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Lebanese tourism sector braves the odds
The Lebanese tourism industry is wishing for the return of stability that brought a surge in tourist numbers in the country two years ago.
- By Shakir Husain, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:43 May 9, 2008
Dubai: The Lebanese tourism industry is wishing for the return of stability that brought a surge in tourist numbers in the country two years ago.
That boom was brought to an end by the Israeli attack on Lebanon in July 2006. Since then the country has been beset with political fighting among various factions, discouraging foreign tourist arrivals.
Despite instability, Lebanon received one million tourists in 2007, according to Mona Fares, director of promotion at the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism.
This was a 50 per cent drop compared with the full year arrivals of 2005.
"One million visitors for a country of four million are still good," Fares said.
Lebanon's tourism industry has survived difficult times as members of the huge diaspora keep coming to the country of their origin for holidays and family reasons, she added.
There are an estimated 20 million Lebanese immigrants or people of Lebanese origin abroad. Domestic tensions have intensified, with protests and labour unrest disrupting flights at Rafiq Hariri International Airport in Beirut yesterday.
"I think we will overcome this situation like the problems before. I call it 'the Lebanese miracle' how we are able to rebuild and restore everything after every crisis," Fares said.
She said Lebanon cannot escape problems because "we are in the region that is not very stable."
"We need to have a dialogue for internal stability only then we can expect a tourism boom again," she said, adding that before Israel's "big aggression" Lebanon was hoping for two million tourists in 2006.
She said the most important group of travellers to Lebanon after the overseas Lebanese visitors are other Arabs, mainly people from the Gulf region.
Real estate purchases by these groups are also pushing up prices of homes in Beirut as well as in rural areas.
"The demand is unbelievable. You will be surprised that even near the border with Israel property prices are going up," Fares said.
Undeterred by the political tensions, the tourism industry continues to create new holiday packages.
A company at the Lebanese stand at Arabian Travel Market offered rural holiday packages with stays in family-run guest houses and lodges.
"Our aim is protect local heritage sites by creating economic opportunities in rural areas," said Martine Btaich, development project manager of Anera.
The company has roped in families with extra accommodation units to offer to tourists for as less as $20 per night.
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