Lebanon needs more tourists

July 19, 2011 ⋅ 4:37 am ⋅ Post a comment

Filed Under Lebanon, Tourism

According to a report by Al Mustaqbal Newspaper the number of tourists has dropped dramatically since a year ago. The total number of tourists in June was 177, 915 which represents 23.05 % drop from June 2010 when the total number was 231, 212 .

The number of tourists from the Arab countries has dropped even more from 81,097 in June 2010 to 54,140 in June 2011 or about a drop of one third.

Hotel Owners Syndicate Association president Pierre Ashqar said even though the occupancy rate at the hotels in the capital is now around 80 % the hotels are still losing money, because the the hotels were hurting badly before the cabinet was formed and the peak season will end by August 1 when the holy month of Ramadan starts . He added That had there been stability in Lebanon the occupancy rate at the hotels in the capital should have been 100%.

He said there is no way to recoup the losses this year if the tourism situation does not get any better
He urged the government to get the vote of confidence of the Arabian Gulf counties , saying getting it from the Lebanese parliament is not enough

Discussion

21 comments for “Lebanon needs more tourists”

Please respect the community. Comments that contain personal attacks or inappropriate language will be removed.

http://yalibnan.com geo mitri

no surprise, although i love lebanon and do think it is beautifull the reality is that it is competing with many other beautifull destinations that are more economical. also i can do without dangerous and uncourteous drivers.smoke filled restaurants,,,enough of my pet peaves it is a magical place with powerful childhood memories but is heavily dependant on tourism and this issue needs to take priority as the economy is very dependant on tourist money flow.

Anonymous

Hmmm … sort of like the smoke-filled restaurants … one last bit of a feeling of freedom somewhere in the world.

Anonymous

Why would anyone go into a dark scary forest when you can be in peace in Cyprus or many other places.
http://www.cadmeia.com Hannibal

May be they can get tourists from Iran… Hotel managers start learning Farsi…

Anonymous

Errr … No Thanks !!!

Well … perhaps if they are wearing green … hmmm … but then they would be refugees and not paying guests.

Anonymous

Again the presomptous Lebanes who dismiss it’s neighbour,i know you prefer the al shitty o fthe gulf who will beat the Lebanese servanty to death and rape the Lebanese girl before to slaughter her.Unfortunatly you aspire on ly to master who will negate you
Question why does Lebanon need tourism to develop?
Anonymous

Why did France need you?
Anonymous

hope for them that they don’t need me, if not they are in a maiz
why do you say that?
Anonymous

what’s happen there you want to come in france? why?not easy to be a traitor in lebanon? you can tell me everything take me like your analyst
Anonymous

We prefer who from the gulf to do what????? Are u Iranian or Palistinian??? Why are you so obsessed with Lebanons demise? shouldn’t you be fighting to free the occupied territories in palistine?

Yalla! the terrorist regimes need all the support from low lives they can get. Hurry they’re accepting ANYONE these days lol…
Anonymous

not lebanese desmise the desmise of the coward like you who spit on your liberator.Are you arabs ? Don’t you know that for the arabs the one who liberates you from the opression is your master,if you are arabs from now you will have to say master hezbollah ok?
and don’t care what i am i don’t speak on basis of appartenance
Anonymous

“Again the presomptous Lebanes who dismiss it’s neighbour”

What neighbour ya zakeh? the Syrian dogs that committed the very crimes you mention? or the Palistinian dogs that spit in our faces? Lebanon has NO neighbors, we are in the worst neighborhood in the world! Dee3an Libnan!
Anonymous

ok i haven’t got it you are an island your infatuation has no limit.Everyone who is no Lebanese and sunni is a dog bravo i hope you don’t forget to go back to your clinic when the night come and take your medications

Anonymous

Actually there are less Iranians this year as well. Each day there are maybe around 10 to 15 buses that come to Lebanon from Iran (via Syria and Turkey). This year, they seem to be down. Some days there are only a couple. However, that is probably more due to the situation in Syria than here.

Anonymous

If there is more stability maybe this would change. There is so much turmoil, people getting kidnapped and HA threats what do you expect.
Anonymous

Considering that - except possibly in the very few ‘peaceful’ years – MOST of what they called ‘tourists’ were expatriates coming to visit family or second-generation emmigrants who wished to show their children ‘the old country’ and some history, this a very sad for the country. Also, it shows there is awareness in the ‘tourist’ world of what is happening in Lebanon.
Some ‘tourist-types’ are, of course, adventurous.As a Lebanese citizen, would you go to Somalia for a ‘holiday’?
Anonymous

wow shahed oo m’sharit

how about providing stability and calm and train your sha3ib il hayawan to not rip off people. Oh btw, maybe running water and electricity would help too
Anonymous

who wants to go to a country where thugs and militants run it in accordance to their law and who hate the west
Anonymous

Nevermind more tourist, what we need is less terrorist!
Anonymous

Lebanon needs to be a state that is in control over all its territory,with a government that is able to enforce law and order and no group has the right to take the law in its hand . There must be ,no militias ! There must be no armed groups that kidnap ! It must have one foreign policy !It has to provide security and stability!It has to protect people s freedom and liberty!People have to feel they are protected !Then more people will come !
Anonymous

well what do you expect when we have a group declaring war/peace without resorting to anything to do with lebanese officials or system?

the overthrow of the previous govt january this year was the last straw.

in the same way iran is giving financial aid to Assad to keep him on his feet…it should do the same thing to lebanon since not only HA but the prime minister with hsi govt and also the president of lebanon support it….why are lebanese poeple any different eh?

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