As the sand dunes started to get busy - Mali hoped for its desert festival to be back on the world music map.<br/> However even the presence of mega star Bono in the West African country did not draw the numbers of previous years.<br/> The 11-year-old event initially won international acclaim, but visitor numbers declined after a spate of Westerners were taken hostage by Al Qaeda across the region.<br/> A visible military presence at the event - a constant reminder of the ongoing threat.<br/> The trouble didn't put everyone off though:<br/> (SOUNDBITE)(English) PAUL HIGGINS, CANADIAN TOURIST, SAYING:<br/> "I think it was a good idea to come to the festival as a method of support for the people because they would definitely suffer as a result of the incident in Timbuktu."<br/> Canadian Paul Higgins, was one of just 300 tourists who attended, a number well down on the thousand-plus of past years.<br/> Local tribal chief Shinduk Mohamed Lamine hoped for a better turn-out.<br/> (SOUNDBITE)(FRENCH) SHINDUK MOHAMED LAMINE, LOCAL TRIBAL CHIEF AND TOURIST GUIDE, SAYING:<br/> "The local population turned up in their masses, but people were waiting to see more foreign tourists, spending (money) in the country, be it a little breakfast here, or a dinner there, spending a night at a hotel, or buying some local jewellery made by local artisans, who spend all year making their jewellery."<br/> Despite the low attendance numbers, the 3,000 Malians and hand full of foreigners who were there made the most of the event.<br/> Including a performance from U2 frontman Bono.<br/> Under the cover of darkness this festival looks like any other.<br/> And certainly it appears the recent unrest - was put to rest - at least for a few hours anyway.<br/> Sarah Mills, Reuters
