?

Boasting the highest waterfall in the world, nearly deserted Caribbean islands and dense jungles with ocean views, Venezuela has everything a tourist could want — except the tourists are not coming.

In a country where explorer Christopher Columbus once believed he had found heaven on earth, officials are struggling to draw travelers, with only 700,000 visitors each year, in part due to Venezuela's somewhat tarnished image.

After neglecting the tourism sector for years, in favor of the lucrative oil industry — Venezuela has the world's largest proven reserves — the government in Caracas is now working hard to attract visitors.