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Conflict in Lebanon keeps visitors away
Lebanon's tourism industry stands to lose out on billions of dollars this year because of tension that has prompted travel warnings from Gulf states, the tourism minister said on Monday.
- Reuters
- Published: 00:36 March 5, 2008
Broumana: Lebanon's tourism industry stands to lose out on billions of dollars this year because of tension that has prompted travel warnings from Gulf states, the tourism minister said on Monday.
Joseph Sarkis said the 2008 outlook was "not encouraging" for a sector hit by war, assassinations, bombings, a deep political dispute and civil strife over the last three years.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain have all advised their citizens against travelling to Lebanon. Riyadh went a step further by advising its nationals to leave.
"The losses could be huge," Sarkis said. The sector earned Lebanon some $1.5-$2 billion last year, well below the $4-$4.5 billion that it should be bringing to the country, he said.
Large percentage
"Without the visits of the Arabs, we will lose a great percentage," Sarkis said. "If they stay away from Leb-anon, what about the Europeans?" he added. Gulf Arabs account for around a fifth of Lebanon's annual visitors.
"Lebanon is losing billions of dollars annually because of the conditions we are passing through," Sarkis said.
Visitors to Lebanon numbered around a million last year, when the country's problems were compounded by an armed Islamist insurrection in the north.
"For 2008, our expectations, unfortunately, are not encouraging," Sarkis said. The tourism sector accounted for about a fifth of Lebanon's gross domestic product before the strife and could contribute up to 12 per cent again if peace returns, Sarkis said.
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