Written by Joseph Farah
Translated by Lynn Waked
NNA - The recent domestic and regional events on both political and security levels, bore a major impact on Lebanon's tourism sector, whether in terms of the number of tourists, their quality or the spending, the Tourism Ministry's statistics showed.
This impact on the tourism sector had a domino effect on other economic sectors in Lebanon.
From 2012 till 2013, the number of tourists downed of 6.6%, while Lebanon broke the records in the number of tourists in 2010.
This increase in the tourists' numbers could have lasted, or perhaps upped even more, if not for the prevailing tensed political and security situations.
With reference to the quality of tourists, Saudi nationals ranked first in 2010 with their numbers exceeding 150 thousand Saudis.
Iraqi tourists came next, Jordanians after and the Egyptian tourists ranked in fourth place.
These numbers downed thoroughly due to the Gulf States' decision to ban their nationals from visiting Lebanon, for fear of their safety in light of the dangerous security situation.
Saudi tourists' numbers decreased to 3.850 Saudis.
As we know, Lebanon has always been a good host for European and U.S. tourists; however their numbers went down after their countries' repeated warnings to avoid traveling to Lebanon.
This deteriorating situation prompted Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud to adopt a new strategy to attract Arab tourists.
The Minister affirmed that he insisted within such horrid circumstances to partake in all fairs and exhibitions across the world to prove Lebanon's tourism position and to avoid smudging the country's image built across years.
Abboud did not fail to admit the difficulty of his mission at times when Lebanon was being invaded by the most terrible and destructive explosions' types.
Concerned officials in the tourism sector cannot but hope for a government formation in Lebanon and a comeback of political and security stability, "for it is quasi-impossible for tourism to be revived within such tensions."
==========================L.W.
Translated by Lynn Waked
NNA - The recent domestic and regional events on both political and security levels, bore a major impact on Lebanon's tourism sector, whether in terms of the number of tourists, their quality or the spending, the Tourism Ministry's statistics showed.
This impact on the tourism sector had a domino effect on other economic sectors in Lebanon.
From 2012 till 2013, the number of tourists downed of 6.6%, while Lebanon broke the records in the number of tourists in 2010.
This increase in the tourists' numbers could have lasted, or perhaps upped even more, if not for the prevailing tensed political and security situations.
With reference to the quality of tourists, Saudi nationals ranked first in 2010 with their numbers exceeding 150 thousand Saudis.
Iraqi tourists came next, Jordanians after and the Egyptian tourists ranked in fourth place.
These numbers downed thoroughly due to the Gulf States' decision to ban their nationals from visiting Lebanon, for fear of their safety in light of the dangerous security situation.
Saudi tourists' numbers decreased to 3.850 Saudis.
As we know, Lebanon has always been a good host for European and U.S. tourists; however their numbers went down after their countries' repeated warnings to avoid traveling to Lebanon.
This deteriorating situation prompted Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud to adopt a new strategy to attract Arab tourists.
The Minister affirmed that he insisted within such horrid circumstances to partake in all fairs and exhibitions across the world to prove Lebanon's tourism position and to avoid smudging the country's image built across years.
Abboud did not fail to admit the difficulty of his mission at times when Lebanon was being invaded by the most terrible and destructive explosions' types.
Concerned officials in the tourism sector cannot but hope for a government formation in Lebanon and a comeback of political and security stability, "for it is quasi-impossible for tourism to be revived within such tensions."
==========================L.W.
