The tourism industry is a major source of revenue for Lebanon. However, due to its internal security’s instability and the
negative image that some media outlets are giving of Lebanon
, tourism didn’t seem to be as reliable as it did before until summer 2017. Things have changed. The state of Middle Eastern countries, like the civil war in Syria and the uncertain future of the Gulf region and Turkey, is the major factor that made the Lebanese tourism gain ground this summer. The Minister of Tourism Avedis Guidanian believes that despite the unfortunate state of its neighboring countries, Lebanon is lucky. Comparing to the same period last year, the hotel occupancy in Lebanon increased by 25%. In addition to that, tourists are staying longer in Lebanon. During Eid Al Fitr last year, the difference between the number of arrivals and departures was 19,000; however, this year it’s 24,000. Besides the instability of other Middle Eastern countries, there are many factors that are contributing to the rise of tourism in Lebanon. The country has witnessed a lot of changes on a political level. After 2 years of a presidential vacuum, Lebanon has finally elected a president in October 2016. Moreover, politicians have agreed on an electoral law. The latter will enable conducting the
, which were last held in 2013. Still, these numbers cannot be compared to those before the
, like in the 1950s and
, which were periods of time where Lebanon was flourishing in tourism. The war left a major impact not only on politics but also on the impression that foreigners have of Lebanon.
Summer 2017 in Lebanon
If you have already planned to visit Lebanon this summer, that’s great! If not, here are some things that will motivate you to make Lebanon your
:
- The beach experience in Lebanon is out of this world!
- Beirut is very hip!
- Lebanon is gorgeous!
