Report by Rima Youssef
Translated by Aline Aoun
NNA - In spite of the failure of officials in Lebanon to provide the minimum of tourism and hospitality requirements, Beirut has managed to prove that it is an ancient city that was and still an attractive tourist milestone for people from all over the world, especially after it has won during the summer the best global city for food, knowing that food is a basic feature that encourages tourists to visit a particular country.
To celebrate this victory, the owners of restaurants, nightclubs, and cafés will organize for the first time Beirut Festival for restaurants, as follows: Fridays from five in the afternoon until midnight and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to midnight in the Mar Mikhael area - the railroad.
Tonight (Friday) Tourism Minister, Michel Pharaon, and the Governor of Beirut, Ziad Shabib, will open the festival in participation of Beirut hospitality.
It is worth to note that the festival includes all kinds of restaurants and tastes, as well as entertainment shows for children. The entrance fee is LL5000 for adults and free for children under ten years.
The head of the union, Tony Rami, told the "National News Agency", "The festival was the result of Beirut winning the first place regarding the food. We have organized it so that Beirut will be a permanent beacon in this field".
He pointed out that the festival comprises about 70 exhibitors from different restaurants and kitchens, the Lebanese, French and Asian cuisine, as well as fast food.
"These restaurants will offer their best in terms of quality, but in small size, and the prices are reduced to allow visitors to taste more than one dish," Rami stressed.
He said that the restaurant owners' aim is to participate in this event not to make profit but to show the best quality.
"The parking is available at an affordable price," he noted.
"The catering sector is still vital in these dark days, thanks to the Lebanese residents and expatriates, as well as visitors and tourists," he concluded.
===============A.A.M.
